Neighbors around the Dallas North Tollway expansion and construction projects in Plano have been seeing a familiar visitor, but he does not really belong there. All the heavy machinery, soil displacement, and constant disruptions along these corridors do not just inconvenience drivers; they also disrupt the environment. They are pushing rodents, insects, and other pests directly into neighboring homes and businesses.
With construction crews breaking new ground and rerouting natural drainage patterns, critters are once again living in those spaces, searching for new places to call home. If you have seen an uptick in mice in your garage or ants marching through your kitchen, you are not imagining things. You can call pest control services to keep your home pest free in Plano before it becomes an infestation.
How Tollway Construction Disrupts Local Pest Habitats
- Breaking Ground Means Breaking Homes
Heavy machinery rolling willy-nilly across the ground scrapes, plows, and bulldozes up the underground dens and nests that rodents and insects have established under urban and suburban soils along Plano’s tollroad corridors. These pests do not just go away; they migrate to nearby attractive locations, primarily your property.
- Water Flow Changes Create New Problems
Development alters the landscape’s hydrology. Puddles of water and diverted rainfall laid out a welcome mat for mosquitoes to breed and for pests such as silverfish and cockroaches to draw in, which are attracted to humidity. The cumulative tollway expansion has altered drainage patterns in approximately 12 miles of residential and commercial areas, according to the City of Plano’s 2023 infrastructure report.
Why Areas Near Plano’s Tollway Projects Are Seeing Spikes
Well, the link between building work and rising pest levels is not by chance. Plano is one of the fastest-growing US cities, with over 285,000 residents in 2024, so construction zones are often adjacent to established neighborhoods. In turn, this triggers a chain reaction when heavy equipment disrupts soil and plant life adjacent to the tollway. This forces pests to migrate more quickly as they lose both their food sources and shelter. The most significant increases in pest populations are near active construction sites, usually within a quarter-mile, and especially during the warm season when pests are most active.
Pests Most Affected by Tollway Construction
Construction disruption elicits varied reactions among the diverse pest types. Here is the problem for Plano residents living around tollway projects:
- Rodents (Mice and Rats): When construction damages their underground tunnels, they are pushed into attics, garages, and wall voids of nearby homes.
- Fire Ants: If a colony is disturbed, they will quickly move elsewhere and often create new mounds in residential lawns and commercial property.
- Termites: Termite colonies are disrupted when soil is disturbed, and they swarm to seek new wood sources in your structure
- Mosquitoes: Altered drainage patterns produce puddles that are breeding grounds
- Cockroaches: They become displaced from outdoor environments, so they come inside searching for food, water, and shelter
Calling a Professional – Do You Need It?
Pests displaced by construction, which most often occur, are in the garden and in any dark corner of the house where they are seeking shelter; high-quality professionals know how to treat pests, where to find them, and how to spread concoctions to get rid of them. Saela Pest Control, serving Plano and the surrounding area, has worked for many years to combat surges in pest activity associated with construction. They provide tailored solutions that address the specific challenges of living near industrial areas. In addition, their specialists can identify pests, address existing infestations, and implement preventive measures that make it difficult for pests to make your premises their new home. Avoid letting minor issues turn into costly nightmares; seek professional help.
