Collin County’s rapid expansion rate makes it the fastest-growing county in the state among those counties with populations over 100,000, according to U.S. Census Bureau numbers released today. Population growth estimates from April 2000 to July 2006 show that Collin County grew at a rate of more than 42 percent by last summer. That translates into an estimated 207,079 more people who moved into the county, and swelled the area’s population to 698,851. In sheer numbers alone, the six-year growth spurt shows Collin County ranked 8th in the nation for numerical increases among counties with populations of 10,000 or more. For counties with populations over 500,000, Collin’s growth rate outpaced other similarly sized locales in the U.S. Based on the new growth estimates, Collin County’s population today is approximately 730,000. Collin County Judge Keith Self says the numbers released today are not a surprise, given the dramatic transformations of sleepy towns into bustling suburbs over the last 20 years. “This incredible growth underscores just how vital it has become for us to expand a transportation system that can keep pace with these numbers,” says Judge Self. “Our ability to continue to grow and to better our quality of life here is linked directly to finding ways to expand our roadways now.” “One of the major challenges facing the Commissioners Court is always the growth issue and our responsibility is to plan for that growth,” says Collin County Commissioner Phyllis Cole, Precinct 1. “With this movement, it becomes more important for us to have a transportation infrastructure that accommodates the increasing number of commuters,” says Collin County Commissioner Joe Jaynes, Precinct 3. “Chances are for every person who moves into Collin County, that person will have a car. That’s why we need to look at alternatives to roadways such as mass transit.” According to Census figures, the neighboring counties of Denton and Rockwall have also grown at an incredible rate. According to Collin County Commissioner Jack Hatchell, Precinct 4, this is another reason why Collin County’s transportation infrastructure is so important. “With our astonishing growth, we are able to bring world-class business and industry to Collin County,” says Commissioner Hatchell. “As a result, we are seeing an increasing number of residents of different counties commuting daily to Collin County.” “The Census numbers perfectly line-up with our projections,” says Collin County Commissioner Jerry Hoagland, Precinct 2. “Collin County is on the right track in providing services to our citizens that accompany this growth.”