The wait is over! After decades of planning and more than two years of construction, the North Texas Tollway Authority and state, regional and local leaders celebrated the opening of the 360 Tollway during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning.

Connecting Ellis, Johnson and Tarrant counties, the 360 Tollway is a 9.7-mile toll project that stretches from Camp Wisdom Road/Sublett Road to U.S. 287. The $340 million project, designed to improve mobility, enhance safety and connect communities, was built thanks to a partnership between the North Texas Tollway Authority, the Texas Department of Transportation, the cities of Arlington, Grand Prairie and Mansfield, Tarrant, Ellis and Johnson counties and the North Central Texas Council of Governments' Regional Transportation Council.

"I truly believe that is why this region has been and continues to be so successful," Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said. "We work together to make things happen."

Dignitaries at Friday's ribbon cutting also included Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams, Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jenson, Mansfield Mayor David Cook, State Rep. Bill Zedler, State Rep. Chris Turner, and leaders from Tarrant, Ellis and Johnson counties, TxDOT and the NTTA. The celebration kicked off with a Grand Prairie student drum line, Mansfield Public Safety Honor Guard's flag salute and Bowie High School senior Lauren Hernandez's performance of the National Anthem.

The four-lane toll road will make it faster and easier for drivers to get to school, work and other destinations along the rapidly growing corridor.

"This road is a game changer for our region," Mayor Williams said.

Two portions of the 360 Tollway are named in memory of civil rights icon Rosa Parks and of Senator Chris Harris, a long-term legislative leader from Arlington who championed the 360 Tollway project for decades. Members of the Harris and Parks families helped unveil memorial markers that will be featured along the tollway to highlight both leaders' accomplishments.

The Senator Chris Harris Memorial Highway runs from the intersection with U.S. 287 in Ellis County to the municipal limits of Mansfield in Tarrant County.

The Rosa Parks Memorial Parkway runs from the municipal limits of Mansfield to the intersection with Sublett Road/Camp Wisdom Road in Tarrant County.

As part of the 360 Tollway project, the City of Arlington provided $1.1 million for intersection improvements on Webb Lynn Road, Sublett Road, Debbie Lane and New York Avenue. An additional $3.2 million in funding came from the voter-approved 2014 Bond Election to help realign the New York Avenue and Eden Road intersection.

"We're proud to participate and do our part. Not only do we believe this project will enhance safety for Arlington and neighboring cities, but it will also ease congestion and create new opportunities for economic development," Mayor Williams said. "Today is truly a milestone day and one we can celebrate for the entire North Texas region."

Tolls to travel the entire length of the new 360 Tollway with a TollTag will cost $1.62. Drivers can check the cost of tolls on any NTTA road at NTTA.org.

Drivers who become stranded on NTTA roads may now dial #999 (Pound 9-9-9) to be connected directly to the NTTA Safety Operations Center, a 24/7/365 emergency dispatch facility. NTTA's Roadside Safety Services (RSS) crews and/or DPS Troopers will be quickly be on the way to help.