new praise for plano

North Dallas neighbor surprises as top 10 best U.S. city to drive in

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Once you head out of the city, driving's a little less of a nightmare.

Courtesy photo

Dallasites can agree that there's nothing worse than getting stuck in traffic, but one surprising suburb is pulling through as one of the most enjoyable cities to drive in: The North Dallas neighbor of Plano.

That honor is being bestowed by personal finance website WalletHub in its new study ranking the "Best & Worst Cities to Drive In (2024)." The report examined 100 of the largest U.S. cities to determine their "driver friendliness" using 30 metrics across four key dimensions: Costs for vehicle ownership and maintenance, traffic and infrastructure, safety, and vehicle and maintenance accessibility (repair shops, car washes, gas stations, parking garages, etc.).

In all, 13 Texas cities made it on WalletHub's list, and six are located in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Raleigh, North Carolina was crowned the No. 1 best U.S. city to drive in, earning a score of 63.92 points, while Plano ranked No. 10 with a score of 60.52 points.

Plano stood out for its overall "safety" ranking, earning No. 13 nationwide, which encompassed factors like the likelihood of having a vehicle accident in the city versus the national average; the traffic fatality rate per 100,000 residents; the rate of car thefts; among others.

Here's how WalletHub broke down the rest of Plano's rank across the three remaining categories:

No. 28 – Access to Vehicles & Maintenance rank
No. 37 – Traffic & Infrastructure rank
No. 40 – Cost of Ownership & Maintenance rank

Elsewhere around DFW, Arlington ranked as the No. 19 best large U.S. city to drive in, while Garland (No. 27), Fort Worth (No. 34), and Irving (No. 38) all fell farther behind.

Dallas (No. 60), unsurprisingly, was one of the worst-ranked Texas cities to drive in. Just last year, Dallas ranked No. 9 in a Forbes Home study of U.S. cities with the hardest commutes, so this doesn't come as much of a surprise to anyone who lives in the city.

The only city in the Lone Star State that performed worse than Dallas was Houston, which ranked No. 64 nationally. Houston is notorious for having the worst traffic in the country.

According to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, living in one of the best cities to drive in – such as Plano or Corpus Christi, which ranked No. 3 nationally – can make it easier for residents to own and maintain a car.

"Car prices have gone up significantly over the past few years, and gas remains expensive going into the summer travel season," Lupo said in the report. "However, costs aren’t the only factors that matter; the best cities for drivers also minimize commute times and traffic congestion, have accident rates well below the national average and keep their roads in good condition."

The top 10 best large U.S. cities to drive in are:

No. 1 – Raleigh, North Carolina
No. 2 – Boise, Idaho
No. 3 – Corpus Christi, Texas
No. 4 – Greensboro, North Carolina
No. 5 – Jacksonville, Florida
No. 6 – Orlando, Florida
No. 7 – Scottsdale, Arizona
No. 8 – Wichita, Kansas
No. 9 – Tampa, Florida
No. 10 – Plano, Texas

The full report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.

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Nick and Nora news

Dallas takes steps to protect White Rock Lake eaglets as they learn to fly

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Visitors to White Rock Lake may notice new restrictions and barricades near a bald eagle nesting area, as three eaglets begin learning to fly.

According to a release from the City of Dallas, Dallas Park and Recreation is monitoring the eagle couple, affectionately nicknamed "Nick and Nora" by local residents, closely because they now have three young eaglets ready to take flight. (While their exact location is widely known, down to the very tree, this CultureMap story is not going to disclose it out of an abundance of caution for the fragile family.)

The city is asking area visitors to keep noise levels low and dogs on leashes near the nest.

The release says water-filled barricades are in place along East Lawther Drive between the playground and the Dreyfuss split, temporarily affecting vehicle access in the area. Drivers should expect short delays, and cyclists are being asked to slow down nearby. The playground near the nesting zone is also temporarily closed.

Officials say the Dreyfuss area, White Rock Trail, and Lake Highlands Drive will remain open for walking and biking.

The three eaglets are in a developmental phase known as “branching,” when young bald eagles begin leaving the nest and learning to fly. During this period, the eaglets may be seen on the ground or perched in lower tree branches.

Texas Parks and Wildlife officials say this is a particularly sensitive stage because the young birds can appear injured or distressed as they develop their flying skills. Adult eagles may also become more protective during this time.

"Keeping a safe distance helps prevent problems for both the eagle family and park visitors," park officials say.

Dallas Park and Recreation is coordinating with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the eagle family, the release says.

Bald eagles have been spotted near the lake since at least 2019, and have returned in subsequent years to make a nest in the area.

After nearly disappearing decades ago from most of the United States, the bald eagle population is now flourishing across the nation.

Bald eagles are protected under federal law. Disruption of their natural activities is prohibited and a violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. A violation can result in a fine of $100,000, imprisonment for one year, or both.

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