TxDOT outlines preferred Jackson Road rebuild, seeks environmental clearance ahead of right-of-way work

TxDOT district staff briefed the McAllen City Commission at a workshop on a preferred design for Jackson Road from State Highway 495 south to Hall Acres Avenue, saying the project would add capacity, cut conflict points and require coordinated right-of-way acquisitions.

The presentation, given by Pete Alvarez, TxDOT district engineer, and Rex Costas, deputy district engineer, laid out three alignment alternatives and identified a preferred alignment previously shared in March 2024. "Here is the project overview of the limits from, S H 495 down all the way south to Hall Acre, Road Avenue," Alvarez said. The plan calls for three lanes in each direction separated by a raised median that in places would range from about 2 feet to as much as 14–16 feet.

TxDOT said the preferred alignment reduces the number of conflict points along the corridor from 11 in the existing layout to two (right-in/right-out), and cited 987 crashes recorded during the period analyzed. Rex Costas said the agency's level-of-service modeling shows current congested conditions at several intersections inside the project limits — with Moore Road identified as operating at LOS F in 2023 — and that the no-build option would allow service levels to deteriorate further while the build option would improve most segments if paired with parallel improvements on side streets.

Why this matters: Jackson Road is a principal arterial that forms a border in parts between McAllen and Pharr (the presenter described it as the borderline between the city of Pharr and the city of McAllen). The corridor's crash history, congestion and proximity to adjacent properties mean the project will affect right-of-way, private parking and utilities and will require coordination with local drainage and utility partners.

Key details from the presentation: the preferred cross section shows three travel lanes each way with a raised median; TxDOT said the alignment was selected to minimize property impacts. Drainage coordination is ongoing with local drainage districts and may include upsizing storm systems and widening ditches. Project staff said right-of-way surveys and legal descriptions began in April 2025 and that final drainage analysis was received in June. Final schematic concurrence was listed as occurring in July and a notice of opportunity to comment was noted in August 2025 for three intersections on Laurel Road. TxDOT said it hopes to obtain environmental clearance in November (the presentation called for "Environmental clearance, fingers crossed, hopefully, this November").

Schedule and costs: TxDOT presented a tentative schedule that currently shows potential construction in 2032 but said the agency is trying to accelerate that date. Cost-estimate steps and value engineering were discussed: TxDOT staff said projects estimated at $25,000,000 or more undergo value engineering and that the agency has performed value engineering on this project. In response to a question, Costas said construction, once started, would likely take about 30–36 months to complete and that TxDOT plans phased construction sequencing to minimize disruption.

Right-of-way, utilities and local coordination: TxDOT described three right-of-way approaches (take east side, take west side, or partial both sides) and said final parcel limits will follow approved parcel maps and sketches once environmental clearance is issued and appraisals and title reports are completed. On utilities, a commission member asked whether McAllen would need to budget for relocation costs; Costas said utility movement typically splits costs with roughly 90% federal funding and 10% local, and that TxDOT is now planning to pick up that local 10% for this project. Presenters and city staff said they planned outreach to McAllen Public Utility (MPU) to identify relocation needs early so those adjustments can be budgeted by MPU.

Stakeholder impacts and next steps: TxDOT staff acknowledged concerns from adjacent property owners about potential displacements and parking reductions and pointed attendees to the project's right-of-way information link. The agency emphasized ongoing coordination on drainage, right-of-way acquisition and utility relocations and reiterated that environmental clearance must come before appraisals and formal acquisition steps. No formal City Commission action was taken at the workshop; the presentation was informational.

Ending: TxDOT staff said they will continue right-of-way surveying, finalize PS&E after environmental clearance, coordinate drainage and utility relocations with the cities and drainage district, and continue public outreach. City staff indicated they will brief the McAllen Public Utility Board and other local partners so utilities and budgets can be adjusted well in advance of construction.