Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Downtown Redevelopment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Downtown redevelopment: timeline for Jefferson reconstruction, roundabouts and Liberty Bell enhancements
Summary
City staff outlined downtown construction phasing, including Jefferson Street reconstruction and roundabout planning starting in 2026, sidewalk-width goals and plans to make the Liberty Bell a focal point; council asked for additional historical and art-commission follow-up.
Deputy City Manager Megan Mahan told council at the Oct. 16 briefing that downtown redevelopment work will ramp up after Main Street Fest, with phased street and plaza construction beginning in 2026 and targeted completion milestones into 2028.
Megan Mahan, deputy city manager, said the city has completed an initial site-preparation phase at the Calvary site and plans to begin the next phase after the festival, with a phase timed to run through March 2026 and a subsequent phase concluding around July 2026. Mahan said staff will present construction authorization to council at the next council meeting; if the council approves, construction could start in the same week.
The presentation outlined several downtown elements: a Jefferson main-roundabout concept intended to divert truck traffic, a Jefferson reconstruction segment from Highway 161 to Cimarron to improve truck travel, and a “rip-the-band-aid-off” approach to the main core construction between Northwest 6 and Northeast Fifth that staff propose to start in 2026 and complete in 2028. Mahan said the Jefferson roundabout work is tentatively scheduled to start in 2026 and complete in 2027 and that the reconstruction segments have similar 2026–2027 windows.
Staff said they worked with TxDOT to change a planned separated bike lane to a shared-use (sharrow) configuration to widen sidewalks. The presentation showed proposed sidewalk widths of roughly 18–20 feet in many downtown segments; Mahan said the design reduces bike-only lanes in order to expand pedestrian space.
Council members asked for more detail on public art selection and the Liberty Bell, which staff plan to make a focal point. Barry Sanders presented a brief history excerpt noting the Liberty Bell dedication in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial and that a fifth-grade Grand Prairie ISD class was listed among donors on the original plaque. Council asked staff to return with a more complete history and suggested a plaque be added to interpret the site.
Council members also pressed staff on phasing and traffic impacts. Council member Shotwell asked technical questions about paving materials on Jefferson and phasing for a busy arterial; staff said the worst asphalt sections will be removed and replaced with concrete, and that contractors will be asked to propose efficient phasing plans to limit disruption. Council member Clemson asked that staff provide schematic materials to council members for deeper review.
Mahan said staff will return with final designs and additional detail, will engage the Grand Prairie Arts Commission or an ad hoc committee on public-art selections for the roundabout, and will prepare materials to share with congressional offices and potential funding partners to support downtown work.
No formal vote occurred at the briefing; staff will return to council for formal approvals where council action is required.
