City engineering staff on Aug. 26 presented preliminary plans for a corridor project that would widen and improve Alamo (Highland Village) Road, extend a sidewalk/trail network, and modify crossings at the Kansas City Southern railroad.

The presentation stated the project corridor runs from the parking lot near the city hall south to the Kansas City Southern Railroad and was added to the city’s CIP in 2022 and included in Denton County’s bond program. Staff described the work as widening the roadway cross‑section by about 4 feet to match the section nearer I‑35, adding sidewalk where none exists, improving drainage and extending or improving culverts, and adding a dedicated left turn lane onto Canyon Creek to address sight‑distance and accident history.

Public Works staff (identified in the record as Scott and other presenters) said specific drainage work may include enclosing portions of existing ditches, extending culverts and flattening ditch swales, while noting some culverts are reinforced concrete and in good condition. A staff slide listed an opinion of probable construction cost (OPCC) for a project segment at roughly $3,810,000 (staff noted this reflected a 15 percent contingency and higher material costs). The presentation also referenced the city’s earlier Highland Shores Boulevard concept and noted Highland Shores is expected to be a two‑year project; that project’s estimated county bond participation is in process and could be allocated in spring 2026.

Staff said the council will need to approve construction timing and public outreach plans; staff suggested using QR codes and frequent notifications because residents will experience significant construction impacts along the corridor. A proposed traffic control strategy for Highland Shores calls for building one side at a time and flipping traffic to maintain two‑way flow during construction; staff said they expect the Highland Village Road work could be completed in nine to eleven months with good weather and a qualified contractor.

Trail and pedestrian issues came up repeatedly. Staff noted an existing private HOA trail connection behind a neighborhood that needs improvements, and the presentation explored options for new trail connections and potential multi‑use path widening in places where sufficient right‑of‑way exists. Several council members and staff discussed whether golf carts could be allowed on a temporary basis during construction or routed differently; staff said that would be a separate policy discussion.

County funding and timing: staff said Denton County has indicated up to 50 percent participation for some projects through its bond program and that county allocations could be released in spring 2026. Staff said Highland Shores and the railroad crossing work could proceed in parallel with other road work depending on contractor sequencing.

Next steps: Staff recommended continued coordination with Denton County, finalizing design details, preparing a traffic control plan segmented for construction, and additional public outreach ahead of construction. Staff estimated construction could start in spring 2026 depending on funding and county allocations.