Temple staff outlines major transportation projects and timelines

Jason Deckman, a staff member presenting updates to the Planning and Zoning Commission on March 3, 2025,walked commissioners through a wide set of transportation projects across Temple, giving timelines, funding sources and coordination requirements with TxDOT and railroads.

The presentation matters because the projects affect traffic patterns, pedestrian access and planned residential and school development across the south and west sides of Temple.

"The commission y'all had asked for an update on transportation projects," Deckman said, opening a slide-heavy briefing that ran through outer-loop construction, several bridge projects and neighborhood sidewalk connections. He said the most active items include outer loop phases, Kegley Road improvements, the 20 Fourth Street overpass and a set of pedestrian and drainage projects near Temple College.

Deckman said outer loop west phase 1 is funded through the Clean Temple MPO and is moving quickly; engineers expect that phase to be complete by September 2025. A later phase will make the ultimate connection to I-35 but has a timeline multiple years out. He described an earlier change from an at-grade railroad crossing to a required overpass for safety and showed photos of the overpass-in-progress.

Kegley Road includes a new bridge and grading to expand the roadway to a future three-lane cross section with a center turn lane and a sidewalk; Deckman said that project is scheduled for completion by November 2025. The…