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 20 Fourth Street pedestrian/bridge improvement — which was combined with needed structural work underneath the bridge — is expected to finish in late spring 2025, with City materials showing a May 25 target.

A Veterans Memorial Boulevard project near the VA complex will extend a divided, landscaped median boulevard and add wider sidewalks and regional stormwater detention that will feed into Friars Creek. Deckman said that project is in final review with TxDOT and should go to bid by September 2025; he noted the city is using congressional funds for the first phase and Clean Temple MPO money for later phases.

Deckman also described the Georgetown Railroad hiking-and-bike-trail Phase 1. A developer for a nearby mixed-use project at 30 First Street is building a portion of the trail under a developer participation agreement; that coordination, Deckman said, will shorten the grant-funded piece the city must build. Designs for the trail are at about 90% and include a pedestrian crossing with flashers, markings and a raised median to create a pedestrian refuge.

Other items covered: - Hartrick Bluff Road: utilities relocations are underway; the project should go to bid in May 2025 and includes a traffic signal at the intersection of 93 and Hartrick Bluff. Deckman said utility coordination involves electrical and telecom providers. (Speaker: Deckman.) - North 40 Second Street: three residential developments — including phases of Oak Ridge and North Creek — require right-of-way and sewer work; right-of-way acquisition is in progress and construction is anticipated to start early 2026. (Speaker: Deckman.) - Downtown Third Street: city-funded improvements include removing one travel lane on a TxDOT bridge to create a wider pedestrian pathway, new crosswalks, and landscaping; construction is anticipated in 2025 pending railroad permit and TxDOT coordination. (Speaker: Deckman.) - Sidewalks near Lamar Middle School and Miller Park: designs are underway to add sidewalks connecting to the Culture Activity Center and the Maybourne Center; these are city-funded and target 2025 construction. (Speaker: Deckman.) - Poison Oak Road: the arterial widening that began with the new Charter Oak Elementary School will continue to smooth curves and tie to Old Waco Road; the project should go to bid in 2025. Deckman noted an overhead electric-transmission line requires coordination with Encore for plans beneath the lines. (Speaker: Deckman.) - Avenue C: funded for fiscal year 2028, the project will widen the street and add meandering sidewalks; staff said they have met with the congregation at Eighth Street Baptist Church to discuss parking and access impacts. (Speaker: Deckman.) - Outer Loop West phase 2: right-of-way acquisition is in progress and the preferred alignment calls for a three-layer overpass where Charter Oak Drive passes beneath the railroad; Deckman said that alignment minimizes the number of bridges but that the project is several years out. - Leon River Phase 1 / Leon Reserve area: a preliminary plat advanced in recent weeks and a new elementary school for TISD is planned; engineering has 30% designs for the developer roadway, with construction planned for 2026. Deckman said a traffic impact analysis calls for a signal at Old 95 now and a second signal at 93 Spur and Cross Timbers Boulevard once the subdivisions reach 55% built-out (built, not just sold).

Planning and development director Bridal Chandler opened the meeting and emphasized the staff intent to provide regular transportation updates. "It's probably a good idea to be able to provide fairly regular ones," Chandler said at the start of the session.

Commissioners asked for the presentation in electronic form; Deckman agreed to save a PDF and distribute it to commissioners for further review.

The presentation included several items that require external approvals or coordination: TxDOT approvals, a railroad permit from BNSF for work over tracks, and developer participation agreements. Deckman repeatedly noted schedule dependencies on those external agencies and funding availability.

The briefing was informational; no formal action or vote on any project was recorded during the work session. Several projects are on future consent or regular agendas as preliminary or final plats and as construction bids are released.

Copies of the slides and the PDF of the presentation will be distributed to commissioners for follow-up and study.