University Park council hears detailed timeline, funding breakdown for Lovers Lane 'Miracle Mile' reconstruction

City staff told the University Park City Council on Jan. 7 that the long‑planned Lovers Lane “Miracle Mile” reconstruction is ready to move into bidding and construction phases, with county and transit grant funding already committed and a preferred start in spring 2025.

Katie Baron, the city’s director of engineering, told the council the project—approved in 2019—has moved through design and review and will be advertised for construction bids in February, with a recommended contract award in mid‑March and a preferred construction start of about April 1. “We are intending to advertise this project for, for construction in February, a bid award in March, public meetings in April, and construction to begin, shortly after that, or roughly about the same time,” Baron said.

The nut graf: The project rebuilds a stretch of Lovers Lane from the Dallas North Tollway to Douglas Street, reconfiguring intersections, adding pedestrian crossings with rapid‑flashing beacons where required, relocating a water line and improving traffic flow. Dallas County and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) have committed major reimbursements, and the city plans a phased approach to keep one side open and preserve parking for businesses.

Baron summarized design changes made since the council approved Option C in 2019. Changes include shifting a pedestrian crossing to Loma Alto with a proposed rapid‑flashing beacon similar to the one at University Park Elementary, reconfiguring the Armstrong intersection to remove certain parking signal phases and provide an accessible crossing, and adding a protected left‑turn lane from southbound Douglas at the Douglas/Lovers intersection. She said the project design aims to increase mobility for “all users” and to reduce an intersection the city identified as especially unsafe.

On costs and funding, Baron said the city originally estimated about $9.5 million in 2019 dollars. Funding commitments now include $4.6 million from Dallas County (the maximum available under that program) and $2,154,000 from DART’s Public Transit Improvements (PTI) program. Baron said the city has already received roughly $400,000 in PTI reimbursements for eligible design invoices. She added that the city anticipates roughly $4.5 million in local funding to cover the remaining costs and noted the city will draft an interlocal agreement with the City of Dallas for signal work on the east side of the tollway; Dallas will reimburse the city for its portion.

On schedule and procurement, Baron said the city will use a competitive sealed proposal process rather than a simple low‑bid contract. That process evaluates contractors on cost, proposed work plan and staffing and typically takes more time than standard sealed bids. The staff’s preferred timeline assumes bids are posted in February, proposals reviewed in March and construction beginning in April to reduce impacts across two holiday seasons; an alternative schedule that delays contractor selection until May would push substantial work later into 2026.

Council members pressed staff on right‑of‑way, access agreements and parking. Baron said the south side right‑of‑way line runs through existing parking spaces; the city has obtained 14 notarized access agreements to date allowing staff to replace sidewalks and parking in those private portions. Two corporate property owners and one resident remain to be followed up with. “All of the agreements that I’ve received back, they have been notarized that the person signing it and authorizing us the ability to come on their property do own that property,” Baron said.

Mayor Tommy Stewart voiced support for the preferred timing: “I think your preferred start date of February 10. Post bids is the right 1.” Council member Mark Aldridge pressed staff on why the city sought access agreements rather than permanent easements and whether owners would be asked to reimburse the city for improvements on land they claim. Staff said seeking reimbursement from property owners is a policy question for the council; purchasing and legal reviews are underway and a draft professional services agreement with Dallas County is in the county attorney’s office.

Baron outlined the planned construction sequence to limit disruption: the north side will be built first with temporary traffic routed through parking areas so Lovers Lane will not be fully closed and businesses can retain customer access. She said contractors will work block‑by‑block, similar to recent work on Snyder Plaza, and that the bid process allows contractors to propose improved phasing if it reduces impacts while meeting city constraints. Staff also said closing the Armstrong intersection as proposed actually gains a handful of parking spaces and that the overall parking configuration will remain similar to current angles and counts.

The council received the briefing; no council vote on the main project occurred that evening. The meeting moved to public comment, but no speakers had signed up.

Votes at a glance: The council approved a two‑item consent agenda before the Miracle Mile briefing. The consent motion passed 5–0 and included (1) approval of a park reservation for University Park Elementary’s “Up All Night” fundraiser, scheduled for April 26, 2025, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and (2) approval of minutes from the Dec. 17, 2024 council meeting.

What’s next: staff expects to post the request for proposals in February, hold public meetings after a contractor is on board in April, and bring a contract award recommendation to the council at the March mid‑month meeting. Completion is estimated at about 18 months from construction start, with staff aiming to avoid disrupting two holiday seasons and to finish by early fall 2026 if the preferred schedule holds.