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Council hears street, sidewalk and drainage projects; city to complete annual ditching program
Summary
Public Works outlined annual street-rehab funding increases, Highland Avenue reconstruction, road extensions and a citywide ditching program intended to restore drainage capacity; staff flagged rising asphalt costs as a driver of higher estimates.
Public Works Director Molly Villarreal summarized the street, sidewalk and drainage elements of the five-year CIP, including an increased annual street-rehabilitation budget, major corridor projects and a multi-year roadside-ditch program.
Villarreal described the annual street-rehab program (concrete repairs, asphalt overlays, pavement preservation, crack sealing, and pavement management). The consultant-recommended pavement condition study advised spending approximately $13 million per year to maintain network condition; staff asked council to increase the annual allocation to $13 million in FY 2026, citing sharp increases in asphalt and material prices.
Major projects include Highland Avenue reconstruction (design nearly complete; staff plans to advertise later this summer to rebuild from Cardinal Drive to Washington Boulevard), proposed Dallin Road extension to I-10 (a multi-phase project that includes roadway, drainage and bridge work), and smaller arterial and neighborhood rehab projects across the city. Staff also described a bridge-repair program based on TxDOT inspection recommendations.
On drainage, Villarreal said the citywide ditching program is organized to "ditch 20% of the city per year" to restore roadside ditches and culvert grades; several grant-funded storm projects remain under design and construction (Phelps Road, Lion Addition/Laura Addition). She emphasized that many larger drainage channels are maintained by Drainage District 6 and that the city coordinates with DD6 on larger channel work.
Sidewalks and ADA: staff recommended a citywide sidewalk master plan as a future CIP study to set priorities and identify pedestrian generators (schools, medical facilities, transit stops). Council members asked that sidewalk needs near schools and on high-traffic corridors be prioritized for safety projects.
Ending: staff will continue to adjust project costs to reflect current material prices and coordinate sequencing with utility and TxDOT projects; Highland Avenue is expected to move to construction following final design.
