Copperas Cove council directs staff to pursue Ashley connection and Fort Cavazos ramps; majority backs Business 190 Phase 4 with design conditions

Copperas Cove city councilors on Jan. 7 directed city staff to proceed with three transportation projects submitted to the Killeen–Temple Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO): the Ashley Drive connection, access ramps to Fort Cavazos from State Highway 9, and Business U.S. 190 Phase 4 — while urging design changes after issues that arose with earlier phases.

The council’s direction affects projects listed in the MPO’s Transportation Improvement Program for fiscal years 2025–28. Staff said the Ashley Connection was the city’s top-ranked project, the Fort Cavazos ramps already have federal grant awards and Phase 4 of Business 190 scored highest among the city’s submittals. City staff and councilors pressed for work on sidewalks and drainage and asked that Phase 4 design avoid repeating problems identified in Phase 1.

Why it matters: the projects tie federal and state funding to local engineering and design commitments. The Fort Cavazos ramps were presented with an estimated total project cost of $11,822,489 and federal grants of $10,308,877; staff said TxDOT will provide interim assistance to cover a roughly $2.6 million shortfall identified in the MPO listing. The Ashley Connection’s total estimate shown to council was $1,267,000 with an estimated city engineering cost of $316,750. Business 190 Phase 4’s estimated total project cost was $10,133,000 and the city’s estimated engineering cost was $1,266,625.

Staff described next steps as preparing design authorization requests and negotiating an advanced funding agreement (AFA) with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Ryan Havillah, the city manager, and Bobby Lewis, development services director, told the council that TxDOT’s recent roadway design guidance requires the city and its engineers to evaluate multiple intersection types where a city road meets a TxDOT facility; that review can change design scope and increase design costs compared with older plans.

Council debate centered on whether to accept Phase 4 as scored by the MPO or try to substitute a different project. Council members raised several concerns: Phase 1’s medians and the removal of an originally planned U‑turn at Constitution Drive required a later TxDOT redesign; Phase 2 and Phase 3 will need major drainage work to add sidewalks; and shifting Phase 4 to a sidewalk-only scope would remove it from the MPO’s Category 2 (state roadway) funding and require resubmission at the next call for projects in three years.

After discussion, the council reached a majority consensus to proceed with Phase 4 as listed but directed staff to work with TxDOT and design consultants to: prioritize sidewalks and drainage where possible, avoid repeating the median and turning‑movement problems seen in Phase 1, and ensure robust public involvement during the design phase. Councilors emphasized they expect the city to be engaged in the design process, within the limits of TxDOT regulations and AFA requirements.

The city manager and development services director said they will communicate the council’s direction to the MPO and to TxDOT and return with any required agreements, including the AFA, for council approval.

What the council did not do: members declined to unilaterally reassign the Phase 4 funding to a different ranked project at this time without MPO agreement; staff noted the MPO scoring is complete and project substitution is subject to the MPO’s process.

Next steps: staff will notify the MPO of council direction, continue AFA negotiations with TxDOT, and include the council in the design and public‑engagement process for Business 190 Phase 4.