Residents raise safety concerns about Midway Drive; staff says design underway and striping planned

TEMPLE, Texas — Residents urged the Temple City Council on Aug. 28 to accelerate repairs and striping on Midway Drive, a corridor that speakers described as unsafe and poorly marked near Bonham Middle School. City staff said design work has begun, striping is scheduled and a full reconstruction plan will follow more detailed design and soil testing.

At the start of the meeting public commenter Twila Clayton said she lives off Midway Drive and described the street as “very, very uneven” and “extremely unsafe,” noting that a middle school sits on the road. Clayton said residents who pay property taxes “deserve better.”

City staff responded during the budget presentation that pavement marking is included in a recently approved slurry‑seal contract and that striping of the existing roadway is expected in September. Staff said Midway is not a candidate for overlay or slurry seal for long-term repair because the corridor sits on poor soils that will require major reconstruction rather than a surface repair.

Staff described the next steps for Midway Drive: - Design contract: Council recently authorized a design contract; staff said the design phase is underway and that additional geotechnical assessment and traffic‑impact analysis are part of the scope. Staff estimated the design timeline at roughly 9–12 months but said the firm is doing extra soil investigation because of the known soil conditions. - Striping: The city will stripe the existing pavement to improve lane delineation and safety; staff said striping work is scheduled for September, which will not change pavement condition but will make lanes more visible. - Full reconstruction: Because of poor soils in portions of the corridor staff said Midway will likely require removal and rebuilding of the street subgrade in many locations; the city will present options that balance lane configuration, cost and future capacity once cost estimates are available. Staff cited prior projects such as Kegley as an example of how delaying major reconstruction increases long‑term cost. - Coordination: Staff noted the need to coordinate timing with TxDOT’s planned interstate work so construction in the Midway/I‑35 area does not create overlapping route closures for the traveling public.

Staff also said right‑of‑way acquisition is expected to be minimal; temporary construction easements are possible but permanent takings are unlikely. A preliminary 30% design estimate mentioned in the meeting placed early cost estimates for a major rebuild in the region of tens of millions of dollars (the speaker cited a $26,400,000 early estimate at 30% design but characterized that figure as preliminary and subject to change following further geotechnical work).

Resident Alan Lydall, speaking later in public comments, thanked staff for progress on brush pickup and praised combined trash and recycling pickup changes, adding that he hopes planned equipment and routes continue to improve city services. Staff reiterated that equipment deliveries (including solid‑waste trucks) and the pavement‑preservation program are separate pieces of the capital plan and that Midway’s long‑term repair will depend on design and budget decisions.

Ending: Staff told council the striping will improve safety in the short term and that construction for a full rebuild would not begin during the upcoming fiscal year; council will receive cost estimates from the design work before any construction funding decision.

Quote: “We did include the pavement marking of Midway Drive in the contract that you recently approved for slurry seal… the existing road in its existing condition will be striped, probably in September,” a staff member said. Resident Twila Clayton said, “We live here. We work here. We raise our kids here. … We deserve better.”