The City of Haslet is moving to the detailed application phase for a state grant program that funds off‑system grade separations, Mayor Halsey told the council Dec. 15. The funding program—created under Senate Bill 1555—made $250 million available statewide for grade‑separation projects; the program received roughly $2.5 billion in requests in the pre‑application round.

Haslet’s pre‑application was selected for the next stage, and the city will submit a detailed application by Jan. 19; award notifications are expected in February. Mayor Halsey said the city used TxDOT criteria to develop a preliminary cost estimate of about $79 million for the full project package, which the city represented in the pre‑application.

Council members asked whether the city had a realistic chance of winning such a large share of the $250 million statewide pot. Mayor Halsey said Haslet’s project is a prominent candidate because of the regional importance of the corridor, and he described a robust project team that includes Kimley Horn, Belcher Engineering and Lee Engineering and support from the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

A significant technical hurdle remains. Mayor Halsey said a separately funded, shorter bridge design that had been under review was rejected by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) because proposed supporting columns would sit inside BNSF’s right‑of‑way where a fourth track is planned. He said TxDOT suspended further work on the short‑bridge design pending the state grant decision.

Councilor questions addressed application costs and next steps. Staff said the pre‑application work cost roughly $15,000 (budgeted) and the detailed application is expected to cost under $50,000 (budgeted under Fund 26). Mayor Halsey said right‑of‑way acquisition and utility relocations were included in the $79 million figure and that the committee reviewing pre‑applications knew the project’s preliminary cost.

Why it matters: An award would fund a subregional east–west thoroughfare connecting neighborhoods and improving safety and throughput over a heavily used rail corridor. The project would also affect Fort Worth and North Tarrant County traffic patterns.

What’s next: The city will finalize and submit the detailed grant application by Jan. 19. If the grant is not awarded, Mayor Halsey said the city would ask TxDOT or the engineering firm to revisit the short‑bridge design to address BNSF’s concerns.