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Council approves expanded Montfort Drive design work after Dallas boundary adjustment
Summary
Council approved change order No. 2 for additional design services to extend Montfort Drive reconstruction to Celestial Drive, add permanent signals and utility work, and confirmed the project is funded by 2019 bond proceeds, a state infrastructure bank loan and utility funds. Staff said the change order design fee is up to $576,500 and that undergrounding existing overhead electrical systems would add substantial extra cost (staff estimate provided).
The Addison Town Council on Sept. 23 approved change order No. 2 to the professional services agreement with Kimley‑Horn (design consultant) to extend the Montfort Drive reconstruction limits to Celestial Drive, add permanent traffic signals, replace water lines, add fiber and lighting infrastructure and expand design work.
Public Works Director Becky Deveny described the change order as an extension of the previously approved design scope and said the additional design services are “not to exceed $576,500,” bringing the total contract to $1,663,500. Deveny said the extended scope doubles the project length and adds permanent traffic signals at Palladium and Celestial, additional water-line replacement, landscaping, roadway grading and roughly 150 additional design hours.
Deveny and council members also discussed the jurisdictional change from the City of Dallas to Addison for portions of Montfort Drive. She said Dallas has agreed to a boundary adjustment transferring right‑of‑way for the project to Addison at no cost; once that process completes in both cities, the town will have permitting and enforcement authority in the corridor.
Council and staff also discussed the cost to underground overhead electric lines. Deveny said a study of three overhead systems found that fully undergrounding could require approximately $6 million in additional cost on top of a roughly $15 million base estimate considered in the study. She characterized franchise-utility relocations as the franchise utilities’ responsibility if required, and said the project is funded from the 2019 bond program, a state infrastructure bank loan and utility funds.
Steven Glickman, the CFO, confirmed the project funding sources and that the town already has proceeds and earned interest available to apply to the work. Staff estimated final design completion in August 2026 and construction starting in 2027, with an 18–24 month construction window once bids and sequencing are finalized.
Why it matters: extending Montfort Drive reconstruction to Celestial gives Addison control of that roadway, including signal timing and school‑zone enforcement, and aims to address safety and pedestrian improvements across a heavily used corridor.
What’s next: staff will proceed with final design under the approved change order; construction is expected after final design and procurement, with timelines subject to bidding and sequencing decisions.
