Haslet council unanimously backs regional application to seek federal grant for bridge but narrows wording after debate

Haslet City Council on June 15 voted unanimously to endorse the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ submission of a federal CRISI (rail safety/grade separation) grant application for the Aendale Hasslet Road / Hasslet Parkway bridge project.

The resolution, approved after a prolonged council discussion and an amendment removing the adjective “long,” authorizes COG to file the application for the project area identified by staff and COG partners. Jeff Neil of NCTCOG told the council the agency will be the submitting entity and that, if awarded, the program’s federal requirements (environmental review, NEPA, public involvement) would still allow Haslet and other local stakeholders to weigh in on final design and mitigation.

Why it mattered: councilmembers and residents pressed staff and NCTCOG for clarity about whether endorsing the application would bind Haslet to a particular bridge alignment or to new local costs. “If the Chrissy grant is awarded, NCTCOG intends to move forward with the long bridge,” a councilmember warned; Neil and city staff repeatedly said endorsement is for the grant submission only and that final design, environmental approvals and any local funding decisions would require further council action. Mayor and staff emphasized the endorsement simply allows regional partners to seek the federal matching funds needed to cover a much larger share of project costs than local budgets can provide.

What council decided: the council amended the draft resolution to remove the word “long” so the application is described as a bridge project for Aendale Hasslet Road/Hasslet Parkway, not a commitment to a single final configuration. The vote to endorse submission carried 5–0.

Funding and schedule context: staff and regional partners described an active funding strategy that combines TxDOT, RTC/TIP allocations and local matching from non‑federal partners. NCTCOG expects the federal award notification in the fall; engineering and environmental work would follow. Staff said an award timeline could lead to construction start in the 2029–2030 window under the long‑bridge scenario described in the benefit‑cost analysis, with a multi‑year construction window thereafter, but exact schedules depend on grant awards and negotiated contracts.

What the public said: several residents spoke during public comment urging caution. Carol Clark said listing each road project separately would give citizens transparency and accused the mayor of pursuing a federal grant in secret; John Barnett urged council to resist actions that invite more warehouse and truck traffic in residential areas. “We don’t have to look far for an example,” Barnett said, referencing neighboring logistics developments.

Next steps: staff expects an August presentation with updated schedules and funding details after Kimley Horn/TexDOT contracts are confirmed; final design choices and any local financial commitments would be returned to council for approval. NCTCOG will prepare and submit the CRISI application on the council‑endorsed project description and notify Haslet when that application is filed.

Votes and motions: Council passed the amended resolution endorsing NCTCOG’s application 5–0. The council also directed staff to present more detailed cost, schedule and environmental steps at upcoming meetings so the public and council members can compare options before any binding commitments.