Kyle provides road bond update

KYLE — The city of Kyle held a road bond update event on Jan. 10 for residents to browse through various poster boards with information and a map that displayed the roads and plans. Council member Michael Tobias and city staff were present to answer any questions that the community had.

The road bond projects stem from a 2022 bond that totaled $294 million for critical transportation projects that are aimed to “decrease congestion and improve overall safety and mobility in Kyle.” Eight roadway projects, a total of 10.3 miles of new road, reconstruction and widening projects will be included.

According to staff, the tax impact on each individual will depend on the value of their property, the city’s growth rate, when bonds are sold and at what interest rate. The city estimated that the “average” homeowner would pay a little less than $26 a month more in taxes.

The bond includes both improvements and new construction. Roads that will be improved are Windy Hill Road, Bebee Road, Bunton Creek Road, Old Stagecoach Road and Center Street, while Kohlers Crossing to Seton will be constructed and Lehman Road and Kyle Parkway will have an extension. Marketplace Ave will be both improved and have an extension.

Several projects had information presented:

Bunton Creek Road

• This road is currently in the design process and will aim to soften the curves along Bunton Creek Road between Lehman Road and Goforth Road. There is also one proposed roundabout at the Bunton Creek Road and Goforth Road South intersection. The cost is approximately $28.6 million and constuction is slated to be completed in late 2026.

Kyle Parkway/ Lehman Road Extension

• Now in the final design phase, Lehman Road will be extended northeast of Bunton Creek Road to connect to Dacy Lane, while Kyle Parkway will be extended to the new portion of Lehman Road. For this project, there are four proposed roundabouts: Kyle Parkway and Dacy Lane; Kyle Parkway and Lehman Road; Lehman Road and Bunton Creek Road; and Lehman Road and Dacy Lane. It is estimated to cost $42.5 million and is expected to finish by mid 2027.

Windy Hill Road

• An estimated $15.1 million will aid in the softening of the curve and add capacity from the IH-35 northbound frontage road to Purple Martin Ave. There is one proposed roundabout at Windy Hill Road and Cherrywood. The projected finish date is mid 2026.

Recently, roundabouts have been brought up in many conversations. At the event, staff had a poster that explained that “roundabouts reduce the number of ‘conflict points’ in an intersection” and that according to Federal Highway Administration estimates, replacing a stop sign with a roundabout can reduce serious and fatal injury crashes by 90% and by nearly 80% when replacing a traffic light.”

For more information, visit www.kylebonds.com.