Lance Winter
KYLE — City officials, engineers and community stakeholders gathered Thursday, July 17, to break ground on two major road projects that mark the latest phase of infrastructure improvements funded by Kyle’s 2022 road bond. The projects, along Bebee Road and Kohlers Crossing to Seton Parkway, are expected to reshape East Kyle, improve emergency response times and pave the way for major commercial development.
Kyle city manager Bryan Langley opened the ceremony, highlighting the years of planning and collaboration that led to the start of construction.
“We’re celebrating years of effort to make these projects happen,” Langley said. “This is the second and third of our eight road bond projects and in a couple of weeks, we’ll be cutting the ribbon on our first completed one, Marketplace Avenue, on July 31.”
The Kohlers-to-Seton project represents a $66.1 million investment and will be constructed in two phases. The first segment includes 1.07 miles of new roadway designed to reduce congestion. The second segment, scheduled to break ground in 2027, will feature a complex underpass beneath IH-35, developed in coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Bebee Road’s first phase, also a $66.7 million effort, will extend from IH-35 to Sunlight Boulevard. It will include four travel lanes, a two-lane roundabout at Kohlers and Bebee and both deceleration and acceleration lanes at IH-35. A second phase will continue eastward in 2027.
“These are transformational projects,” Langley said. “And they’re just the beginning.”
The intersection of the two roadways will also anchor a major new commercial development: Kyle Park, a 500,000-square-foot retail and residential center expected to break ground this fall. The project is projected to create 800 full-time jobs and generate an estimated $3.5 million annually in combined sales and property tax revenue.
Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett emphasized the public safety impact of the new roadways, noting that infrastructure plays a crucial role in emergency response.
“This is about more than traffic; it’s about saving lives,” Barnett said. “Right now, our east-west access is limited. Every second counts in an emergency and these improvements mean faster response times and better outcomes.”
Barnett said the underpass, improved intersections and added roundabouts would enhance access to critical medical facilities like Ascension Seton Hays Hospital.
“These projects reduce crashes, improve intersection safety and reflect our commitment to all modes of transportation,” he said. “When we invest in roads, we’re investing in lives.”
Mayor Travis Mitchell closed the ceremony by reflecting on the significance of the Caraway tract, where the groundbreaking took place.
“This piece of land was available for a long time and the city was intentional about ensuring the right kind of development here,” Mitchell said. “The narrative that everything good happens on the west side of Kyle is about to change.”
Mitchell credited the collaboration between the city, NewQuest and Transwestern for aligning the vision for East Kyle. He said the infrastructure now underway will create new connectivity from Hays High School to Ascension Seton Hays Hospital and beyond, with safe sidewalks, lighting and fully-built roadways.
“2026 will be the year of construction,” Mitchell said. “And so will 2027 and 2028. These projects don’t happen overnight. But the long-standing promise to East Kyle is finally becoming reality, starting right here, today.”
