With Kyle experiencing a population boom, many roadways are reflecting the wear and tear associated with the rapid growth.
Some citizens, however, are starting to question the city’s maintenance plan for roads not included in the 2013 bond projects.
Kyle public information officer Kim Hilsenbeck said in an emailed interview that an estimated $1.2 million has been budgeted in the city’s 2017-2018 capital improvements projects (CIP) fund, which could go toward repairing additional Kyle roadways.
“We have $1.2 million in the 2017-2018 CIP, though funding has not yet been allocated for this project. If the project is funded, work could take place in 2018,” Hilsenbeck said.
Hilsenbeck said Kyle engineering and public works departments have done “micro-surfacing” for several years on various roadways, including Kyle Parkway and Downing Way, which were microsufraced last year.
“Micro-surfacing is a preventative maintenance process that provides a thin layer/sealant of sorts upon the existing roadway surface, which helps sustain and prolong the life expectancy of a roadway,” Hilsenbeck said.
Hilsenbeck also said that in early 2016, the city completed a street pavement assessment on every city owned and maintained roadway, excluding the 5 roadways already included in the 2013 bond.
Projects within the bond are Goforth Road, expected to be completed early summer 2017, Bunton Creek Road, Lehman Road, expected to be complete in late Summer or Fall 2017, and North Burleson Street, which is expected to be complete in August 2017.
Bond projects that have already been completed are Marketplace Avenue and Philomena, previously called the Goforth connecter.
“The company used a camera installed outside a vehicle and captured basically every section of roadway in Kyle,” Hilsenbeck said, “That assessment helped determine the need and priority for road resurfacing based on the condition of the roadway.”
Kyle residents Trish Wells and Frank Joy, however, both expressed concerns regarding the current state of the Kyle Crossing Road located behind the EVO entertainment complex. Both wondered whether the city had any plans to repair that roadway in the future.
Wells described the road as “in terrible disrepair with numerous potholes,” in an emailed interview. She added drivers “must ride in the center lane to keep you from knocking your head on the roof of your car.”
Joy attributed the deterioration of certain Kyle roadways to increased traffic and faulty engineering.
“There are two reasons this road has degenerated to its current state; increased traffic and faulty engineering which apparently failed to consider foreseeable community growth, increased use and use by heavy trucks,” Joy said in an emailed response.
Hilsenbeck said the city currently has plans to restripe Kyle Crossing behind EVO as well as the section curving toward I-35. However, she said funding for a major improvement would most likely not be allocated until 2018.
“When the new alternate striping is done on Kyle Crossing, we will install signs at each end that will detour truck traffic to Kohlers Crossing via the southbound I-35 frontage road,” Hilsenbeck said, “However, in the future, after that section of road is reconstructed, that route will again be open to truck traffic.”
