At its June 7 meeting, City Council approved the advanced funding agreement as TxDOT approved the city’s request for $172,000 in Green Ribbon funding reimbursement for eligible expenses related to the beautification of Hwy. 26 from Cheek Sparger Road to Brown Trail, the agenda item’s memo states. The city will be responsible for covering cost overruns from the project. Local funds will come from the city’s capital improvements program fund.
According to the memo, the exact project details and plans are in the process of being finalized and reviewed by TxDOT. The anticipated bid opening date is sometime in July.
City Engineer Larry Wright said at the council meeting that the project will have to move quickly.
“We've been on a very tight timeline because TxDOT didn't even tell us that we got this project until in the middle of March, and it has to go out to bid by the end of July,” Wright said. “So we've been jumping through all the hurdles to make sure that we secure all of this ... funding.”
The beautification work includes landscaping improvements, such as planting trees, shrubs and ground cover, per the agreement. In addition, a bubbler irrigation system will be installed along the shoulder of Hwy. 26 northbound between Cheek Sparger Road and Brown Trail.
TxDOT’s Green Ribbon Program helps fund the planting and establishing of trees and plants on the state highway system “that help mitigate the effects of air pollution,” according to TxDOT’s website.
The Cheek Sparger reconstruction project is managed by TxDOT and first began construction in February 2021, according to the city’s website. Overall, the project involves roadway reconstruction, softening the “S” curve from San Bar Lane to Oakbriar Lane, as well as doing asphalt mill and overlay from Colleyville Boulevard to San Bar Lane and Oakbriar Lane to Brown Trail. It also includes an 8-inch sidewalk, drainage and waterline improvements, and landscape restoration.
TxDOT anticipates the entire project will be completed by this fall, the city’s website states.
“It is really exciting that this money's come in,” Colleyville City Manager Jerry Ducay said. “It's gonna improve the [Hwy.] 26 corridor, but the amount of time and effort that went into getting it is absolutely amazing. And it's so exciting to see it come to fruition.”
