According to city of Keller Director of Public Works Alonzo Linan, the city has finalized 90% of plans related to the project.
Bidding for the Johnson Road project, which will complete a number of road, sewer and sidewalk improvements from Hallelujah Trail east to Rhonda Road, could begin as early as January, Linan said.
“The goals of the project are to make the intersection better, improve vehicular and pedestrian safety, coordinate utilities and improve drainage,” he said.
When discussion on Johnson Road began in 2017, the initial scope of the project would have added three lanes and impacted 250 trees, Linan said. However, according to current plans, the project will encompass two 12-foot travel lanes rather than three 15-foot lanes.
“We are hearing public input, and we believe we’ve been very successful impacting as few trees as possible,” Linan said.
Adjustments to the number of lanes, the size and other areas of the project have lowered the number of impacted trees to 48, he said.
Another concern for city officials was construction fatigue, Linan added. The longer a project lasts, the more time and money are spent to redirect traffic, he said.
As a result, instead of separate projects for needed improvements, current plans include lane reconstruction, water line rehabilitation, sidewalk improvements, drainage upgrades, and the addition of a roundabout at the Johnson Road and Keller-Smithfield Road intersection.
“Rather than tie up the neighborhood for five years ... the decision was made to roll these into a singular project,” Linan said. “In the end, we’re not going to have a trail. We will have one 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the south side of the road.”
First proposed in 2019, construction on Johnson Road could begin as early as March, according to city officials. The project is expected to take two to three years and cost north of $5 million.
