A new road will soon be constructed to connect Market Place Boulevard to Riverside Drive in Brownwood to help reroute some traffic off of East Commerce.
The project will construct just over a half mile of two-lane roadway with a center left-turn lane from the existing Market Place Boulevard to Riverside Drive and connecting to East Commerce. The new roadway is intended to relieve congestion on Commerce and enhance safety by improving traffic circulation through the area.
In Tuesday morning’s meeting of the Brownwood City Council, a resolution authorizing the city manager to acquire six parcels of real property and if necessary to initiate eminent domain proceedings for the Market Place Boulevard Extension Project was approved to move the project forward.
According to City Manager Bobby Rountree, the project will begin near Home Depot and “straighten out” the roadway at Riverside Drive where it will “T” into E. Commerce across from Tractor Supply making a 4-way intersection. Rountree also stated that a traffic signal will be installed at the newly constructed intersection.
The City of Brownwood’s portion of the project is being funded from the certificates of obligation street funds. Council took action on this item at its last meeting after executive session. This item was posted to the agenda and acted upon this meeting with more specific language added to the resolution.
According to Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Transportation Commission at its June meeting approved almost $1.4 million for the extension of Market Place Boulevard in Brownwood. Prater Equipment Co., Inc. of Comanche was awarded the project.
In other matters on Tuesday’s agenda:
*An ordinance was approved on first reading to change the zoning classification for approximately 34.5 acres out of the David J. Jones Survey Number 50, Abstract Number 549; the I&GN RR Co. Survey Number 500, Abstract 1220; the Taylor Smith Survey Number 600, Abstract 821; located at 1811 Shaw Drive from R-1 Single Family Residential District to A-1 Agricultural District for the purpose of keeping livestock.
*An ordinance was approved on first reading to change the zoning classification for 124.483 acres located in the Kerr County School Land Survey Number 277, Abstract 570, part of Blocks 22 & 23 located at the NW intersection of FM 45 and Indian Creek Road, from A-1 Agricultural District to M-1 Restricted Industrial District. The Brownwood Economic Development Corporation has had a pipe storage company inquire about this particular property for a temporary lease to store pipe on approximately 5-7 acres. An M-1 zoning designation would accommodate this type of business.
*An ordinance was approved on first reading to change the zoning classification for3.91 acres out of the Kerr County Land Survey 278, Abstract 576, Block 18, located in the 2000 block of Indian Creek Road from R-1 Single-Family Residential District to C-1 Local Business District. The Catholic Diocese of San Angelo owns the property and desires to sell it to Codie Smith who would like to construct mini warehouses on the site.
*Brownwood City Manager Bobby Rountree gave a report on the drought and restriction enforcement. According to Rountree, the city has been enforcing restrictions and has issued 184 violations since March 1, 2013. Rountree stated conservation efforts seem to be working as more people are complying. He stated that the city is currently averaging below 3 million gallons of water usage per day on non-watering days, which he contributed to increased publicity.
