Welcome to the Downtown Revitalization Project page!
Overview
The Downtown Revitalization Project focuses on the nine-block area surrounding the historic Caldwell County Courthouse. Proposed upgrades include utility, drainage, street, hardscape, pedestrian access, and landscaping in the downtown area, along with traffic alternatives on North Main St., between SH-142/W. San Antonio St. and Walnut St.
Construction Phase
Progress Update - Dec. 2: Construction crews have begun installing a storm drainage line on N. Commerce St, between E. San Antonio and E. Walnut St. This work is expected to last about three weeks. Crews will make sure there are signs at N. Commerce to indicate that businesses are still open.
Crews have also begun installing a wastewater line in the alley between N. Main St. and Church. The wastewater line will be installed on the north side of the alley. The alley will be closed to through-traffic, but delivery drivers will be allowed through with proper identification. The work in this alley way is expected to last about two weeks.
During the first week of December, construction will begin on the east side of N. Main St, between San Antonio and Walnut St. This work will include the demolition of the street, corners, and sidewalks. N. Main will be open to one-way traffic. Parking spots will be closed on the east side of N. Main. This portion of work is expected to last about three weeks.
Construction work until Friday, December 20. Work will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.
Progress Update - Nov. 13: Construction crews have removed more than 1,400 square feet of sidewalk on the northeast corner of Walnut and Main St and poured in concrete for a curb and gutter at the same intersection. Crews have also installed inlets and storm sewer lines at Walnut and Main, which will provide flood relief for nearby businesses in the future.
Looking ahead at the next two weeks, crews will finish installing storm sewer lines and inlets on Main St. After this part is complete, Main St. will reopen, and crews will begin installing storm sewer lines on W. San Antonio and Main St. This construction is being coordinated with TxDOT to finalize traffic control plans.
Crews will also begin pouring concrete on the northwest corner of Commerce and Walnut, as well as the northwest corner of Walnut and Main. In an effort to minimize traffic disruptions, the two intersections will not be closed simultaneously. As crews work on one intersection, they will close that one and leave the other intersection open and vice versa. The replacement of wastewater mains and services will begin in the alley of N. Main between Walnut and N. Church St. Crews will work and communicate with businesses to minimize service disruption with businesses.
As crews make progress on the project, they will soon move equipment out of the area and free up parking spaces for nearby businesses on Walnut St.
Progress Update - Nov. 1: Construction crews have removed the northeast corner of Church and Walnut Street in preparation of a new sidewalk. Crews have also completed the installation of storm sewer lines with inlets along Walnut St. between Commerce and Main. Finally, crews have begun installing storm sewer lines on Main Street between Walnut and Prairie Lea.
Progress Update - Oct. 18: Construction crews have made progress downtown over the past two weeks. Sections of the project are still on time, while some are ahead of schedule. Looking ahead, crews are making the necessary adjustments to coordinate with the Texas Monthly Barbecue Festival during the first week of November. Crews already have the event built into their construction schedule and are aware of specific streets that must remain open to the public.
Work on the new bump-outs continues. Visually, they may look complete, but there are still a few things crews need to work on before the bump-outs are finished. First, it’s important to note that the bump-outs are being installed along the perimeter of the project and not all bump-outs will be installed at the same time. Crews also need to resurface the pavement in order to meet the profile of the curb, which ultimately alleviates the lip between the sidewalk and the street.
Photos provided by DeNucci Contractors
Progress Update - Oct. 4: Construction crews are installing curb extensions, also known as “bulb-outs”, along Church and Market Streets. Bulb-outs have been proven to improve pedestrian safety because they improve the visibility of pedestrians and reduce the distance pedestrians need to cross the street. Bulb-outs also narrow the roadway at key points, which tends to cause drivers to slow down. The pictures below show the progress of the bulb-out installation.
Photos provided by DeNucci Contractors
Crews have also installed storm drain lines along parts of E. Pecan and N. Commerce. They will continue this work for the next two weeks, as well as form and install bulb-outs along the southeast corner of Church and W. San Antonio St. Patching on storm drain utility cuts along Pecan Street with asphalt has begun. Pecan is anticipated to open on Tuesday, October 8. Downtown businesses have been informed and are aware of the timeline on this work.
Progress Update - Sept. 20: Crews have installed erosion controls, a storm drain line, and backfilled trenches in the downtown area on Pecan St. the past two weeks. Public Works and TRC met with the Downtown Business Association this week to inform business owners about the changes they can expect and connect with city staff who are part of the project.
The date of the Notice to Proceed is September 3. Work will begin in the areas north of W. San Antonio St, between 183 and S. Main St, and some areas of Church St.
Some of the key requirements from the constructor include:
All work shall be performed between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays, unless authorized by the City.
- The contractor will be required to have someone on call 24 hours a day.
- The contractor shall make every effort to minimize noises caused by its operations.
- The contractor will also take responsible measures to prevent unnecessary dust.
- Conventional and portable changeable message signs will be used to alert residents and drivers about traffic disruptions.
During this time, San Antonio St will retain two-way traffic during the construction, with the exception of short-term flagger operations. The contractor will maintain one lane of traffic in one direction, one 8-foot-wide parallel parking lane, and sidewalks on both sides of the street for pedestrian access during construction on each street, except on San Antonio St.
A preconstruction meeting for the Downtown Revitalization Project is scheduled on August 22nd at 10:30 a.m. at City Hall, 308 W. San Antonio Street. Representatives from the contractor, engineering team, city staff and TxDOT will discuss. the plan to coordinate the groundbreaking of the project. During the week of August 12, DeNucci Constructors signed their contract.
Design Phase
After the City conducted two public open houses on the project, the City's consulting engineer and architects presented the downtown project's Final Conceptual Design report, along with their recommendations, in the April 19th and May 3rd City Council meetings. The report contained results from community input from both the downtown project's public open houses. On the May 3rd City Council meeting, Councilmembers approved the Final Conceptual Design Report, authorizing Staff to move forward with the design phase, favoring Option 1B below:
The design, which was drafted after additional community input and Council review, consists of two-way traffic around the Courthouse, one-way traffic on Commerce and Main Sts. in the blocks north and south of the Courthouse, all-way stops, additional parking spaces, preserves all median trees, curb bump-outs and pedestrian refuges. The plan does not include a plaza on the north side of W. San Antonio St./SH-142. On the June 21st meeting, City Council approved the Professional Service Agreement and Engineering Scope of Work Proposal with TRC Engineers, Inc. to proceed with the Downtown Revitalization Project's design phase. This segment of the project runs from June 2022- July 2023.
In the September 19, 2023 Council meeting, Councilmembers accepted the 100% Design Phase Report of the Downtown Revitalization Project as presented by the City Engineer, which included an updated cost estimate, project schedule, additional drainage improvements, irrigation, pedestrian amenities, parking, curb, and landscaping layouts, along with a look at materials to be used for paving and vegetation. Upon the completion of the Design Phase, the Downtown Revitalization Project entered the permitting phase.