Bentsen Road Widening Project
Virtual public meeting with in-person option
Virtual: Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, at 5:00pm, by 5 p.m. CT
In-person: Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. CT
| Public comment deadline | All comments must be received on or before Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, to be included in the official record of the public meeting. |
| Virtual details | The virtual meeting will consist of a pre-recorded video presentation and will include both audio and visual components. The presentation will be posted here on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. Following the virtual public meeting, the presentation will remain available for viewing at the web address indicated above and comments must be submitted or postmarked by Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, to be a part of the public meeting summary report. |
| In-person details | Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. McAllen Public Library Meeting Rooms A & B 4001 N 23rd Street McAllen, TX 78504 In-person attendees will be able to view the same presentation delivered in the online public meeting, which will be playing on a screen; review hard copies of project materials; ask questions of TxDOT staff and/or consultants; and leave written comments. |
| Purpose | The purpose of the public meeting is to gather public input on the proposed improvements to Bentsen Road, and to allow the public the opportunity to view project-related information and provide comments on the proposed improvements. The presentation content will be the same for both the in-person and virtual meetings. |
| Description | The City of McAllen, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) - Pharr District and the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (RGV MPO), are proposing to widen the existing two-lane rural Bentsen Roadway from an average 80-ft. right-of-way (ROW) to a 100-ft. ROW major collector. The proposed 65-ft. wide roadway will include the addition of two northbound lanes, two southbound lanes, a continuous left turn lane with curb, gutter and an underground drainage system to improve the drainage of Bentsen. The designated right turn lanes are to be at the intersections of Mile 5 and Mile 3 and Bentsen Road, resulting in a 75-ft. wide typical section roadway at these intersections. The widening will require a ROW acquisition of 7.1 acres, as well as approximately 1 acre of drainage easement acquisition for the new storm system outfalls. A 2-to-1 elliptical roundabout is proposed at the intersection of Mile 4 and Bentsen Road. The roundabout is intended to reduce crashes and to increase east-west traffic flow along Mile 4. Roundabouts are proven safety countermeasures that improve safety, promote lower speeds, and reduce conflict points. This widening design is exempt from requiring a bike lane or similar bike route for bicycle traffic within the roadway corridor of this project due to an approved Master Plan for a future hike and bike trail along the Mission/McAllen Lateral West drainage ditch bank. The overall objectives of the proposed improvements are to improve operational efficiency and reduce congestion and users’ wait time while ensuring their safety. |
| Accessibility | The City of McAllen and TxDOT make every reasonable effort to accommodate the needs of the public. The open house will be in English. If you have a special communication accommodation or need for an interpreter, a request can be made. If you have a disability and need assistance, special arrangements can also be made to accommodate most needs. Please call the City of McAllen Engineering at (956) 681-1151 no later than Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. Please be aware that advance notice is requested as some accommodations may require time for the City of McAllen and TxDOT to arrange. |
| Meetings materials |
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| How to make a comment | For both the virtual public meeting and in-person option, the public may provide comments in the following ways:
Comments must be received or postmarked by Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, to be included in the official record of the public meeting. Responses to comments received will be available on this webpage once they are available. |
| Memorandum of Understanding | The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated Dec. 9, 2019, and executed by the Federal Highway Administration and TxDOT. |
Posted: Sept. 25, 2024