Denton County is finished with the budget process for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. After much preparation and numerous presentations and discussion, the final approval occurred earlier this month. Denton County taxpayers will see increased services in several areas, including county-wide safety officers, while managing a slight reduction in the property tax rate.
Also, school is back is session and school zones are busy again. Please be cautious on the roadways and watch for children and bicycles!
Copper Canyon Road Reopens
We are pleased to announce that Copper Canyon Road at the railroad crossing has been reopened to traffic. Additional incidental construction is due to be completed in that area so it is still a construction zone, but is and will remain open to traffic. There are a number of steps remaining to complete the Quiet Zone process, so the train whistle will still be heard for just a while longer.
Volunteers Needed for Medical Reserve Corps
Denton County is looking for volunteers for the Medical Reserve Corps. The Denton County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a group of highly trained citizens dedicated to supporting the county during public health emergencies or natural disasters. MRC volunteers are called into action for large scale events, public emergencies or natural disasters.
The MRC was established after President Bush’s 2002 State of the Union Address in which he asked all Americans to volunteer in support of their country. It is a partner program with Citizen Corps (http://www.citizencorps.gov/), a national network of volunteers dedicated to ensuring hometown security. Citizen Corps, along with AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Peace Corps are part of the President’s USA Freedom Corps, which promotes volunteerism and service nationwide.
Join the Medical Reserve Corps now and use your medical training to help residents of Denton County at critical times. Check out this one minute video for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzkyHa-Bq4g#t=19
History presentation set for Sept. 10
Local historian DJ Taylor will present “Abbieville to Zion: The Communities and Places of Denton County.” This lecture focuses on the forgotten and little known historic locales in Denton County. Join us at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 10, in the Commissioner’s Court for the presentation.
The Office of History and Culture is always looking for volunteers. If you would like to volunteer as a docent at the museum or the historical park, contact Tourism Director Gretel L’Heureux at 940-349-2850. To donate artifacts, photographs or other materials related to Denton County history, contact Curator of Collections Kim McCoig Cupit at 940-349-2850.
35Express Update
The construction on the 35Express project is moving forward at a rapid pace. Be sure and check the website often and sign up for the alerts for up-to-the-minute information to ease your commute. Here are the most current updates:
The expansion of the northbound main lanes near Corinth Parkway is in full swing as crews prepare to begin work on the Corinth Parkway configuration. Crews will shift main lane traffic to the east in order to begin construction on the I-35E main lanes over Corinth Parkway.
Crews have begun the work needed for the expansion of the Mayhill/State School Road bridge, currently focusing on widening the middle portion. Expect full nightly closures of Mayhill Road under I-35E.
With northbound traffic shifted onto detour pavement just north of Loop 288, work on the US 77 bridge is currently underway, with demolition work complete and drill shaft placement ongoing.
Work on the bridge at Bonnie Brae Street continues. The newly constructed middle and rehabilitated northbound segments of the bridge are complete and crews are now working to rehabilitate the existing southbound bridge. Demolition work on the southbound main lane bridge slab has started.
Traffic will be placed on the newly-paved southbound frontage road between Bogard Lane and FM 407 this month. Once the traffic shift is in place, crews will begin working on the southbound I-35E main lane bridges that will eventually travel over FM 407. Panel installation for the retaining walls continues just west of FM 407.
Drill shaft placement for the southbound Timber Creek bridge widening between Corporate Drive and FM 3040/Round Grove Road continues. Once the drilled shafts are in place, bridge column and cap construction will begin.
Drill shaft placement for the new southbound bridge is complete on the north side of Lewisville Lake, and work will soon being on bridge columns and caps.
Drill shaft work in the lake continues. Warning signs and buoys delineate the work zone, and boaters, water and jet skiers are asked to adhere to safety measures in place. Forming and pouring of columns on the south end of the lake continues and cap construction will soon begin on the south end of the lake.
Traffic on the existing northbound and southbound bridges will shift to the east this month, and, once traffic is shifted, the exit ramp to Highland Village Road/Garden Ridge Boulevard will move south approximately 1,450 feet.
The southbound I-35E exit ramp to Valley View Lane is expected to reopen this month. Expansion and rehabilitation work continues on the bridges at Valley View, Valwood Parkway, Crosby Road, Belt Line Road and Whitlock Road/Sandy Lake Road. Miscellaneous nightly closures can be expected for Valley View Lane as crews continue to work on the bridge.
Crews continue demolition work on the Belt Line Road median and storm drainage work along the southbound frontage road near the Belt Line Road exit.
Motorists should expect several traffic shifts this month, including southbound I-35E between Luna Road and Belt Line Road exit, southbound frontage road south of Main Street, and northbound and southbound I-35E between Valley View Lane and Crosby Road.
A traffic switch at southbound I-35E and Whitlock Lane/Sandy Lake Road is expected this month.
Check out the project website at www.35express.org for more detailed information and detour routes, as well as regular updates on lane and road closures and upcoming construction. In addition, access to traffic cameras along I-35E is available.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you. My email is [email protected] and my office number is 940-349-2801.
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