While the city of Dallas is crumbling under millions of dollars of deferred maintenance, Highland Park is issuing contract approvals to remediate flooding, improve roadways on Eastern and Douglas Avenues, and complete the 2026 drainage easement improvement processes.
A major infrastructure investment
The council approved a $22,205,303 construction contract for the Wycliffe Avenue project during its Sept. 15 meeting, with the low bid coming from Rebcon. Of that total, town officials say only about $6.2 million will fall to Highland Park taxpayers, with the remainder covered through other funding sources.
Construction is slated to begin in October and to be complete by June 2028, weather permitting. Wycliffe Avenue between Abbott Avenue and Oak Lawn Avenue will be closed while the project is underway.
The urgency behind the project was underscored by a safety classification disclosed in meeting materials: the existing dam and associated infrastructure along the corridor have been designated “high hazard,” a rating that indicates a credible risk to human life in the event of failure. That classification adds weight to a project that residents have watched move through planning stages for months.
The council also authorized the town administrator to execute construction contracts for three additional infrastructure efforts: the Eastern Avenue Reconstruction Project, the Douglas Avenue Reconstruction Project, and the 2026 Drainage Easement Improvements Project. Taken together, the four approvals signal a concentrated push on street and drainage infrastructure heading into the next fiscal year.
Fee schedule adjusted
During a public hearing, the council approved a resolution updating the town’s Master Fee Schedule, adjusting rates for building permits, plan review, fire sprinkler service, water, sewer, solid waste collection, and storm water drainage. The new rates take effect October 1, 2026.
The vote wasn’t unanimous. Council Member Margaret Keliher voted against the measure, raising concerns about extended construction timelines and the ongoing disruption they cause residents. The resolution passed despite her objection.
Budget amendment, staff recognition
On the main agenda, the council approved an ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Adopted Budget, a routine but necessary step as the town closes out its fiscal year.
Town administrator Tobin Maples grew visibly emotional while presenting Town Administrator Coins recognizing staff for exceptional performance. This round’s honorees were librarians Kourtney Nelson and Pamela Skjolsvik, director of finance John Samford, and director of engineering services Lori Chapin.
What’s ahead
In the study session that followed, council members previewed several items expected to shape future agendas:
- An update on the ongoing rewrite of the town’s Zoning Ordinance
- A discussion of Information Technology Managed Services
- An early look at a proposed Park System Twenty-Year Strategy, presented by Director of Policy Development and Strategic Initiatives Letecia McNatt. The strategy would establish an overarching, long-range plan — along with a procurement and funding approach — for the town’s 22 parks.
What it means for residents
Taken together, the Sept. 15 meeting reflects a town in the middle of a significant infrastructure cycle. Four separate construction contracts moving forward at once, anchored by the high-hazard designation driving the Wycliffe Avenue project, suggests residents across multiple corridors should expect construction activity, and the accompanying disruption, to continue well into the coming year. Keliher’s dissenting vote on the fee schedule is worth watching as a signal of council-level concern about how long that disruption will last and how directly it’s being weighed against cost recovery.
Meanwhile, the fee schedule changes taking effect October 1 will show up on residents’ bills for building permits and utility services, while the introduction of a 20-year parks strategy suggests the town is beginning to think beyond its immediate infrastructure push toward longer-range planning for its recreational assets.
Author
Josh Hickman
Josh Hickman is a national award-winning journalist, visual artist, sometime musician, and author of seven books. His writing For People Newspapers often focuses on arts & culture, local small businesses, local history & government, and interesting personal stories. His paintings include a commission for Dallas County and a donation to Parkland Memorial Hospital.
