TYLER, TX- With a focus on safety, smart growth, and timely coordination, the City of Tyler is working with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to prepare Old Henderson Highway for improvements. On Wednesday, May 14, the City Council approved a $607,200 engineering services agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to begin designing water and sewer utility relocations along Old Henderson Highway.

This work will make way for a TxDOT project to widen Old Henderson Highway, also known as SL 124, from Loop 323 to Highway 64 East. The improvements will create a safer and more efficient corridor for drivers, students, and pedestrians alike.

With the new Chapel Hill ISD Junior High School under construction at the corner of Old Henderson Highway and Highway 64, the community is expecting more cars, buses, and foot traffic in the area. The roadway project will add a center turn lane, right-turn lanes where needed, wider shoulders, sidewalks, and shared-use paths to improve both mobility and safety.

As part of this effort, Tyler Water Utilities will relocate approximately 1,800 linear feet of water line and 3,200 linear feet of sewer line to the edge of the existing right-of-way to clear the path for road crews to begin work.

TxDOT has completed 30 percent of the roadway design and expects the design of this project to be finished by May 2026. To stay on schedule, Tyler Water Utilities is fast-tracking the design and relocation process with Kimley-Horn. Utility design is expected to take five months, followed by about six months of construction.

These improvements are about more than just infrastructure. They are about building a safer future for students and families who travel this route every day.