Road work projects, park progress giving Linden a new look

It’s a moment many Lindenites have been waiting for. That is, road work in action to repair the town’s streets. So much work is going on that it is difficult to keep clear which project is being funded, by whom, how and what completion stage it is in

First, there is the major street rebuild program. So important was this that in 2022 citizens voted a $6 million obligation for themselves with the issuance of certificates of bonds. As unanimously voted by the town council May 19, 2022, this project is to re-build public streets. Almost all of them.

Visible work on this project began last week with the edging and clearing of sides on Kaufman Street. Kaufman is a curving stretch that goes south from Texana Bank on the courthouse square to the city park and the elementary school on School Lane.

At the same time, another road improvement project is concluding in Linden’s downtown area. This is a $500,000 Texas Department of Agriculture Main Street grant for street and sidewalk reconstruction for four downtown streets at Courthouse Square.

These streets and areas are:

■ North Main, sidewalk construction to the Wright Patman home.

■ North Kaufman, sidewalk and parking reconstruction at the violin corner.

■ East Rush, sidewalk and street reconstruction

■ West Rush, sidewalk and street reconstruction

Finally, Linden is getting a more scenic city park as a $2 million storm drainage project nears its finish. This project included terracing, white rock ditch siding and upgrades to the wetlands area adjacent to the park. Francis Excavating of Texarkana won the bid on this project.

These are the moments Linden citizens have sought, Assistant City Administrator, City Secretary and Director of Community Development

Allie Anderson explained.

“This week, Francis Excavating will be milling up the street and beginning the process of repaving Kaufman from Rush Street south to School Lane. They will also be replacing a sewer line on Banger Street and repaving it at the same time.

“Once those sections are finished, the company will repave Kaufman from School Lane to Kildare Road. This will ensure that the elementary school has access for buses during the whole project. One lane of traffic will remain open on Kaufman and Banger through the entire process.

“We certainly hope that people will be pleased with the streets when they are done. We have all waited a very long time to have drivable streets, and it will be a relief to finally see physical progress being made. We have such an incredible volume of street work coming up that there won’t be much time to celebrate,” she said.

(Photo by Neil Abeles) LEFT: The grader is on Rush Street at its intersection with South Main Street in Linden. It is the last part of a downtown grant. Portland cement powder will be added to the soil, mixing and compacting it to strengthen the road base. This will set up for 10 days and then the road will be ready for asphalt paving.

(Photo by Neil Abeles) Sidewalks such as this one at the corner of Rush and Church streets in Linden have been completed under a $500,000 Texas Department of Agriculture Main Street grant. The bid amount for this work and more is $378,086 with Contech Contractors as contractor and Hayter Engineering as engineers, according to City Manager Lee Elliott.

(Photo by Neil Abeles) ABOVE: In Linden’s City Park, white stones are being placed for the new storm drainage control project that has included an earthen dam and retention pond. The creation of the rock channels are called "bioswales," which are drainage ditches that help filter the water in a more natural way through the use of river rock and native plants. Three bioswales are in the park, two feeding the retention pond on the south side and a third along the north end of the park below the amphitheater, according to city official Allie Anderson.

(Photo by Neil Abeles) This is Kaufman Street running from the courthouse square, past the Senior Citizens Center and Linden City Park and then passing in front of Linden Elementary School at left. Protective signs are already up by Francis Engineering Company as the road is getting repaved.

(Photo by Neil Abeles) This is the view looking west along Rush Street toward downtown Linden as it passes the post office on the left and county courthouse on the right in the distance. For weeks this road has been awaiting final approvals and good weather. The road itself is closed, but citizens have accepted this in good spirits over the coming progress.