For the past several years, the city of Allen has spent millions on roadway improvements.
Allen voters approved a bond proposition in 2023 authorizing $47 million for improvement and maintenance of streets, thoroughfares, alleys, sidewalks, bridges and other public ways, according to the city’s website.
Here’s a look at how the city decides which roads receive improvements.
The specifics
Until 2022, the city’s method for choosing roads to improve was very subjective, Engineering Director Chris Flanigan said.
“It was based on an opinion or sometimes complaint-driven,” Flanigan said. “There was a two-fold problem. One, we had this asset that wasn’t fully understood in terms of its age and quality, and then also we really didn’t know if we were spending the right amount of money to keep up with degradation and repairs.”
In late 2022, city staff used federal funding to hire a contractor to drive over 600 miles of Allen roadways to develop a surface condition assessment, and objectively score and rank pavement throughout the community, Flanigan said.
The engineering team has a database and mapping system that keeps track of roads being considered for improvement. Those projects are presented annually to Allen City Council as part of the city’s streets and alleys repair contract.
“We make sure we include some alley work, some local street work, and most recently, a lot of the work has been associated with the busiest roads or major thoroughfares,” Flanigan said.
In 2025, the city focused its repair efforts on McDermott Drive.
Looking ahead
The 2025 contract is wrapping up, and a new contract for 2026 street repairs is set to go before council at its second meeting in February, Flanigan said.
Allen City Council is scheduled to meet next at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 for a work session with a regular meeting to follow at 7 p.m.
To find more information and view upcoming meeting agenda, visit the city’s website.