TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — Since 2024, a barricade has blocked neighbors from using the area under construction at the 24th Street train overpass. The bridge has remained closed to the public after the city extended the project to February 2026.
Here's what you need to know:
- The City of Temple says city engineers are still in the analysis phase after finding spalling in the concrete.
- The solution will add extra funds to the original project.
- City Council will have to approve the resolution.
Watch the video here:
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Temple Bridge was shut down for construction in 2024. The city originally said it would open back up this February but it’s still closed.
“We have to go a longer distance, that’s bad on gas, that's bad on time. Time is something you can't get back," Darlene Durden said.
For neighbors like Durden, the train overpass off of 24th St. has been a staple of her commute for years. Now her route to work is a little longer, especially when the train is running.
Durden tells 25 News she is not alone in wondering why the bridge is not opened.
“We stopped seeing people over here and we wondered why. Why didn’t the city send out any letters to tell us what was going on. We never knew, we heard rumors, but we never knew exactly what happened," Durden said.
The reopening was delayed six months to address issues found during construction. Megan Price with the City of Temple says those issues continue.
“So construction was paused due to a concrete issue we found its called spalling. Due to the motion of the bridge, so things move. It's questioning the structural integrity," Price said.
While engineers are still monitoring the project. The city says they understand the frustrations some neighbors have felt.
“It was a great project and there were going to be a lot of amenities for pedestrians and vehicles to use. So once it is open we are very excited for people to start using it but of course our main concern is safety first," Price said.
City council will have to approve the next steps to resolve the issue. The city says this will cost the project additional funds.
