BELTON, Texas (KXXV) — TxDOT plans to widen I-35 from Temple to Belton from six to 14 lanes, but local business owners like Leila Valchar worry the expansion will hurt downtown Belton by cutting off easy highway access to small businesses.
- TxDOT's plan will expand I-35 from six lanes to 14 lanes between Temple and Belton to reduce congestion and accommodate future I-14 expansion
- Belton resident and business owner Leila Valchar fears closed highway ramps will force customers to drive two miles out of their way to reach downtown businesses
- Local business owners worry the rapid growth and reduced highway access will negatively impact emergency services and small businesses operating on tight budgets
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Traffic cones and construction crews are something Central Texans are used to seeing, and more construction is on the way as part of TxDOT's latest plan to widen I-35 from Temple to Belton.
"I've seen the city grow especially here in the last 10 years," said one resident.
The expansion has some local business owners concerned about the impact on their community. Leila Valchar, a Belton resident who has witnessed 30 years of growth in the area, believes this expansion might be too much for a smaller town like Belton.
"I'm very bothered by it," Valchar said. "I'm afraid for our business and our community since the impact that it's going to make it's going to cause a lot of problems on our emergency services."
In a recent public meeting, TxDOT said the plan is aimed at reducing congestion and accommodating future traffic demand and an eventual I-14 expansion. The project will expand the freeway from six lanes to 14 lanes.
Valchar is particularly worried about how the expansion will affect downtown Belton and local businesses.
"I believe it's going to really affect our downtown and the businesses here," Valchar said. "There going to have to get off two miles down the road to get to our downtown and our downtown is the heart of Belton."
While Valchar's shop is about a quarter mile into the downtown area, she's concerned about future closed-off ramps cutting flow into downtown.
"When you cut off that easy access it's going to affect this area and our small business are running on a tight budget," Valchar said.
While Valchar appreciates the growth, she worries the town may be growing too fast.
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