2017 City of Temple Poison Oak Road Realignment Project

The City of Temple completed the accessibility review process for the new sidewalk and boulevard project along Poison Oak Road in Bell County. TDLR closed the project file in April 2026, marking the end of the regulatory oversight for this new construction. The project involves a 10-foot sidewalk with handicap ramps adjacent to the new roadway, covering a total area of 52,500 square feet.

Clark & Fuller, PLLC served as the design firm of record for this initiative. Steven E Rinehart was the registered accessibility specialist ensuring the design met state standards. The estimated cost for the project was $489,750, which calculates to $9 per square foot. This figure is below the county median of $151 per square foot for similar new construction filings in Bell County.

Project Scope and Location

Located at Poison Oak Road, Temple, TX 76501, the construction focused on pedestrian infrastructure. The scope specifically included the new sidewalk and accessible ramps. The project was registered with TDLR in January 2021, although construction activities began in June 2020. The filing indicated a scheduled build window of 2,130 days, which is longer than the county median of 242 days for comparable projects.

The City of Temple is the owner of record and has other TDLR-registered projects in the area. These include the Hog Pen Creek Trail and the Summit Recreation Center, both of which have completed their reviews. The Poison Oak Road project is part of a broader municipal effort to improve public infrastructure in Temple. The use of public funds and public land for this roadway project aligns with the city's development goals for the region.

Local Context and Labor Market

Temple is a community in Bell County with a population of about 17,223 according to U.S. Census estimates for ZIP code 76501. The median household income in this area is $50,764, and the median owner-occupied home value is $151,000. Housing in this ZIP code is mostly owner-occupied, reflecting a stable residential base. The local labor market shows a Bell County unemployment rate of 5.4 percent in July 2026, which is higher than a year earlier.

The completion of this sidewalk project adds to the pedestrian infrastructure available in Temple. The design firm, Clark & Fuller, PLLC, has other closed projects in the region, including a FedEx facility in Pflugerville. The Poison Oak Road project stands out for its specific focus on accessibility and public safety along a new boulevard. The final status of the project is confirmed by the closure of the TDLR file in April 2026.