Back on track: Bell County
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Parade of Homes viewers check out a new residence built for the 2015 Parade of Homes by Eagle Ridge Builders in the Valley Ranch subdivision in Temple.
Affordability keeps Temple area growing BY SHANE MONACO TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
After a bumpy year full of issues, Temple and surrounding areas now are going full steam ahead on many long-awaited projects. Growth, and preparations for that growth, has made up a large number of the projects as the area looks forward. One thing that supports the growth is the fact Temple ranked among America’s 10 most affordable cities during the first three months of 2021, according to research compiled by the Council for Community and Economic Research. It included 265 metro areas across the United States, with Temple named the most inexpensive city in America for buying groceries — 23% below the national average. Adrian Cannady, president and
CEO of the Temple Economic Development Corp., said the city’s reasonable cost of living is one of the many reasons families from around the country and even within the state are choosing to call the Temple region home. “The factors of affordability coupled with great career opportunities are positioning the Temple region as a destination for those who wish to enjoy an exceptional quality of life,” Cannady said. Transportation projects Transportation has been a large point of focus for Temple, with many road projects already underway or on the horizon. One of the city’s most expensive and long-running efforts is the Outer Loop Project in west and north Temple. The project aims to connect the northern and southern parts of Interstate 35 in
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Temple through a continuous series of roads. The two-part project is expected to take until at least 2027 to be completed, with the various roads comprising the project to hold their current names and be called the Outer Loop. The city also plans to start the expansion of Poison Oak Road as part of accommodating Belton Independent School District’s Charter Oak Elementary. In an effort to invest in neighborhoods, Avenue C in East Temple and other nearby roads are being expanded and improved. The improvements to these roads include their widening and the addition of sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Growth requires infrastructure City Councilman Wendell Williams, who represents West Temple, said the amount of growth being seen by the city re-
quires the constant addition and improvement of infrastructure to keep up. “Temple has been discovered and we are seeing unprecedented growth, and, fortunately, the city is doing a good job of keeping up with that growth as best they can,” Williams said. “There is a lot of stress on the budget to build all those roads, but you have to do it to have that quality of life that everybody wants in our community.” In addition to working on roads, the city is working on adding more spaces to park in its downtown area by designing two new parking garages. The two garages, at 1 N. Fourth St. and 107 N. First St., will provide more room for people wanting to come into downtown to shop or eat. In addition to having space for those coming in, the garage near the Hawn Hotel will provide space for future residents June 27, 2021
