Los Fresnos News

Los Fresnos Rodeo Drive to Receive Major Improvement

Gene Daniels drives parallel to Rodeo Drive after checking out the new FD/EMS building under construction. Photo: Tony Vindell/LFN

Gene Daniels drives parallel to Rodeo Drive after checking out the new FD/EMS building under construction. Photo: Tony Vindell/LFN

by Tony Vindell/LFN

Los Fresnos’ own Rodeo Drive could be built soon.

The city council has approved a recommendation from City Manager Mark Milum who said it will complement the new local Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services building under construction on the east side of the city.

Milam told the council the drive will have to be paved at some point in the future.

“We are going to pave a portion of Rodeo Drive,” he said during the last city council meeting. “As you all know, there has been no funding for a road at the rodeo grounds.”

Milam said the fire department is willing to pay for some of the cost to build a portion of the road.

He said the city, FD and EMS and the rodeo committee agreed to give 30 feet for the street right-of-way, but building the road is something that needs to be addressed.

And now that FD/EMS construction project moves along, paving Rodeo Drive is increasingly becoming more critical

The city has received a price proposal from Pederson Construction to build the road and Milum said they need to start making plans.

According to their estimates, the city’s cost to build a portion of the drive is at just under $100,000, while the FD and EMS’s portion will cost about $80,000

But in order to complete the whole project, about 525 feet of road will remain unpaved. That is expected to cost another $100,000.

“Naturally,” Milum said, “the question becomes how do we pay for this?”

He said last year the city had excess funds left over of about $213,864.

But since Pederson is already working on the FD/EMS building, it would be advantageous to have them build the road.

That calls for an interlocal agreement with all the parties involved to get the project rolling.

Gene Daniels, fire chief /EMS director, said they will take care of their portion of the drive.

Next, is for Los Fresnos Rodeo Committee to decide on another section of the drive that goes from east to west past the $1.8 million FD/EMS building.

Daniels estimates the FD/EMS facility will be built this summer.