Lighting up the bridges
The I-35 frontage road bridges over the Brazos River were awash in a green glow Saturday night as the Baylor Bears took to the field at McLane Stadium Saturday night for their victorious first home game against Prairie View A&M.
Restoring that glow took time and money. The LED lighting system installed in 2015 on the new “signature bridges” allowed Waco and Baylor University officials to light them up for special occasions – Baylor games, July 4, even the death of Prince. By 2022, city of Waco staff noted at least half of the system was failing, and the bridge went dark last year as the city devised a plan to replace the whole system with what is promised to be more resilient equipment at a cost of $1.6 million. – Justin Hamel
Baylor turns out for Talarico
More than 1,000 Baylor students and staff turned out Wednesday for a rare on-campus stump speech by James Talarico, the Democrat locked in a close battle with Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate.
Baylor normally bars political campaigns but allowed Talarico to speak after Paxton was featured as a last-minute guest at the Turning Point USA rally this spring. Talarico spoke about supporting workers building a “new American dream,” and drew applause for his remarks about ABC’s decision to shelve Talarico’s interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” which Kimmel blamed on FCC pressure.
“This is the most dangerous kind of cancel culture, the kind that comes from the top. Corporate media executives are selling out the First Amendment to curry favor with corrupt politicians,” Talarico said.
The Baylor voting precinct favored Donald Trump by 18 percentage points in 2024 but supported Joe Biden in 2020. – Justin Hamel
Circling back to Business 77’s past for its design future
Before the superhighway known as I-35, there was Highway 77. From the late ‘30s until the early 1970s, it was the main route through town for drivers passing between Dallas and Austin. And you couldn’t leave Waco without a spin around the infamous traffic circle.
Now known variously as Business 77, La Salle Avenue and New Dallas Highway, the aging and oversized highway is up for a complete redo.
In a few years, the Texas Department of Transportation plans to strip down the aging freeway section between the Brazos River and I-35. Say goodbye to mid-century access roads, ramps and overpasses and hello to a bike-pedestrian-friendly boulevard design with at-grade crossings. And to more circles.
The modern traffic devices are more properly called roundabouts and are becoming a popular alternative to intersections controlled by traffic lights or stop signs.
The diagram above, from TxDOT’s public meeting last week on the Business 77 project, shows one of two planned roundabouts (the other is at Orchard Lane, now an overpass). It depicts the Business 77 intersection of South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, where there is now an overpass. The plan is to extend MLK Jr. Boulevard east to Loop 484 (Marlin Highway), creating a long-awaited direct route from downtown to State Highway 6. The Business 77 replacement project could run from 2028 to 2030, followed by the MLK extension in 2033.
TxDOT is seeking public comment on the plan by Sept. 25. Comments may be sent to [email protected]. The full project presentation can be viewed here. – J.B. Smith
Midway’s battle against sagging enrollment pays off
Midway Independent School District has bucked regional and state trends of declining enrollment, after zeroing out its transfer fees and launching a virtual school option.
Midway ISD’s unofficial enrollment as of Sept. 1 was 8,733 students, up slightly from the official 2025-26 enrollment of 8,715. The growth trend is higher if the district’s decision to cut its prekindergarten 3 program is taken into account.
Netting out those students, enrollment grew by 107 students, said Wesley Brooks, assistant superintendent for finance. That includes 64 more middle schoolers, mostly at River Valley Middle School, and 52 Midway High School students. Elementary enrollment remains flat.
Midway this spring waived its $1,000 transfer fee and began offering virtual classes in an effort to reverse two years of enrollment decline. The district in June reported 250 transfer applications and 100 virtual school applications. Updated numbers were not available this week.
Enrollment is the main driver of state funding for school districts. Texas lost 1.4% of its public school students last year, the first decline in modern times not related to pandemic, according to Texas 2036. Schools in Education Service Center Region 12, which includes McLennan County, lost students at a similar rate.
In a Midway ISD board meeting this week, Brooks said he was on a call recently with officials from other Texas school districts, and most reported declines.
“We’re in rare company but that’s really fortunate for us,” he said.
In a statement to the Bridge, Superintendent Chris Allen said the trends are pointing in the right direction.
“At a time when many school districts across Texas are experiencing enrollment declines, Midway continues to grow,” he said. “That growth reinforces what we already know: Midway remains a district of choice – a place where families want to be. Our strong enrollment reflects the trust families place in the quality, stability and opportunities our schools provide.” – Raquel Villatoro.
