As part of The Examiner’s commitment to in-depth examination of the city of Beaumont’s $264 million bond request to voters, this week we will look further at Proposition A, which represents $58 million of the bond total.
The total $264 million bond package is set at $58.1 million for Proposition A, streets, sidewalk and drainage; $147.3 million for Proposition B, a seven-pronged patchwork of everything from sports facilities to police cameras; $37.2 million for Proposition C, parks and recreation upgrades; $12.5 million for Proposition D, solely comprised of Riverfront Park upgrades; and $8.9 million for Proposition E, which is solely set aside for the Pointe Parkway North Extension.
Proposition A focuses on everyday infrastructure, such as streets, sidewalks and drainage, according to the city of Beaumont website. The item was picked out by the city as a good candidate for funding with general obligation funds, as projects such as these usually involve expanding or adding to existing systems rather than just repairing them, Director of Public Works Amalia “Molly” Villarreal said.
“We don’t want to shut ourselves out from repair, rehabilitation and improvement of existing services as we currently have them,” she said.
Of the $58 million total, $10 million will reportedly be allocated to identify gaps, safety issues, and high-traffic sidewalks in areas near schools, parks and transit stops, Director of Communications Tracy Kennick said. The city’s master plan is not yet finalized but will allegedly emphasize connecting sidewalk infrastructure around schools to comply with the American Disability Act, then will spread throughout the city.
“One thing that I have learned in my time at public works is the importance of improving the walkability of the city of Beaumont, and a sidewalk master plan is that first step to provide a clear long-term strategy for improving this pedestrian infrastructure,” Villarreal said, adding that a lot of work has gone into picking prime locations for construction, such as with the sidewalk on Fannett Road in front of United High School. “We were very happy that we were able to move forward with this project,” she said. “This has been a much-needed sidewalk for many years, and now we have the opportunity to get it done.”
The cost variables in a sidewalk project are unique and site specific, Villarreal said. Additional aspects include right-of-way acquisition, construction of retaining walls for certain locations in Beaumont, ramp installation as part of ADA compliance, lighting and pedestrian safety improvements.
Additionally, according to city marketing, several streets in Beaumont will be improved if Proposition A is passed: Lucas, Avenue A, Avenue C, Carroll, Sycamore, Doucette, Dollinger, Cottonwood, 7th, and Gladys. Work will include resurfacing, curb and gutter repairs, new markings, and storm sewer upgrades to improve safety and provide smoother travel. The estimated cost is around $20 million, according to city data.
Proposition A will also reportedly tackle the city’s drainage problems. At the moment, the city owns, operates, and maintains 316 miles of drainage ditches and currently contract approximately 20% for yearly maintenance. Improvements touted in the bond estimates include the Broad Oak Street outfall ditch, West Lucas Drive’s storm sewer rehabilitation, increasing the already established citywide ditching program and related equipment, and citywide storm sewer cleaning. The estimated cost is $28.2 million.
An additional $8 million in bond funds are to be set aside for cleaning and reshaping drainage ditches, cleaning out culverts, replacing/resetting all culverts greater than 3 inches out of grade, and purchase ditching equipment for use by city crews.
“This is not to deepen them or widen them. This is to go ahead and mop them out, put them back to the correct grade that they should be, as well as reset any culverts that are more than three inches out of line, if either they’re too high or too low, we reset those culverts,” Villarreal said. “The benefits of our citywide ditching program and equipment is to provide regular maintenance to prevent these blockages before they cause flooding. We have completed 40% of this project so far. And, by having the new equipment, it will allow the city to respond faster to emergencies and continue to support that long-term care.”
The Broad Oak Street outfall ditch has become heavily overgrown and is not currently accessible for maintenance, Villarreal added.
“All of the property for that ditch, except for a small portion, is privately owned, so we do not have access to go out, go in there, and actually maintain that ditch,” she said. “This area has been heavily impacted by floods in the past, notably Hurricane Harvey. Opening it up for maintenance would relieve the flooding issues in this area.”
While aforementioned drainage problems are already a part of the city’s projects to work on in 2026, if Proposition A were to move forward, it would provide a faster means of having the provided funds, Villarreal said. The second project, the storm sewer rehabilitation pipe on West Lucas Drive, is a 12,000-foot pipe that has deteriorated over time, Villarreal added.
“The scope of the project includes stabilizing the surrounding soils, which is currently in progress at the moment, and funded through our certificates of obligation,” she said. “Then, the construction project, which is estimated at about $11.2 million, will make the necessary point repairs to that line and then we will apply a structural cement liner from the inside of the pipe. We’re going to extend the life of the existing pipe, and this will avoid the full replacement cost to dig up the pipe and replace it. We have found that the structural cement liner solution has definitely reaped rewards for us, that you’re able to make it re-establish service quickly and, with minimal disruption to the area by stabilizing the surrounding soils, we’re preventing the soil erosion that could lead to cavities and pavement failures. Using this trenchless technology reduces the traffic disruptions and impacts on the neighborhood…we feel that this is a high value, cost effective investment.”
According to Villarreal, the life expectancy of the pipe is upward of 50 years. The project also has a stated aim to repair a section of Gladys Avenue at Lucas Drive, have improved system performance, and restore the pipe’s hydraulic capacity in a cost-effective, non-destructive solution.
Finally, as part of Proposition A, the city will tackle a citywide storm sewer cleaning initiative. Currently, the city has about 421 miles of storm sewer lines, with many overdue for cleaning.
“This project will focus on removing the sediment and debris from the storm lines in the inlets throughout the city,” Villarreal said. “The most urgent need is cleaning to restore the flow capacity of the storm sewer system, reduce the risk of flooding in our roads during these heavy rain events, and prevent the stress and damage to the pipes over time. This is a necessary investment in our infrastructure.”
“Collectively, these projects will improve our strong water infrastructure, hopefully reduce some of our flood risk, and support long-term system maintenance, which we are finding is one of the key issues we’re working through in the capital program already,” Villarreal added.
Early voting by personal appearance will run Oct. 20 through Oct. 31, with Election Day set for Tuesday, Nov. 4.
The Examiner will continue examining each of the proposed projects in upcoming editions to provide voters with the information they need before heading to the polls in November. Learn more about the proposed bond and what is to be funded at www.theexaminer.com/news/breakdown-beaumont-bond-proposistions.