The City of Temple | Outer Loop Project Overview

KPA prepared the Outer Loop Preliminary Engineering Report for the City of Temple to provide preliminary horizontal alignments and vertical profiles, preliminary utility relocation analysis, preliminary right-of-way analysis, and preliminary opinions of probable costs for Phases III, IV, V, and VI of the Outer Loop around the City of Temple. The report contained a review of the background of the concept of the Outer Loop, an analysis of design considerations, and a preliminary layout of recommended improvements. These items were investigated at the request of the City of Temple as it seeks to improve the transportation infrastructure in and around the City.

The Outer Loop will ultimately create a new major arterial loop around Temple, connecting regional employment centers to neighborhoods and interstate commerce. This loop strategically combines several existing roadways and thoroughfares, including Moores Mill Road, Old Howard Road, Hilliard Road, Research Parkway, and Old Waco Road. Several segments of the outer loop are already completed in west Temple.

The segment from IH-35 along Research Parkway will provide direct connectivity along the new thoroughfare between freight companies and IH-35. From the Outer Loop, drivers benefit from a short trip to the Draughon-Miller Airport and direct connectivity to the proposed 750-lot Westfield mixed-use development and the 300+ acre Crossroads Athletic Park. The nearest section of IH-35 carries 78,656 vehicles per day, while 15,020 vehicles travel daily on northwest Loop 363. Allowing this traffic to disperse onto the Outer Loop will significantly reduce congestion delays.