A long-awaited result: Two projects begin work

By Editor | May 7, 2025

A WORD FROM THE MAYOR

Citizens of Pearsall, you have most certainly noticed the surveying work and construction starting on Oak Street going north.
We have two projects currently underway. The State of Texas and TxDOT has come to Pearsall and is installing sidewalks up Oak Street from Florida (McDonald’s area), north to Fitch Road on the west and Fields Road on the east.
This will be on both sides of Oak Street. The construction period for TxDOT sidewalks will take place over the next 90 days or so and is funded by the State.
At the same time, the city of Pearsall will begin construction on extending water and sewer lines along Oak Street continuing north up Business 35 to the Helena Chemical and Jack’s Produce area.
This infrastructure expansion is the long-awaited result of the annexation city council approved back in 2017. The city has been working on bringing this project to completion, but was stalled somewhat by Covid-19, but the engineering work was completed, bid procedure finalized, contractor put in place and dirt is actually starting to turn.
It just so happens that these two project are taking place at the same time.
There is a portion of Oak Street where the two projects, the sidewalks and extending the infrastructure will overlap on the same property. Our water lines currently extend further north of Fields and Fitch Roads so they will not coincide with the sidewalk.
On the other hand, the city sewer lines currently end at the DaVita Pearsall Dialysis Center on the west side. On the east side of Oak Street, the sewer lines end at Pearsall High School, near Ace Hardware.
We will start with each of these extending northward. Phase one of the infrastructure will be to push and install these sewer lines to Fitch and Fields Road before the sidewalk install. These two sections are the only area where the two projects will intersect.
The City water lines current extend to Ingram ReadyMix on the west and Fields Road on the east side of Business 35. These lines will be extending to Helena Chemical on the west and Jacks Produce on the east.
This infrastructure install will take 18-20 months and cost us $10 million; which we’ve provided in a bond that includes a $1 million grant. When complete, the city water and sewer lines will run up Oak Street or Business 35, all the way to Jacks Produce on the east and Helena Chemical on the west as part of our annexation agreement.
The sewer line will call for two lift stations which will be located on the east side of the road between Fields Road and Jacks Produce.
These are two projects that will provide more services for the citizens of Pearsall. The State has been installing sidewalks along state highways in many of the towns around us (Oak Street is a state road). The infrastructure is to provide services to citizens and promote growth in our commercial districts as well as meet the requirement of the annexation.
As an example, when I came to Pearsall in the mid 1980’s there was one business west of IH-35, The Porterhouse Restaurant and hotel. Today, the expansion out there has been substantial and of huge value to this city and county with jobs, real estate taxes, sales taxes and services to include our hospital and hospitality.
Utilities made all that possible. Our belief is that this expansion will promote the same up Business 35. I am happy to visit with any citizens that may have questions regarding these issues or anything relative to the city of Pearsall.
God Bless the City of Pearsall, the County of Frio, the State of Texas, the United States of America and You.
Ben T. Briscoe
Mayor of Pearsall