McMillen Road was originally slated to be completed in May 2025. Chad Engbrock / The Wylie News

 McMillen Road construction delays cause frustration for home, business owners

Attendance at last week’s Wylie City Council meeting was higher than usual, largely due to growing concerns over delays in the McMillen Road improvement project. Several residents and business owners showed up to express their frustration with city leadership and its handling of the issue.

Before addressing the road project, council conducted routine matters at the Tuesday, April 8 regular meeting, including recognizing Term 3 Wylie Way students for their achievements. Proclamations were issued for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The council approved the consent agenda, which included event requests from nonprofits. Approved events were the 1LT Robert F. Welch III Run for Our Heroes 5K/Walk on April 26 and the Juneteenth Festival of Wylie on June 14, both at Olde City Park.

Also approved were a zoning ordinance amendment related to smoke shops and the purchase of 911 recording software and equipment from Higher Ground for $114,252.

Public comments focused heavily on the McMillen Road project. Terri Thurmond, a McMillen Road resident, cited debris, safety issues and alleged code violations. She criticized the city for mismanagement, lack of permits and poor communication. Thurmond called for a review of the city manager’s performance, citing his $276,190 salary and responsibility for operations.

Doug Jones, representing Trinity Valley Ranch (“TVR”), a business on McMillen Road, said the prolonged construction has negatively impacted local businesses. He criticized the city’s lack of transparency and urged improved signage, access and acknowledgment of flooding linked to the project. Jones said repeated outreach efforts have gone unanswered and he called for accountability and immediate corrective action.

In executive session, council discussed a required Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to move forward with the McMillen Road project. The agreement involves the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas Historical Commission and other stakeholders.

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