Construction is expected to begin soon at two bridges in the city of Allen.

Allen City Council approved a $144,390 construction contract with Garret Shields Infrastructure for repairs to two bridges at McDermott Drive at a July 14 meeting.

The overview: The two bridges slated for improvements are located at McDermott Drive crossing Rowlett Creek and Rowlett Creek Tributary, according to city documents. These two bridges no longer adhering to standards in the Americans with Disabilities Act because sidewalk settling has created hazards, per city documents. The city hired an engineering firm to take a closer look and determined that excess stormwater has caused the sidewalk to settle approximately 4 to 6 inches.

Interested in news from businesses and restaurants in the Allen area? Check out 13 businesses now open, coming soon and other community updates in Allen, as previously reported by Community Impact.

1. Koelker Dental: Dr. Kris Koelker offers dental services including preventive care, restorative dentistry, surgical procedures and more, per the practice’s website.

• Opened July 2

• 960 W. Exchange Parkway, Ste. 100, Allen

2. Wonder: The app-based eatery allows diners to mix and match dishes from more than 20 restaurants in a single dine-in, pickup or delivery order. Menu items are made-to-order and include a range of cuisines.

• Opening TBD

• 829 W. Stacy Road, Ste. A100, Allen

3. Caffe Promenade: The coffee shop has new owners, operating under KCV Investments LLC, who plan to continue operations with the Allen store’s current offerings but anticipate adding more offerings in the future such as ice cream, a representative said.

• 600 E. Bethany Drive, Ste. A, Allen

• Facebook: Caffe Promenade

Construction will start on a new apartment complex in McKinney, and a new indoor playground is set to open in Plano. Check out six major North Texas construction permits filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

1. Franklin Branch Apartments: A nine-building apartment complex called Franklin Branch Apartments will break ground in early March 2027, according to TDLR documents. Previous Community Impact reporting states that the apartment complex will offer 288 units. Developer The NRP Group partnered with the McKinney Housing Finance Corp. to build the complex to offer income-restricted rental units.

• Location: 3565 FM 1461, McKinney
• Estimated timeline: March 3 2027-Nov. 4 2028
• Estimated cost: $27.05 million

• Location: 3374 SH 114, Fort Worth
• Estimated timeline: Sept.1- May 7 2027
• Estimated cost: $2 million

Sandy Creek resident Georgia Bishop was out of town when 22 inches of rain fell on parts of northwest Travis County over the July 4, 2025, weekend. When Bishop returned home days later, her community was significantly changed.

What happened: Residents of the hard-hit Sandy Creek neighborhood described a “wall of water” that tore through their community last July, washing away homes, cars and roads. Nine people died in the flooding, including Bishop’s best friend, 16-year-old Felicity Jarmon.

The context: One year later, residents of the unincorporated Travis County community are still working to rebuild from last July’s catastrophic flooding. Central Texas has seen two straight years of intense, deadly flooding in July, leaving some residents on edge as they recover from last year’s disaster and mourn lost loved ones.

Community Impact spoke with Bishop and Kylie Nidever, whose neighborhood in Hunt flooded last year, on July 13, days before heavy rainfall hit large swaths of the state once again. Officials confirmed two deaths due to this year's floods, while 137 people died last July.