Construction crews are working on several road construction projects around Denton. Take a look at eight road project updates around town. This list is not comprehensive.

Alice Street reconstruction
Project: The project will replace the waterline, curb, gutter and portions of the sidewalk along Alice Street. The project’s scope also includes a total roadway reconstruction. This project is funded from the $50 million Neighborhood 2 bond approved by voters in 2019.
Update: Crews are nearly complete with concrete work with final paving scheduled for late April.

• Timeline: September 2025-June

• Cost: $1.46 million

• Funding source: city of Denton

Wellington Drive reconstruction
Project: Crews will replace the waterline, curb, gutter and portions of the sidewalk, as well as total reconstruction of the roadway. This project is funded from the $26 million Neighborhood 1B bond approved by voters in 2019.
Update: Workers began construction on roadway demolition and earth work in mid-April.

• Timeline: September 2025-June

• Cost: $707,324

• Funding source: city of Denton

Downtown Denton coffee shop West Oak Coffee Bar will open a cocktail bar and expand its coffee service in its upstairs space later this year, a company representative said.

The breakdown: The coffee shop will start serving cocktails starting at 5 p.m. after the bar opens for business. The bar will also offer small bites and tapas.

The coffee menu will still be available after 5 p.m.

West Oak Coffee currently offers a variety of coffee and tea drinks, along with a bakery and food menu that includes breakfast sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, muffins and breakfast tacos.

• 114 W. Oak St., Denton

The State Board of Education gave preliminary approval April 10 to roughly 200 literary works that all Texas public school students would be required to read beginning in 2030.

What happened: The SBOE trimmed about 100 titles from a list proposed by the Texas Education Agency, which board members and educators criticized as too long to be taught. The Republican-led board signed off on a revised list in a 9-5 party-line vote April 10.

The details: The draft list ranges from nursery rhymes and short stories in early grades to classical and 20th-century literature in high school. The list also includes about a dozen excerpts from the Bible. While students learn about world religions today, Texans testified that if the reading list is approved, it would be the first time in recent history that state leaders mandate religious readings in the classroom.  

Next steps: Board members are scheduled to take a final vote on the reading list in June. If approved, the list will be used in classrooms in the 2030-31 school year.