Improvements are coming soon to the portion of east Bethany Drive between Greenville Avenue and Malone Road in Allen.

Allen City Council approved a $1.6 million construction project with Overland Corporation for the Bethany Drive Asphalt Overlay Project at a Sept. 22 meeting.

The specifics: The scope of the project includes constructing a protective layer of asphalt over the existing pavement to extend the life of the roadway, city documents state. Construction of the Bethany Drive Asphalt Overlay Project will take place at night over three phases, Director of Engineering Chris Flanigan said.

The context: This comes after several other investments along the east Bethany corridor, including upgrading street lights, enhancing median landscaping and repairing screening walls, Flanigan said.

Barrio Burrito Bar is now open in Allen, Franchise Sales Director Jesse Castillo III said.

The details: The fast-casual restaurant offers tacos, burritos, bowls, quesadillas, chips and queso, fries, churros and more, per its website. Barrio Burrito Bar also offers catering.

What they're saying: “We’re incredibly excited to continue building Barrio Burrito Bar’s presence in Texas with the opening of our second location in Allen,” Chief Development Officer Jeff Young said in the release.

• 1480 N. Custer Road, Ste. 140, Allen

Check out updates on five upcoming and ongoing transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

1. Silverado Trail lane expansion

Project: Silverado Trail’s westbound lanes will be constructed between Kenley Drive and Burnett Drive in McKinney, including a bridge over Rowlett Creek. The project includes relocation of an existing North Texas Municipal Water District sanitary sewer line.

Update: Design is 90% complete. The project is expected to bid in early 2027.

2. Greenville Avenue reconstruction

Project: Work will feature a full concrete reconstruction of Greenville Avenue in Richardson from Centennial Boulevard to Huffhines Street. Also included will be sewer and water main improvements.

Update: Design for the project is around 60% complete, according to the city’s capital project tracker.

Last fall, Gov. Greg Abbott deemed Texas "the epicenter of AI development" during an event about Google's data center investments in the state.

Since making that remark, the Republican governor has issued several directives aimed at regulating AI-powered data centers. Meanwhile, state agencies are expanding their use of artificial intelligence in government services.

The overview: At the state level, one of the primary uses of artificial intelligence is to improve government efficiency, said Tony Sauerhoff, who leads the Texas Department of Information Resources.

Down the road, that will likely mean reducing the number of staff members at state agencies, Sauerhoff said, noting that agency leaders are being "intentional" about those changes.

Zooming in: When asked which state agencies will be most impacted by AI in the coming years, Sauerhoff pointed to the Texas Department of Transportation.

TxDOT uses artificial intelligence in a variety of forms, including to analyze transportation infrastructure, determine which construction projects should be prioritized, optimize road safety plans and manage the flow of traffic, according to its AI strategic plan.