Bryan Voters Approve Texas Avenue Median Removal
Voters backed a charter amendment to remove medians on Texas Avenue, but the city says the change still needs state approval.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in City Hall
Live Poll
Do you think local voters should be able to decide how state highways in their city are designed?
Bryan voters approved a charter amendment with about 79% of the vote to remove the Texas Avenue medians between Rosemary Drive and State Highway 21. The city says the vote alone does not guarantee removal.
Why it matters
A legal opinion released Oct. 13 says the city likely cannot remove the medians without consent from TxDOT, which controls Texas Avenue. The gap between the voter mandate and the state's authority leaves the outcome uncertain for local drivers and businesses.
The amendment passed with roughly 79% of the vote, a clear voter mandate. Removal is estimated at about $8 million, and the city has not identified a funding source, so the cost remains unresolved.
The players
Remove the Medians group
A local advocacy group that spent 2 1/2 years engaging Bryan residents to build support for removing the Texas Avenue medians.
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
The state agency that controls Texas Avenue and whose consent the city's legal opinion says is needed before any median removal.
The details
The amendment covers Texas Avenue between Rosemary Drive and State Highway 21 and was approved as a charter amendment. The city says enforcing it would likely require a court ruling or an opinion from the Texas Attorney General's office, and the Remove the Medians group spent 2 1/2 years talking with residents before the vote.
Timeline
Oct. 13: City released the legal opinion on median removal.
Nov. 4, 2026: Bryan voters approved the Texas Avenue median removal amendment.
Big Picture
Because TxDOT controls Texas Avenue, Bryan's voter-approved amendment depends on state consent or a court or Attorney General ruling, much as other Texas cities have found their local decisions constrained on state highways.
Drivers on Texas Avenue will not see any change yet, since removal depends on TxDOT consent or a legal ruling. Residents should watch for a city announcement on whether the state will approve the project and how it would be paid for.
The takeaway
A voter mandate is not the same as a finished project when the road belongs to the state. Residents who want change should follow the state's response as closely as the city's vote.
Further reading
For more on local government decisions, see City Hall coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kbtx.
Live Poll
Do you think local voters should be able to decide how state highways in their city are designed?
