McLendon-Chisholm's Two Biggest Road Projects Now Have Overlapping Schedules

Until this fall, the road work around McLendon-Chisholm was set to happen in order. FM 549 would be rebuilt first, and the SH 205 widening would follow in late 2028. That changed this fall. In Rockwall County's latest monthly transportation report, the SH 205 South widening has a June 2027 let date. FM 549's own anticipated completion date is January 31, 2029. If both dates hold, the SH 205 project goes out to bid about 19 months before FM 549 is scheduled to finish.

The two projects meet at the SH 205 and FM 549 intersection on the north side of town. The earlier date also helps one smaller project. The FM 550 turn lane at SH 205 is now listed to be built as part of the SH 205 project, so it moves forward on the same schedule. The FM 550 realignment and the FM 548 widening are not part of SH 205 and still have no construction money.

"TxDOT has expedited construction from November 2028 to June 2027."

That line comes from the Rockwall County Transportation Consortium's October 2026 report. The same wording appeared in the September 2026 edition. The change happened quickly. The North Central Texas Council of Governments project list, approved by its Regional Transportation Council on August 13, 2026, still estimated a September 2028 letting.

Where FM 549 and SH 205 Meet

The FM 549 project runs from SH 205 to SH 276. The contractor is Urban Infraconstruction, and work started May 4, 2026. In September, crews were preparing the ground for the wider SH 205 intersection at FM 549. By the October 16 report, they had moved on to removing pavement on the northbound lane, preparing the roadbed for the new northbound lane, and building the bridge. Next on the list are culverts D, E and F, a storm drain line, and the bridge's girders and panels.

The October report lists traffic issues as "N/A" and planned changes to traffic patterns as "N/A." FM 549 is being rebuilt partly on temporary pavement laid down for that purpose, and so far the reports show no planned detours.

The SH 205 South project starts just north of that intersection. It runs from north of FM 549 to the Kaufman County line, through the middle of McLendon-Chisholm. The plan turns two rural lanes into a four-lane urban divided highway, with room to grow to six lanes later. The estimated construction cost is $151,660,357. The city's 2021 comprehensive plan says SH 205 runs through the center of town and that most of the city's commercial property sits along it.

Why June 2027 Is Realistic

A project can't go to bid until the land is bought, the plans are done and the utility lines are moved. For SH 205 South, most of that is finished or close.

The county report shows right-of-way purchases completed in July 2023 and finished construction plans in August 2024. Utility relocations are due to wrap up in January 2027, and January 2027 is also when the project is listed as ready to bid. Here's where the utility work stood in October:

• Moved out of the construction area: Atmos, High Point WSC, Kinder Morgan, NTMWD, Oncor, Peoples Telephone, City of Rockwall and Sprint
• Being moved now: AT&T, FEC, Optimum/Suddenlink, RCH WSC and Spectrum
• Still to move: Zayo
• Utilities that could delay the schedule: None

The money is in place too. The project has $57,353,687 in Category 2 funding and $94,306,670 in Category 4 funding. TxDOT's 2027 Unified Transportation Program, adopted August 26, 2026, lists the project for fiscal years 2027 to 2030 under a "Funding Adjustment." Category 2 went up $13.3 million and Category 4 Urban went up $5.6 million.

One planning problem was solved years ago. A 2019 City Council agenda said TxDOT needed to buy the city's fire-rescue station property at 1250 S. State Highway 205 for the widening. The city has since built the Mike Donegan Public Safety Building, a three-bay, 11,400-square-foot building across from City Hall. It was dedicated in March 2022. City Hall's address is 1371 W. FM 550, so the building sits off the highway.

Every Project on the Map, by Status

The table shows where the gap is. SH 205 South is the largest project and the furthest along, and the FM 550 turn lane is now tied to its schedule. The two projects without construction funding are the ones still waiting.

The Turn Lane Moves With SH 205. The FM 550 Realignment Doesn't.

The FM 550 turn-lane project at SH 205 is small. Its estimated construction cost is $517,556. It received environmental clearance on November 19, 2025, and the engineering firm TNP submitted the final plan set to TxDOT on May 28, 2026. Its own entry in the October county report still shows $0 in construction funding and a let date of "Pending Funding," but the current-activity note says the turn lane "is being constructed with CSJ 0451-01-053 letting in June 2027." That project number is the SH 205 South widening. In other words, the intersection fix now goes out to bid with the highway.

West of the highway, the FM 550 safety realignment from Wilder Drive to FM 1139 is still in early design. After TxDOT and Rockwall County reviewed the first plans, the project limits were extended to FM 1139 so the work would also fix two more curves that don't meet current design standards. In August, TxDOT's Design Division asked for suburban design criteria. TNP is designing the road with enough right-of-way for a future four-lane urban divided road and expected to submit 30% plans at the end of October. The report lists schematic approval in June 2027 and environmental clearance in February 2028. Construction funding is listed at $0.

FM 548 is in a similar spot. Its widening from Windmill Farms to SH 205 is a $94,669,035 project, and $17,435,498 of that is on the Rockwall County side. It is listed as ready to bid in June 2027, the same month SH 205 South is set to be let. Its own let date is still "Pending Funding," and utility relocations there are expected to continue through June 2027. The two projects have the same June 2027 date, but only SH 205 South has funding behind it.

What SH 205 Will Look Like When It Reopens

The finished highway will look different from the original plan because of public input. After TxDOT's October 18, 2018 public hearing, the segment between Terrell and McLendon-Chisholm was changed from a raised median to a two-way left-turn lane. The regional transportation plan was updated to match. With a center turn lane, drivers can turn left into driveways and side streets along most of the route without waiting for a median break.

The city has its own rules for how many driveways connect to the highway. The SH 205 Overlay District covers property within 1,500 feet of either side of SH 205 across the city. It requires businesses next to each other to connect their parking lots so there are fewer driveways and less local traffic pulling onto SH 205.

The first new development under these rules is going up on the highway now. Chisholm Square is a 54,000-square-foot mixed-use project with eight buildings on SH 205. Phase 1 is under construction and scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2027. It includes 10,000 square feet of retail space that can be split into suites as small as 1,600 square feet, plus 18,000 square feet of flex and office space. The plans also include a central courtyard with seating for tenants and the community. If both schedules hold, Chisholm Square's first buildings open a few months before the highway in front of them goes to bid.

At the main crossroads, Tractor Supply Company asked to rezone part of an 11.296-acre tract at the northwest corner of SH 205 and FM 550 as a planned development. Public hearings were scheduled for June 16 before Planning and Zoning and June 23, 2026 before City Council. That is the same intersection where the FM 550 turn lane is listed to be built as part of the SH 205 project.

Truck traffic has new rules too. On September 15, 2026, the City Council passed an ordinance restricting commercial vehicles on certain streets and designating truck routes. The city's notice has more details.

League Road's Anticipated Finish Is November 20

The first project to finish is a city one. Since July 6, League Road has been closed to through traffic from the Edwards Road intersection to near Via Toscana Lane, about 0.37 miles. Crews are replacing the full pavement, installing reinforced concrete drainage pipe and pouring new concrete paving, with detours marked along Edwards Road. The city's project notice set an anticipated completion date of Friday, November 20, 2026. The city's Economic Advisory Committee meets November 25, according to the community calendar.

If you own a home near SH 205, FM 549 or FM 550, these construction dates may affect when you decide to sell. Our team watches these county reports month to month, and we're glad to walk you through how they line up with your plans. Start with a no-pressure number from Sarah Naylor and Get Your Instant Home Valuation today.