Proposed changes to I-35 sparking concern among business owners in downtown Belton

BELTON, Texas — A major expansion of Interstate 35 and Interstate 14 could be coming to Bell County, and while the Texas Department of Transportation says the project is designed to improve safety and reduce congestion, some Belton leaders and business owners warn the current plan could come at a significant cost.

TxDOT is in the planning stages of a large-scale expansion of the two highways, a project officials say is needed to improve traffic flow and safety for decades to come. However, critics say the proposal could hurt downtown Belton by moving key freeway exits farther away from the city center.

Business owners and community leaders worry the changes could reduce access to downtown, damage small businesses and slow emergency response times.

“What they’re projecting doing is going to affect us for 50 to 100 years,” said Leila Valchar, owner of My Giving Tree in downtown Belton and president of the Downtown Belton Business Alliance. “It is going to be detrimental to our little town.”

Under the current proposal, freeway exits serving downtown Belton would be relocated roughly two miles north along I-35. Valchar said the loss of direct highway access would be devastating for businesses that rely on pass-through traffic.

“Our businesses downtown represent our lifetime achievement,” Valchar said. “Our customers, our community — they all rely upon easy access to our businesses. It’s going to affect our deliveries. It’s just overall going to be an economic disaster for our town.”

Belton leaders have proposed alternative designs, including braided ramps, which they say would preserve downtown access while still improving traffic flow and meeting interstate safety standards.

Randy Pittenger, president and CEO of the Belton Area Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber is working closely with the city to educate residents and advocate for solutions that balance safety, mobility and economic growth.

“This dramatically impacts economic growth and quality of life,” Pittenger said. “Safety and traffic efficiency are not in conflict with economic growth. They can work together very well.”

In a statement to 6 News, TxDOT spokesperson Jake Smith said the agency encourages community involvement as the project moves forward.

“We urge members of the community to offer feedback that can help the project team as they progress to finalizing the schematics late next year,” Smith said. “We were encouraged seeing hundreds of residents attend this week’s public meetings and discuss the project with the team.”

TxDOT says public input will continue to play a role as the design process moves ahead.