Week in Review, July 24, 2026

July 24, 2026

This is the latest edition of Week In Review - a series of weekly messages from the Mayor and City Council to help Richardson residents and businesses keep up to date on municipal events. If you would like to sign up to receive this in a weekly e-mail click here.

Throughout the year, the City Council or City Plan Commission will hold meetings on topics of significant interest to local neighborhoods or the community in general. Links to view all City Council or City Plan Commission meeting documents that may have topics of interest to you can be found here:

City Council | City Plan Commission

Application Period Open for City Council Place 3 Vacancy
Applications are open to fill the vacant Place 3 seat on the Richardson City Council. Residents who live in District 3 and meet the qualifications to serve may apply through Friday, Aug. 7 at 11:59 p.m.

The appointment timeline is:

Current Place 3 Council Member Dan Barrios announced last week that he will resign from the City Council to pursue another elected office. He will continue serving until a replacement is appointed.

A map of districts is available at www.cor.net/CouncilDistrictMap.

Apply and review eligibility requirements at www.cor.net/CityCouncilApplication. Questions may be sent to [email protected].

Silver Line Bridge Arch Work Underway
Night work for installation is underway on the north side arch of the Silver Line bridge spanning US 75 just north of Renner Road. The work is expected to continue for several nights and wrap up by 5 a.m. Monday, weather permitting.

Different road and lane closures will be in place each night as arch segments are moved and lifted into place.

The work will complete the bridge's second arch; the south side arch was installed last month. Once complete, the bridge will feature two arches about 400 feet long and 80 feet high, with white and blue accent lighting designed to create a gateway feature for Richardson.

View the US 75 Closure Press Release

RFD, OEM Staff Assist with Flood Recovery Efforts in Central, South Texas
Five Richardson Fire Department members and one person from the Richardson Office of Emergency Management deployed to Central and South Texas in response to recent flooding. They are part of Texas Task Force 2, the Texas Emergency Task Force and the Incident Support Task Force, statewide organizations that can respond on short notice anywhere in Texas.

An Assistant Fire Chief and Driver/Engineer deployed last week, helping lead response operations in Central Texas and the Rio Grande Division before moving to a staging area ahead of Tropical Storm Bertha. Also last week, a Captain and two Firefighter/Paramedics deployed to support emergency medical services in San Antonio and Eagle Pass, while a member of the City's Office of Emergency Management deployed to Uvalde with the Incident Support Task Force to assist with flood response and recovery efforts.

First responders from across the state have been working around the clock to assist with recovery efforts since the flooding events.

Ray Noah to be Presented with Key to the City
At Monday's City Council Work Session, the Council unanimously approved awarding a Key to the City to former Richardson Mayor Ray Noah. The key is scheduled to be presented in August.

Noah served as mayor from 1968-83, a period when Richardson achieved 73 percent of its population growth. He was instrumental in the formation of DART and served as a charter member of the DART Board for 16 years. While mayor, he also served as board chairman for the North Central Texas Council of Governments (1971-72) and the Regional Transportation Council (1974-75). After serving as mayor, he served as a Richardson municipal court judge.

The presentation ceremony is tentatively set for Aug. 20, time to be confirmed, at the Raymond D. Noah Richardson Municipal Court building at 2100 E. Campbell Rd. A reception sponsored by the Richardson Rotary Club will follow the presentation.

View the Council Presentation on Ray Noah

Arts Organization Grant Applications Due Thursday
The application period for area arts organizations to apply for a City of Richardson arts grant closes at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 30. The City offers funding assistance for costs associated with a full season of projects, performances or events within a 12-month period. Funding is limited to no more than 50 percent of an applicant's season expenses.

Richardson has provided arts grants to local organizations since 1984. The grants are funded by the Hotel-Motel Tax Fund, recommended by the Cultural Arts Commission and are a key component of the City's Cultural Arts Master Plan. For 2025-26, the City Council awarded a total of $375,000 to area arts organizations.

View the application

Find more Arts and Culture information

E-mail [email protected] for more information

Richardson CARES Applications Close Next Friday
Applications for the 2026 Citizens Academy and Resource Education Series, known as Richardson CARES, close Friday, July 31. The free eight-week series is open to adults ages 18 and up and gives participants an inside look at Richardson municipal government and day-to-day City operations.

Classes will meet every Thursday from 5:30-9 p.m. Sept. 3-Oct. 22. A reception and graduation ceremony will be held Oct. 26.

Visit the Richardson CARES website

Watch the 2025 CARES recap video

City Budget Planning "Deep Dives" Continue
Preparation for the City Council's August Budget Workshop continued at Monday's City Council Work Session with department presentations, also called deep dives, on 2026-27 Facilities and Fleet Services maintenance strategies and the 2026-27 Information Technology work plan.

The City Council's FY 2026-27 Budget Workshop is scheduled for Aug. 3-4. The meeting will be available to watch live and on demand, and residents may attend in person and provide input.

View the Facilities and Fleet presentation

View the Information Technology presentation

Featured Artist Announced for Fall Cottonwood Art Festival
Tony Paraná has been selected as the Featured Artist for the Fall Cottonwood Art Festival, taking place Oct. 3-4 at Cottonwood Park. Chosen from the 200 artists participating in the festival's juried art show, Paraná spent his early teenage years drawing with his mother at the kitchen table in Bahia, Brazil. He later moved to São Paulo, where established artist Rodolfo Rondon mentored him early in his career. Paraná now calls Houston home.

As Featured Artist, his work will be showcased throughout the festival, including on the official 2026 commemorative poster and exclusive merchandise available in the Courtyard boutique. Paraná will also be onsite throughout the weekend to engage with attendees.

The semiannual Cottonwood Art Festival has been held at Richardson's Cottonwood Park since 1969. In addition to the juried art show, the festival includes live music on two stages, food and beverage options and children's art stations.

Visit the Cottonwood Art Festival website

See Tony Paraná's work on Instagram

Parks Department Celebrates National Parks and Recreation Month
Richardson's Parks and Recreation Department is celebrating National Parks and Recreation Month in July by hosting three free customer appreciation events.

Details:

The department has accomplished much over the past year, including new playground equipment at Foxboro Park and Point North Park, a new shade structure at Woodland Park playground, renovations to the Heights Family Aquatic Center, a new trail at Breckinridge Park and assisted with volunteer tree plantings at Breckinridge Park and Custer Park.

View the National Parks and Recreation Month Presentation from Monday's Council Work Session

Girl Scout Troop 7726 Recognized for Work at Heights Family Aquatic Center
Girl Scout Troop 7726 was recognized at Monday's City Council Work Session for building a new lost and found area at the Heights Family Aquatic Center. The troop approached Parks and Recreation staff about completing a service project at Heights Park, and staff identified the Aquatic Center's lost and found area as a place of need.

The troop spent 137 hours researching, planning and constructing the new lost and found, which includes hooks for towels and goggles, a tray for smaller items and hydraulic pistons for easy opening and soft closing.

View the Girl Scout Troop 7726 presentation

School Zone Flasher Testing Next Week
Drivers may see Richardson school zone flashers operating during normal school-day times Tuesday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 29, as the City tests equipment before the upcoming school year.

The routine testing allows the Transportation and Mobility Department to troubleshoot the flashers and confirm they are working properly. Flashers will be activated during the normal morning and afternoon school zone periods.

Typical school zone flasher times are:

Plano ISD school zone times may vary slightly. Drivers should follow the times posted on each school zone sign.

The City conducts the test each year to help prepare for the return of school traffic. Drivers are encouraged to use caution in school zones and watch for crews or equipment checks during the testing period.

The first day of school for Plano ISD is Aug. 11; Richardson ISD begins classes Aug. 12.

Lane Closures Planned on Abrams Road July 29-31
Drivers should expect temporary lane closures on Abrams Road from Wednesday, July 29, through Friday, July 31, weather permitting, while crews complete underground pipe-lining work. Closures will be in place from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. each day.

Wednesday, July 29

Work will take place within the Abrams Road and Spring Valley Road intersection.

Thursday, July 30, and Friday, July 31

Crews will work on Abrams Road between Highland Boulevard and Maple Street.

Drivers should allow extra travel time, follow posted signs and use caution near crews and equipment.

Asphalt Street Rehabilitation Coming Soon to Vernet Street
Asphalt street rehabilitation work is scheduled to begin in late July on Vernet Street between Custer Road and Nantucket Drive. The project is expected to take six to eight weeks to complete, weather permitting, and residents in the project area will receive a letter from the City next week with additional details.

Work will include removal of the existing asphalt surface, replacement of deteriorated concrete panels beneath the roadway and installation of a new asphalt overlay along the full project area. Repairs to damaged curbs, gutters and driveways will also be made as needed.

Construction will be completed in phases to reduce impacts. During the work, Vernet Street will temporarily be limited to one-way traffic, with the direction of travel changing based on where crews are working.

www.cor.net/Projects

To see what is coming up in Richardson, subscribe to our free weekly Things to Do newsletters. The newsletter comes out each Wednesday and will help you plan your weekend and find things to do locally.

Sign Up: Link