D. Lee Edwards - New Braunfels City Council District 3

08/15/2026

Updates on Oak Run Parkway and Highway 46



Currently both sides of Oak Run Parkway are open to 2 lanes at SH 46. This matches up with pre-construction lane configuration for Oak Run Parkway at SH 46. D & D at the City’s request is bringing in their paving contractor this Friday to pave Oak Run Parkway on the Oak Run side only up to the final 2” surface mat. The Hunter’s Creek side has a conflict with gas line, so paving can’t happen there until this is remedied. On Friday, the paving will require Oak Run Parkway to be closed to one lane and the outside SH 46 westbound thru lane closed also, but this paving work should take 4 to 6 hours depending on the trucks delivering the hot mix. With this work, the Oak Run side can stay two lanes when school starts. We think this can stay this way for the remaining portion of the project, but will continue to work with D & D Contractors.

Will update you all as I receive information.


The City has also worked with NBISD and Comal County to remove some curbing at the Veramendi Elementary exit driveway for parents. See the second attachment for more details. City Crews will remove the curbs circled in red and replace with pavement. Because this driveway only allows parents to make a right, with this work they can now make a left out and travel to Loop 337 versus SH 46. NBISD will have off-duty officers working this traffic during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. When the officers are not there, the City will supply traffic barrels so this driveway will go back to a right out only condition. Once the Oak Run Parkway and SH 46 project is complete, we’ll put the removed curbing back. City Crews will remove the curbs tomorrow and NBISD with have their off-duty officers there Monday morning.

Send a message to learn more

08/11/2026

Councilmember Labowski is hosting her next District 5 Forum tomorrow, August 12th, from 6pm-7:30pm at the Main Branch of the New Braunfels Public Library.

District 5 City Councilmember Mary Ann Labowski will host a District Forum on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Main Branch of the New Braunfels Public Library.

The forum will include a presentation by City staff on projects, initiatives, and services in District 5 and citywide. The presentation will be followed by an open question-and-answer session where attendees can ask questions, share concerns, and discuss issues.

Residents in District 5 and from across the city are encouraged to attend and participate.

08/06/2026

Register to Host a National Night Out Party

Join the New Braunfels Police Department and your neighbors for an evening of community, safety, and fun! National Night Out is an annual event that strengthens police-community partnerships and fosters neighborhood camaraderie to help build a safer, more connected New Braunfels.

National Night Out is a great opportunity to get to know your neighbors a little better, celebrate your community, and promote safety. Neighborhoods can register their block party with the City for a visit by New Braunfels Police and Fire crews.

Register Your Neighborhood here:

08/05/2026

Main Plaza crosswalk update:

Many of our residents have been saying for years that we need a crosswalk to Main Plaza. I spoke with our TXDOT representatives a couple of weeks ago to see how we can push this forward. They are speaking with City Engineer Garry Ford today to discuss next steps.

Working with multiple government entities can be a slow process, but we have put the wheels in motion. More to come.

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08/04/2026

Ride the Rio Celebrates Major Milestone: 50,000+ Rides and Counting

Since launching on November 18, 2025, the City of New Braunfels’ Ride the Rio microtransit service has quickly become an essential part of our community’s transportation network. We’re proud to announce that the program has officially surpassed 50,000 completed rides with a 95% 5 Star Rating, marking a significant milestone in its mission to provide convenient, flexible, and reliable mobility options for residents.

Over the past year and a half, Ride the Rio has demonstrated strong performance and growing demand:

🚐 50,151 completed rides

👥 9,882 rider accounts created

⭐ More than 1,300 riders have booked 5 or more trips

🛣️ 191,688 miles traveled with riders onboard

🤝 58% of rides were shared, improving efficiency and helping reduce traffic

💙 29.5% of riders used discounted fares, making transportation more accessible for residents

🌟 94.7% of riders gave the service a 5-star rating

Due to the overwhelming support, Ride the Rio added two new vehicles in June bringing the total fleet size to 10 vehicles.

Learn more here:

Learn more about the New Braunfels Transit program and how easy it is to Ride the Rio!

08/03/2026

Upcoming Budget Workshops:

Each year, the City of New Braunfels develops a budget that outlines how resources will be allocated to maintain services, fund new initiatives, and support the priorities of our growing community. The process involves months of analysis and discussion, including a review of departmental needs, City funds, projected revenues, and the proposed tax rate.

The City Council will host a series of budget workshops with presentations on key budget considerations. These meetings offer residents a chance to learn more about the proposed budget, ask questions, and hear directly from City staff about the initiatives planned for the coming year.

FY 2027 Budget Workshop Schedule:

August 11, 5:00–7:30 p.m.

August 17, 5:00–6:30 p.m.

August 18, 5:00–6:30 p.m.

August 20, 5:00–6:30 p.m.

September 10, 5:00–6:30 p.m.

Please note: some of these meeting dates or times may have to be adjusted based on City Council availability. Meeting dates and times will be published on the City’s website.

Residents are encouraged to attend these workshops to learn more about the FY 2027 budget and engage in the decision‑making process that shapes services, programs, and investments across New Braunfels. All meetings are held at New Braunfels City Hall, 550 Landa Street, and will be recorded for later viewing at www.newbraunfels.gov/agendas.

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07/30/2026

I will be closing the survey soon for affected residents of the sewer/wastewater issues in and around Champion's Village. If you know of someone, please pass along this link.

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07/30/2026

Councilmember Nikki Shaw for D6 and I attended the community forum on Street Repair issues tonight to listen to the concerns of the community. Greg Malatek provided some great information on the ratings and progress of the street projects.

If you were unable to attend, here are some helpful links from the presentation.

Online Survey - https://www.newbraunfels.gov/streetsurvey

Submitting a Pavement Concern - https://newbraunfels.gov/284/Streets-Drainage

Viewing OCI Map and Road Closure Map - https://newbraunfels.gov/1847/Pavement-Management-Program

07/29/2026

Public Meeting tonight at 6pm at City Hall. Have your voice heard.

If you cannot make it, you can fill out the online survey.

Your input can help shape next year's street maintenance projects. 🚧

As planning begins for the 2026/2027 budget, the City's Public Works Department wants your feedback on which streets should be prioritized for maintenance.

Join us for a public forum on Wednesday, July 29, at 6 p.m. at New Braunfels City Hall (550 Landa St.) to learn how streets are selected and how to submit your input. Can't make it? An online survey will be available July 27 through August 7.

🔗READ MORE: https://newbraunfels.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/4087

07/27/2026

Public engagement opportunity with TXDOT

There is an important opportunity for public engagement currently underway. The draft 2027 UTP is currently open for public comment through August 3, making this an important window for our region to demonstrate support (or opposition) for SH 46.

The next public hearing will be virtual and is this week, Wednesday, July 29 at 2:00.

Link to sign up and to a short PowerPoint explaining the funding process: https://onlinexperiences.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:QS!10100&ShowUUID=B528BCFA-EB93-4D47-91B5-AF15D4A5848D

Strong participation and public comments reinforcing the need for SH 46 expansion will help demonstrate that this project should be a statewide priority, not just a local concern.

As you may know, despite an estimated project cost of approximately $1.4 billion, there is currently no construction funding identified in TXDOT's 10-year Unified Transportation Program (UTP). The UTP is TXDOT's 10-year planning document that determines which transportation projects are advanced toward funding and construction. It establishes the pipeline of projects that will receive priority over the next decade.

Your voice is important! You can submit your public comments through August 3rd at 4pm. Ways to submit:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2027UTPOnlineCommentForm
[email protected]
Voicemail: (800) 430-2070 (toll-free)

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