MIDLAND, Texas — Midland Development Corporation board members approved the execution of an economic development agreement with the City of Midland for the State Highway 191 Wastewater Main Extension Project.
The project will extend from Highway 191 to Highway 158, right by recent development near the two highways. Sewer lines will be placed alongside the development.
Sara Harris, the executive director of the MDC, says that the sewer lines will not only help the current development, but development in the future.
"It helps to increase the tax base of Midland and bring in new commercial and industrial development along (Highway) 191," Harris said. "So in that sense it becomes an economic development agreement, and the MDC agrees that the city will build this asset while the MDC will reimburse them."
While plans for the project have already been completed, the city will now take over the project to find a potential bidder.
Harris estimates that the city will attempt to find a bidder sometime either this month or next month.
"Plans are already complete, and I believe that the city will intend to take the project out to bid either early this month or in April," Harris said. "After that, it's just a question of the timing of the winning bidder and any other unknowns, but maybe within a year or so."
This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment project either.
MDC has been planning to run a main sewer line near the highway for quite some time now.
"It has always been a desire from the MDC board to have sewer on that land so it can be developed out," Harris said. "So it's been at least two years since we've discussed what the right timing is for that sewer line, and now is the time."