CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — After 40 years of living in his south side Corpus Christi home, Vince Deases has witnessed significant changes in his neighborhood – particularly the increasing traffic on Timbergate Drive.
"We've been here 40 years since the house was brand new. There wasn't much development down this way. There wasn't that many houses and apartments," Deases said.
The growth has brought challenges for residents like Deases, who now struggles with daily tasks as simple as leaving his driveway.
"Now, we can't hardly back up out of driveway cause, you wind up waiting for 6 cars!" he explained.
Deases, who lives on Timbergate between Staples and Snowgoose, has also endured years of deteriorating road conditions.
"It's been so bumpy, it's like a washboard coming through here because of all the potholes that they've kind of repaired over time," Deases said.
A quarter-mile away, Pastor Dana Moore of Second Baptist Church has similar concerns about the road's condition.
"The road is gone and all we have is patches on patches. That's all that's left," Moore said.
Many residents told KRIS 6 News in December 2024 that Timbergate was among the worst streets in the city. After voters approved construction funding in 2022, work finally began in early April 2025.
The $4.7 million construction project includes new asphalt, curbs, sidewalks, streetlights, drainage upgrades and more. Corpus Christi City Councilor Gil Hernandez explained why the project requires complete road closures in some areas.
"They're actually replacing one of the wastewater lines and they're gonna have to go down 18 feet in order to achieve it. So they can't do that with two lanes of traffic," Hernandez said.
The construction along Timbergate Drive is expected to be completed approximately one year from now. While detour signs are in place to help keep drivers safe, the construction will impact access to local businesses and churches.
Pastor Moore remains optimistic despite the temporary inconvenience.
"Is it an inconvenience? Sure, it's an inconvenience. But once this is all done, the inconvenience is gonna be forgotten and we're gonna be so appreciative of the city for fixing this road and getting it redone," Moore said.
For longtime residents like Deases, the construction represents the fulfillment of a long-awaited improvement.
"Very excited. For us, this is a dream come true if you wanna say," Deases said.
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