City honors employee's regional planning efforts

Creating transportation infrastructure to support current needs and future growth is often a complicated and expensive process, but Senior Planner Jason Deckman consistently finds creative ways to fund projects for the city and the region as a whole.

At the June 17 City Council meeting, City Manager Brynn Myers recognized Deckman’s work with the Killeen-Temple Metropolitan Planning Organization(KTMPO), through which he has helped acquire federal grant funding for important transportation projects.

“The process is complicated, and he knows it in and out,” Myers said. “He works hard for Temple, but he also has a sense of regional cooperation that really serves us well in the long term.”

Recently, Deckman worked with KTMPO to secure $1.4 million of federal funds to transform the defunct Georgetown Railroad in South Temple into a hike and bike trail. He was also instrumental in securing funding for turning lanes on State Highway 95 into the future extension of Blackland Road, which will support a proposed TISD elementary school.

“Sidewalks and trails are expensive, so anytime we can access federal dollars to build those out in our community is great,” Mayor Tim Davis said.

While most residents won’t see the years of planning that goes into these projects, Deckman enjoys being part of the process from concept to completion.

“Transportation planning is one of my passions. It's something about the mix of analysis, creativity, and negotiation involved - taking an idea from a vague concept and refining into a clear plan, seeing lines on a map turn into a real trail or roadway, then seeing people use it, is very gratifying,” he said. “I'm very grateful…for the opportunity to be part of helping Temple grow and keep it a place where people love to live.”