TRANSPORTATION
Top transportation stories to watch in 2023
2023 ANNUAL COMMUNITY GUIDE
Williams Drive bridge construction to begin in early 2023
OTHER PROJECTS TO FOLLOW IN 2023
BY CLAIRE SHOOP
In some areas, DDIs have reduced crashes by 50%, Wheelis said. He said DDIs are especially e ec- tive at intersections that have a high volume of left-turning tra c. “A DDI allows more vehicles to travel through the intersection during a single signal cycle by temporarily shifting tra c to the left side of the road,” Wheelis said in an email. “This allows through-tra c and left-turning tra c to proceed through the intersection simulta- neously, eliminating the need for left-turn signals.” The DDI will include a shared-use path, increasing accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists. The $61.7 million project is funded by TxDOT and the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. TxDOT has constructed three other DDIs along I-35 throughout the Austin area, including at University Boulevard, Parmer Lane and Slaugh- ter Lane. Two others are planned at I-35 and Wells Branch Parkway and at Loop 360 and RM 2222, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
for eastbound and westbound tra c over I-35. However, construction is expected to cause some delays, and drivers are asked to be patient and cautious when in the area. Prior to rebuilding the bridge, the construction on the DDI cen- tered around the northbound and southbound I-35 frontage roads, bypass lanes—lanes that would allow through tra c to avoid the intersec- tion—and entrance and exit ramps to support the project. DDIs increase safety by lowering the number of potential crash points.
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The Texas Department of Trans- portation will enter the late stages of the diverging diamond intersection, or DDI, project at Williams Drive in 2023 with the construction of a new bridge over I-35. Slated to open in late 2023, a DDI temporarily guides vehicles to the left side of the road when crossing a bridge over a highway. Bradley Wheelis, a spokesperson for TxDOT’s Austin district, said the bridge will be reconstructed in phases to allow continued access
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SOUTHWEST BYPASS
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Southwest Bypass Extension County o cials are expecting the nal phase of the Southwest Bypass extension to be complete by this summer. The project to extend the two-lane road from Wolf Ranch Parkway to Hwy. 29 has been expanded to include a 10-foot-wide shared-use path. According to the county, the extension is a response to the increased population in the region. Construction costs are funded through Williamson County’s 2019 road bond program with the city of Georgetown contributing $1 million. Timeline: summer 2022-summer 2023 Cost: $4.6 million Funding sources: city of Georgetown, Williamson County
MOVING TO THE LEFT The diverging diamond interchange temporarily shifts car tra c to the left side of the road, which o cials said reduces the number of con ict points.
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TRAFFIC SIGNAL
TRAFFIC FLOW
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3349
SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMUNITY IMPACT
SECTION 2
SECTION 1
973
Study to add medians along Williams Drive underway
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to businesses, according to the city. “From my perspective, this is probably one of the most important and chal- lenging projects that we are going to undertake, without a doubt,” Council Member Ron Garland said. The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is providing $1.22 million of funding for the access management study portion of the project, Georgetown Transportation Manager Lua Saluone said. The project’s rst phase, data collection, began in late 2022 and will last until the summer. Then the city will spend the summer and fall analyzing the data before beginning full design of the project in late 2023. Additionally, the city will seek public feedback on the project throughout
this time, and the city plans to meet with each prop- erty owner located along the corridor. City Manager David Morgan said because this project a ects so many people who travel or own a business on Williams Drive, he expects the public engagement to be intense. Construction will take place in subsequent phases once a design is solidi ed and costs are known. The city has $10.44 million to put toward the project from the 2021 road bond; however, due to in ation, this may not cover the full project scope. “Even if we get to the end of this [study] and ... we aren’t able to start imme- diately on construction, it will still be helpful for us to go through this process,” Morgan said.
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Samsung Highway The Williamson County Commissioners Court named a new roadway under construction between FM 3349 and FM 973 after the tech company whose employees it will service. The county is constructing Samsung Highway south of the company’s semiconductor facility going up in Taylor. Segment 1 of the project, which will connect CR 404 to FM 973, is under construction and will be completed by this fall, according to the county. By fall 2024, Segment 2 will connect CR 404 to FM 3349. “It’s going to be a signi cant road,” Precinct 4 County Commissioner Russ Boles said during a December meeting. “The roads that it’s replacing were older county roads. They had horrible 45-degree angle turns in them.” Samsung is paying $3 million toward the project’s $22 million cost. Timeline: summer 2022-fall 2024 Cost: $22 million Funding sources: Williamson County, Samsung
BY CLAIRE SHOOP
and safety of the corridor from I-35 to Jim Hogg Road by consolidating the number of driveways and adding protected turn lanes and safety lighting, according to a Nov. 8 presentation. Currently, a center turn lane spans the length of the corridor and more than 150 curb cuts provide access
Research and design of a project to add medians and designated turn lanes to Williams Drive began in late 2022 and is expected to continue throughout 2023. Called the Williams Drive mobility enhancement proj- ect, the overall project aims to increase the e ciency
3405
JIM HOGG RD.
SHELL RD.
BERRY SPRINGSPARK
LAKE GEORGETOWN
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D.B. WOOD DR.
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GEORGETOWN EDITION • JANUARY 2023
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