Transportation
BY HALEY MCLEOD
Emergency evacuation route opens
The why
How we got here
Looking forward
When the need for a new evacuation route arose, the county developed 12 potential options and narrowed it between two—Route B and Route F, according to county documents. Route F was determined to be the most e ective route for moving emergency vehicles into the community and personal vehicles out of the community. However, the county ultimately went with Route B as it was fully funded with previously allocated 2017 certi cate of obliga- tions bond funds. Route B was lower in cost and could be built in a shorter time frame, according to the county. Compared to the $7.2 million estimated for Route F, this emergency roadway cost $650,000. Construction of the new evacuation route began in February 2023 and was completed earlier this year. Route B is intended to be used only in an emergency event and is closed to all vehicle, pedestrian and bike tra c unless the gates are opened by rst responders, according
Although Route F was not chosen initially, the project remains within the Travis County Transportation Blueprint 2024, which serves as the county’s 30-year transportation plan. If funding should become available, Route F could be pursued in the future, according to county documents.
The master plan for the Steiner Ranch devel- opment includes more than 10,000 residents on roughly 4,600 acres. In 2011, the community was faced with a wild re threat that eventually overtook 6,500 acres, according to previous Community Impact reporting. At time time and until recently, North Quinlan Park Road was the only way onto RM 620 from within Steiner Ranch. It took hours for people to evacuate because there was only one way out, Paul O’Brien told Community Impact in previous reporting. O’Brien was the former communications chair of a neigh- borhood coalition created to address concerns about the wild re. After the re, county o cials included the new route in plans for capital improvements. The Austin area has ranked among the top at-risk communities for wild res in recent years, particu- larly along greenbelts, canyons and rural areas, per property information company CoreLogic.
Travis County o cials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a second Steiner Ranch-area evacuation route July 10, approved by county commissioners in 2019. “By building this second evacuation route, we are improving the safety of Steiner Ranch and Montview residents in the case of res or other disasters,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Brigid Shea said. The new route—running from Flat Top Ranch Road to Montview Drive—is designed to provide an additional evacuation route out of the Steiner community in the event of an emergency where evacuation is required, a county press release states. Although not the most e cient route for emergency tra c ows as it does not connect directly to RM 620, the route still allows residents a second exit point in an emergency situation, per the county.
COLORADO RIVER
LOW WATER CROSSING RD.
620
Existing route
MONTVIEW DR.
Route F (not chosen)
Outside of emergency circumstances, Route B is inaccessible for regular travel.
This is how we make our community more resilient in the face of growing climate disasters. I’m grateful for the work of our Travis County sta , area residents, [Emergency Services District No.] 6 and many other partners. BRIGID SHEA, PRECINCT 2 COMMISSIONER
Route B (chosen)
COURTESY TRAVIS COUNTY
to the county. While Route F would have created a direct connection to RM 620, Route B is not expected to contribute to tra c concerns in the area since it is inaccessible the majority of the time, according to county documents.
STEINER RANCH RD.
FLAT TOP RANCH RD.
N. QUINLAN PARK RD.
N
BEE CAVE 13015 Shops Pkwy (512) 263-9981
BRODIE LANE 4970 Hwy 290 W (512) 366-8260
NORTH 620 10601 N FM 620 (512) 506-8316
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