TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Open house held for SH 45 road project in Hays, Travis counties
COMPLETED PROJECT
TOLL AHEAD Drivers increasingly opt for toll roads.
TxDOT toll roads
Mobility Authority toll roads
GEORGETOWN
BY ZARA FLORES
The land where the road would go is already owned and could be developed at a future time; there are already three active projects underway nearby. Stacey Benning eld of STV, the prime consultant rm and project manager, said that they are trying to get ahead of the development so that there is exibility in the potential road design and plan. “At some point, that entire area build outs, it becomes very di cult then to get the infrastructure in place,” Benning eld said. The feasibility study is expected to take two years to complete, followed by years of subsequent studies, design and right-of-way acquisition and construction, for a timeline of around a decade. There will be a follow-up open house late summer or early fall that will bring together the feedback provided and oer some potential routes for the road for additional input from the community. Residents can nd more infor- mation about the project, view maps and provide feedback at www.sh45gap.com.
Buda and other area residents were invited to an open house June 15 to learn about the SH 45 gap road project, nearly a year after the Hays County Commissioners Court approved a $2.5 million contract with CP&Y Inc. for engineering services and a feasibility study. This comes just four months after the city of Buda entered into an interlocal agreement with Hays County for the assessment. The gap within SH 45 lies between FM 1626 in Manchaca and I-35 in Buda, in both Hays and Travis counties. Following con- tract approval last August, Travis County commissioners penned a letter to the Hays County com- missioners stating their explicit disapproval of the project and their action, citing the environmental impact the project would have on the Edwards Aquifer. The study began with a meeting between all entities involved including both counties, the city of Buda and property owners within the study boundaries.
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The Robert S. Light Boulevard extension opened June 7. COURTESY CITY OF BUDA
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AUSTIN
Robert S. Light Boulevard extension Nearly two years after breaking ground, the Robert S. Light Boulevard extension project opened for tra c June 7. The Texas Department of Transportation began construction in October 2021 to extend the road from South Loop 4 and connect it to FM 1626, creating a shortcut to I-35. The project has been in the works for nearly eight years, following an in ux of residents to the area and an increase in cars on the road. The goal with the extension is that it will alleviate tra c and congestion on Main Street in Buda and divert trucks and heavy tra c away from downtown. The new road is around 2 miles long, has one lane traveling in each direction and also features three new overpasses. Timeline: October 2021-June 2023 Cost: $17.7 million Funding Source: TxDOT
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MOPAC
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SOURCE: MOBILITY AUTHORITY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Austin-area toll road use up 26% annually
BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
Thousands of drivers are con- tinuing to use the six Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority toll roads, resulting in just over $18 mil- lion in revenue in April. The Mobility Authority’s board of directors received an update on April’s toll revenues and roadway performance May 31. Chief Financial O cer Jose Her- nandez said April’s total toll revenue included toll videos and fees, and both toll tag and pay-by-mail revenues are “performing well.” The Mobility Authority manages 183A Toll, 290 Toll, 183 South, SH 71 Toll, SH 45 SW Toll and the MoPac express lanes.
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MANCHACA
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ROBERT S. LIGHT BLVD.
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF JUNE 21. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT SBKNEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.
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SAN MARCOS BUDA KYLE EDITION • JULY 2023
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