Transportation
BY GRANT CRAWFORD, HALEY MCLEOD & GRACIE WARHURST
Work on Colorado Sand Drive begins Pflugerville began work to extend Colo- rado Sand Drive Sept. 12. Overview The road will eventually have four divided lanes from Copper Mine Drive to the current Colorado Sand Drive, a roundabout, new sidewalks and shared use paths. The estimated completion date is fall 2025. City Council approved a $6.6 million contract with Patin Construction July 10.
Texas Megabus routes no longer in operation Nationwide bus service Megabus discontin- ued routes in Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio, according to a news release. The gist Operations in these cities were discontin- ued Aug. 16. Texas tickets and routes are no longer available on the company’s website. Along with Texas, Megabus canceled route and ticketing services in East Coast cities. Megabus parent company Coach USA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June citing sig- nificant challenges in ridership and industry demand following the COVID-19 pandemic. “As we move through this process, our top priority remains safely carrying the millions of passengers who choose our buses each year and working closely with our valued contract customers and transportation agency partners.” DERRICK WATERS, CEO OF COACH USA Nearly $148B approved for projects statewide Over the next 10 years, Texas will invest nearly $148 billion in transportation projects to improve safety, reduce congestion and strengthen connectivity. The overview The Texas Department of Transportation’s 10-year plan, the Unified Transportation Program, is updated annually. The Texas Transportation Commission unanimously approved the $104.2 billion plan for 2025 during its Aug. 22 meeting. The state will use over $43 billion for develop- ment and routine maintenance, according to a news release. By the numbers The 2025 UTP contains thousands of projects, according to TxDOT, but without guarantee that they will all be completed.
Unified Transportation Plan funding
$8.6B
Austin
Dallas- Fort Worth
$17.9B
$14.5B
Houston
$5.7B
San Antonio
SOURCE: TXDOT/COMMUNITY IMPACT
“People come to Texas because we provide the freedom and opportunity they can’t find anywhere else, and that’s why we’re investing in the future of Texas roads,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in the release. “Projects like this will ensure our products and people can move quickly to keep the Texas economy booming. Together, we are building a bigger, better Texas for years to come.” Officials expect to distribute about $8.6 billion for transportation projects in the Austin area.
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HENDRICKSON HAWK BASEBALL FIELD
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City approves PID bonds for road extension The Meadowlark Preserve development is under construction in Pflugerville, with plans to open for sales in 2025, according to a representative with the development company. What happened Pflugerville City Council recently approved a financing agreement between the city and Lennar Homes of Texas Land and Construction, as the developer plans to build a new roadway through the 98-acre property, connecting Jesse Bohls Drive to Cameron Road. “The Pflugerville Parkway extension—so today would be Jesse Bohls [Drive]—would be going through the middle of their development and will being tying into Cameron [Road] for a future extension eastward to FM 973,” said Jeremy Frazzell, Pflugerville Planning and Development Services director. Council previously approved the creation of a public improvement district, or PID, for the Meadowlark development. At an estimated cost of $25 million for the improvements planned—road- ways, sidewalks, lighting, irrigation, trails and
Meadowlark Preserve
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community facilities—the developer requested that the city issue PID bonds to finance the improvements and reimburse Lennar. What else? The Meadowlark Preserve has been in the works for the last several years. According to previous Community Impact reporting, the development will include approx- imately 375 single-family units in a variety of lot sizes. City Council approved an ordinance in January 2023 to annex 105 acres into the city—98 for the development and another seven for the right of way for the road improvements. With the latest approval for the financing agree- ment, next steps include City Council’s consid- eration of an ordinance to establish a service and assessment plan on the property.
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PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION
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