2023 HOME EDITION
ROAD WORK AHEAD
that,” Leander City Manager Rick Beverlin said. Several road projects are now under- way or recently nished, including preventive maintenance by TxDOT, a road widening project near the Wolf Ranch development, alternative routes for motorists to reach I-35, intersection improvements to make turning on and o the road easier, and trac lights to slow vehicles down. In the same way ocials are plan- ning transportation projects, both developers and governments are trying to address water infrastructure. For example, Hanna said Black- burn is building the connections to nearby city of Georgetown water and sewer access. Georgetown provides water even outside of its extraterritorial jurisdic- tion. It’s in the process of construct- ing the South Lake Water Treatment Plant—a $175.3 million project that will produce 44 million gallons of treated water a day. Woolery called it the larg- est capital project the city’s ever done. In Leander and Liberty Hill, ocials are also teaming up with developers. Henderson said MA Partners spent tens of millions of dollars to bring water from Liberty Hill’s water plant to Butler Farms. While ocials said they believe more work is needed to address the growth of the area, Liberty Hill Direc- tor of Planning Jerry Millard said the timing is important. “The amount of development we see is driving those projects, so we just don’t want a bunch of infrastruc- ture sitting in the ground if it’s not going to be used,” he said.
Due to increased trac along Hwy. 29, Liberty Hill, Georgetown, Williamson County and the Texas Department of Transportation have several projects in the works to alleviate trac congestion.
THE HEIGHTS AT SAN GABRIEL Estimated number of homes (full build-out): 279 5
WOLFRANCH Estimated number of homes (full build-out): 1,600 (single family), 900 (multifamily) Amenities: 2 amenity centers, playgrounds, pools, splash pad, indoor event space, tness gym, attend GISD schools 6
LIBERTY HILL Hwy. 29 and Stonewall Parkway realignment
The east entrance to the Liberty Parke neighborhood will be realigned with the existing trac signal at Stonewall Parkway along Hwy. 29 to ensure residents can safely enter and exit. Timeline: late summer-spring 2025 Bailey Lane realignment Loop 332—which will be renamed by the city to Main Street—will be realigned to Bailey Lane, and trac lights will allow residents to safely enter and exit onto Hwy. 29. Timeline: spring 2024-spring 2025
Amenities: pool with covered outdoor area, community trails, park, playground and sports court, attend Georgetown ISD schools
which is developing Butler Farms. Butler Farms, a new and growing subdivision in Liberty Hill, is expected to have an estimated 2,100 homes once fully built out. Other subdivisions under construction o or near Hwy. 29 include Santa Rita Ranch, which could have a maximum of 7,753 homes; MorningStar with 1,341; Orchard Ridge with 670; and Bar W Ranch with 1,650. These neighborhoods are just a portion of the homes coming to the region. According to ocials, it’s likely to impact existing infrastructure and warrant the need for more. “There are other master-planned communities that are enormous. … That’s all along Hwy. 29, and that’s a lot of people,” Butler Farms resident Antonia Adebo said. “If they don’t move fast—and it doesn’t look like they’re moving fast enough—that could be a problem.” Building up infrastructure The inux of new housing is con- tributing to the rapid rise in popu- lation, resulting in increased trac congestion on Hwy. 29, city ocials said. It also has them eyeing utility
and support services. Many residents who live in sub- divisions along Hwy. 29, whether in Georgetown or Liberty Hill or in between, told Community Impact they all have the same struggle when it comes to entering or leaving their neighborhoods: it’s overwhelmingly dangerous and dicult. Melissa Matias, a seven-year resi- dent of Oaks at San Gabriel, said “it’s like playing ‘Frogger’” every time she pulls out onto the road. “We knew it was going to grow at some point,” Matias said. “I guess we just weren’t prepared for how fast. I feel like the changes that need to be made to keep up with the growth, especially when you’re talking about [Hwy.] 29, are just not happening fast enough.” As a result, TxDOT, Liberty Hill, Leander, Georgetown, Williamson County and developers have all coordinated to improve safety for drivers on Hwy. 29. “To bear the improvements that would be necessary to support the type of volumes, really any one city would have diculty doing
GEORGETOWN
Hwy. 29 road widening (Wolf Ranch Parkway to I-35) The project will allow for increased trac by widening the road from four lanes to six. Timeline: construction scheduled to begin in mid-2025 with completion in mid-2026 Southwest Bypass The project provides drivers on Hwy. 29 with an alternative route to I-35, going around the city’s commercial center. Timeline: opened June 23
Hwy. 29 and DB Wood Road intersection improvements
The project is meant to ease congestion by adding left- and right-turn lanes in
both directions on Hwy. 29. Timeline: opened June 23
SOURCES: CITIES OF LIBERTY HILL AND GEORGETOWN, WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMUNITY IMPACT
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
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LEANDER LIBERTY HILL EDITION • JULY 2023
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