What it takes to be shovel-ready
It can take up to 10 years for a road project to go from ideation to being ready for construction.
Design: 2 years
Utility design and relocation: 1 year
Right-of-way acquisition: 18 months-2 years
Federal environmental clearance: up to 5 years
Driving Progress
GATTIS SCHOOL RD. KENNEY FORT BLVD. (PLANNED)
WESTINGHOUSE RD.
A.W. GRIMES BLVD.
KENNEY FORT BLVD. FOREST CREEK DR.
Round Rock has committed to making a multimillion- dollar investment into its transportation network through its Driving Progress program.
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130 TOLL
79
GATTIS SCHOOL RD.
35
35
45 TOLL
45 TOLL
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N
N
Gattis School Road Segment 6 Project details: Design was completed in early 2022. Once complete, the widening of Gattis School Road from four to six lanes will ease traffic congestion and provide additional capacity. Cost: $13 million Status: construction set to begin in early 2023 Expected completion: TBD 5
Kenney Fort Boulevard Project details: Construction on the new north-south arterial began in 2020 and is planned to relieve congestion on other north-south routes. Kenney Fort Boulevard will run from SH 45 N to Westinghouse Road. Cost: $23.4 million for Segments 2-3 that run from Forest Creek Drive to SH 45 N Status: under construction Expected completion: spring 2023 for Segments 2-3 4
Hwy. 79 Project details: This project will widen Hwy. 79 between I-35 and A.W. Grimes Boulevard from four to six lanes with a raised median. It will create additional capacity and increase driver safety. Cost: $28 million Status: design Expected completion: TBD 6
$240M Total
Debt, including certificate of obligation bonds
$140 million
Sales tax $53.09 million
Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization/grant funding Tax revenue from Kalahari infrastructure Williamson County/ other city contributions
$27.65 million
is also underway, with crews nearly done removing the existing concrete median barrier, Wheelis said. TxDOT Austin District Engineer Tucker Ferguson said this segment of road is the 34th most congested portion of roadway in the state. “Just this little stretch that this project will address is something that will enhance safety and increase mobility on this stretch of roadway,” Ferguson said. The addition of the entrance and exit lane will help to prevent weaving experienced under the existing configuration, preventing accidents, he said. Traffic concerns A biennial survey conducted by Ect. Inc. for the city of Round Rock shows 78% of more than 400 participants ranked traffic as their top concern living in the city’s limits as more people move to the area, bringing their vehicles with them. One city program that helps address traffic concerns is called Driving Progress. Through that spending initiative, Round Rock officials are working with other regional organizations to invest about $240 million to city road improvements. Additionally, Hudder said the city’s transporta- tion department is constantly working to improve existing road infrastructure and allocate resources
to the most impactful and appropriate projects to best serve citizens. “From our community surveys to the feedback we are receiving through the Transportation Master Plan process, there is no question that our residents see roadway improvements as a top priority,” Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan said in an email. “It is our job to ensure that the staff has the funding they need to work aggressively on capacity and connectivity across our roadway network.” Roadwork ahead As these projects are being constructed, there are additional projects in planning stages. The widening of Gattis School Road and a section of Hwy. 79 are in the process of completing right-of-way acquisition and the beginning of project design, respectively, Hudder said. To speed up the process from design to construc- tion, Round Rock has requested to take over design of the Hwy. 79 widening project, Hudder said. He said that request was granted in November. “They were not initially as in favor of that as we thought they would be,” Hudder said. “We spent several months negotiating with them about our desire to do that and why we think that helps move
$12.2 million
$7.06 million
SOURCE: CITY OF ROUND ROCK/COMMUNITY IMPACT
the project along.” In August, TxDOT received environmental clear- ance for the project. Wheelis said the next step in the process is right-of-way acquisition. CAMPO, which is the regional transportation plan- ning organization that distributes state and federal funding for projects, is also in the planning phase of conducting a corridor study of the roadway from A.W. Grimes Boulevard to FM 619 in Taylor, looking ahead at future growth in the area. “We continue to work with Williamson County and with the development community,” Hudder said. “Aside from just what we’re in control of in leading, there’s a lot of energy being focused in our area right now, which is good long term.”
For more information, visit communityimpact.com.
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PFLUGERVILLE - HUTTO EDITION • DECEMBER 2022
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