Georgetown Edition | April 2024

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Georgetown Edition VOLUME 17, ISSUE 8 APRIL 19 MAY 17, 2024

Overcrowding concerns

Data shows East View High School's enrollment exceeded the campus's capacity in 202324.

BROOKE SJOBERGCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Georgetown ISD asks voters to expand schools with bond propositions

“[People] come [to GISD] because we’ve made the choice to ... try to keep our schools more community feeling,” said former Trustee Andy Webb, head of the Vote Yes for Georgetown political action committee. “They can come here and have opportunities.”

surpass the 6A threshold of 2,275 students in 2025-26, demographic projections show. However, district ocials called a $649.5 million bond they said would help preserve the small-school feel GISD families appreciate, including allocating funding for a third comprehensive high school.

BY BROOKE SJOBERG

Georgetown ISD’s East View High School is on the precipice of becoming a 6A campus—the biggest University Interscholastic League designation denot- ing school size and conference for academic and sport competitions—as its enrollment is projected to

CONTINUED ON 14

Also in this issue

Impacts: HEB to build store in northwest Georgetown (Page 6)

Election: Meet the candidates for local school boards (Pages 1213)

Transportation: Driverless semis coming to Austin roads (Page 20)

Community: Guide to the 25th annual Red Poppy Festival (Page 33)

ENJOY THE BEST OF GEORGETOWN

hand-crafted sushi rolls, Chefs’ creations, and cocktails

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

EARLY VOTING: APRIL 22-30 ELECTION DAY: SAT. MAY 4 Get informed & head to the polls VISIT GEORGETOWNISDBOND.ORG TO LEARN MORE ELECTION DAY: SAT. MAY 4 Get informed & head to the polls VISIT GEORGETOWNISDBOND.ORG TO LEARN MORE EARLY VOTING: APRIL 22-30

FIND A POLLING LOCATION FIND A POLLING LOCATION

This informational content is being provided by Georgetown ISD.

The Wesleyan

Holiday celebrations, performances by local groups, trivia events, craft classes, dancing — there’s something on The Wesleyan’s event calendar to engage everyone! Take a look at this month’s listings to find entertainment suited just for you! February 1 at 2:05 PM

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

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About Community Impact

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Impacts

Coming soon

248

3 H E B The grocery store will anchor the new Parmer Ranch Marketplace shopping center in north Georgetown. The location is set to break ground in late spring or early summer and open by late summer 2025, said Milo Burdette, the vice president of development for real estate rm Barshop & Oles Company, in an email.

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DEL WEBB BLVD.

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• Opening in late summer 2025 • 10110 RR 2338, Georgetown • www.heb.com

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4 Poco Loco Supermercado The Hispanic grocery store sells a variety of meats, produce, baked goods and beverages. • Opening late 2024 • 603 W. University Ave., Ste. 100, Georgetown • www.pocolocosupermercado.com 5 Family Care Center The company provides mental and behavioral health services, including therapy, counseling, medication management and transcranial magnetic stimulation—a noninvasive technique that stimulates the brain to treat anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. • Opening in late September • 3626 Williams Drive, Ste. 100, Georgetown • www.fccwellbeing.com 6 VetCheck Pet Urgent Care The national franchise o ers a range of urgent care services for pet illnesses or injuries, including wound care, surgery, pain management, vaccinations, X-rays, blood tests and ultrasounds. • Opening in May • 5731 Williams Drive, Bldg. B, Ste. 105, Georgetown • www.vetcheckpucc.com 7 Club Pilates The business specializes in a variety of Pilates classes, from high-intensity workouts to beginners courses. • Opening in July • 19388 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Ste. 650, Leander • www.clubpilates.com

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food, including breakfast sandwiches, bagels, cookies and cake pops. The Georgetown franchise is locally owned and operated by Chevonne and Darren Johst, who hope to open more locations in the area. • Opened March 28 • 3117 Williams Drive, Georgetown • www.thehumanbean.com My Chez Space The online-based business builds and sells a ordable, ecient and durable prefabricated units. The business is owned by local couple Darren and Becca Christensen, and has a factory location in Leander. • Opened Jan. 1 • www.mychezspace.com

Now open

1 Pan Tostado Cafe Menu items at the downtown cafe include specialty co ee drinks and pastries. The business is owned by artisanal curator Jasmin Sky, who also operates the design showroom Decor with Amor next door. • Opened March 7

• 1107 S. Main St., Georgetown • Facebook: Pan Tostado Cafe

2 The Human Bean The drive-thru co ee shop serves hot, iced and blended co ee beverages; tea; energy drinks; smoothies; and

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8 Frontier Infusion Center A team of registered nurses, advanced practice providers and medical assistants will treat over 50 conditions by administering medicine through IVs. The center will o er a wide range of infusions, excluding chemotherapy drugs. • Opening in July

the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. • 2301 I-35, Georgetown • www.lowes.com 11 Rock Springs The mental health and substance abuse treatment facility celebrated 10 years in Georgetown on Feb. 25. The 96-bed facility provides short-term inpatient

Now open

• 1502 Blue Ridge Drive, Georgetown • www.frontierinfusioncenter.com

services for individuals in crisis. • 700 SE Inner Loop, Georgetown • www.rockspringshealth.com

Relocations

9 Ollie’s Barbecue The food trailer opened at a permanent site at South Fork Fun, Food and Brew after operating at various area locations since November. The barbecue truck incorporates traditional cooking techniques from both Texas and Mexico, owner Oliver Gelleni said. • Relocated Feb. 1 • 3309 Hwy. 29, Georgetown • www.ogbrisket.com

12 Judge Dan A. Gattis Pavilion Ocials held a ceremony April 11 to rename the Williamson County Expo Center pavilion after Gattis, who served as County Judge for over a decade. • 5350 Bill Pickett Trail, Taylor • www.wilcoexpo.com

Pressure Cakes Bakery Owner LaQuita Wilder uses her grandmother’s recipe to bake pound cakes featuring a modern, creative twist. The home-based bakery serves whole cakes, mini cakes, cake pops and cake jars with new £avors featured every week. The business takes orders through Facebook Messenger with options for pickup and delivery, and participates in various markets in the Georgetown area. • Opened Feb. 14 • www.facebook.com/pressure.cakes.bakery

Closings

In the news

13 Louisiana Crab Shack The restaurant served seafood entrees, including crab, gumbo, oysters, calamari and catsh. • Closed Feb. 11 • 900 N. Austin Ave., Georgetown

10 Lowe’s The home improvement store is slated to construct a location from May-December, according to a ling with

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Government

Maintenance may aect overall water color, smell Georgetown Utility Systems began a routine cleaning of the city’s water system April 17, lasting until May 17. Water customers may see brief periods of green or brown tinted water and notice a chlorine odor, according to a city news release. However, the water remains safe to drink, the release states. What residents need to know Water companies often change the disinfectant they use annually before it gets warmer. This helps clean the pipes and removes any sediment buildups, according to the release. The city’s water system typically uses chlora- mines as a disinfectant. However, the system is periodically cleaned through a process involving only water and chlorine. The process, called Temporary Free Chlorine Conversion, is a regular system maintenance

Water, sewer rate increase now in eect Beginning April 1, the average Georgetown residential customer within city limits saw a water base rate increase of $10.10 and a sewer base rate increase of $4.95, according to city documents. The gist The increases are based on a “smoothed” rate adjustment over the next ve years, Chief Financial Ocer Leigh Wallace said, with another increase expected to take eect Oct. 1. Revenue from the rate increase will cover the city’s two-year contract with EPCOR to reserve the right to purchase groundwater from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer while the city negotiates a contract to secure its water supply through 2050, per a city release.

Special considerations During the maintenance, from April 17-May 17, Georgetown issued advisories for specic groups: Dialysis patients and centers should treat water before use in dialysis machines.

Water will not be safe for use in sh tanks and aquariums .

Pool owners should maintain chlorine levels to prevent algae and bacteria.

SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWNCOMMUNITY IMPACT

practice recommended by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. During the conversion period, water will be held well within state and federal drinking standards, the release states. One more thing City of Georgetown water customers should not see any continuous drops in water pressure. If low pressure lasts longer than an hour, customers are urged to report the issue to the customer care team at customercare@georgetown.org.

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BY HALEY MCLEOD & BROOKE SJOBERG

WilCo seals deal with auto parts supplier Williamson County commissioners approved a Chapter 312 agreement, or tax abatement, March 19 with South Korean automotive parts supplier Hanwha Advanced Materials America LLC. The overview The automotive parts supplier will be building a 200,000-square-foot manufactur- ing facility on 38 acres of land just north of Georgetown on I-35. The county is expecting an estimated $100 million capital invest- ment from Hanwha, which includes taxes from the property and building, as well as the interior assets. The tax abatement agreement covers 70% of the taxable value of tangible personal property on the company’s premises, including equipment, for 10 years.

Contract moves forward construction of WilCo HQ Williamson County Commissioners Court approved a contract March 26 with Chasco Constructors for Phase 1 of the county’s new head- quarters building, with a guaranteed maximum price proposal of $7 million. Contractors began site development in early April. The details A total of $90 million was approved by com- missioners in February 2023, as the county plans to shift operations from the historic William- son County Courthouse to a new location in Georgetown. The project is being funded by tax anticipation notes dating back to 2021. Tax anticipation notes allow government entities to issue debt and repay it with future tax collections. The headquarters will house a number of county

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services and join the site of the Williamson County Emergency Services Operations Center, the Wil- liamson County Children’s Advocacy Center and the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter. Looking ahead The county has not yet disclosed plans for the historic courthouse property, which will remain under county ownership. A groundbreaking is scheduled for May 14. Construction is expected to be complete by fall 2025, Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell said.

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Election Voter Guide

BY CLAIRE SHOOP

2024

Only candidates in contested elections are included. Go to county election websites for information on uncontested races.

*INCUMBENT

Proposition A The issuance of $597,470,000 in bonds for school facilities, the purchase of school security technology, the purchase of the necessary sites for school facilities, and the purchase of school buses and the levy of taxes sucient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. This is a property tax increase. Proposition B The issuance of $20,330,000 in bonds for district-wide school technology and the levy of taxes sucient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. This is a property tax increase. Proposition C The issuance of $27,850,000 in bonds for district performing arts facilities and the levy of taxes sucient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. This is a property tax increase.

Proposition D The issuance of $3,860,000 in bonds for district athletic facilities and the levy of taxes sucient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. This is a property tax increase.

Dates to know

April 22: First day of early voting April 23: Last day to apply for ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) April 30: Last day of early voting

Liberty Hill ISD Board of trustees, Place 4

May 4: Election day and the last day to receive ballot by mail (or May 6 if carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at location of election)

Kathy Major* Sharon Yager

Sample ballot

Georgetown ISD Board of trustees, Place 6

Jen Mauldin* Aaron Smith

Election day First Baptist Georgetown 1333 W. University Ave., Georgetown Heritage Baptist Church 1601 FM 971, Georgetown Santa Rita Ranch-Ranch House 175 Elizabeth Park Blvd., Liberty Hill

Georgetown Annex 100 Wilco Way, Georgetown Georgetown ISD Technology Building 603 Lakeway Drive, Georgetown Hammerlun Center for Leadership and Learning

Polling locations

Williamson County residents can vote at any polling location in the county. All early voting locations listed are also open on election day. This list is not comprehensive. Visit www.wilcotx.gov/elections for a full list of polling locations.

507 E. University Ave., Georgetown The Oaks Community Center-Sun City 301 Del Webb Blvd., Georgetown

Early voting East View High School 4490 E. University Ave., Georgetown

SOURCES: GEORGETOWN ISD, TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE, WILLIAMSON COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENTCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Election

Georgetown ISD board of trustees, Place 6

What will be your top priorities if you are elected?

What do you see as the greatest challenge for the school district, and how will you improve it?

*INCUMBENT

Rigorous academic achievement and extracurricular programs; teacher compensation and retention; career/ technology education programs and community partnerships; proactive student population growth planning; continued success in nancial oversight

The greatest challenge that GISD faces is the development of a rigorous academic achievement program during the time when retaining a strong teaching sta is di¦cult not only in Georgetown but across the state. Compensation packages at the state and local level are must haves for the school stas.

Aaron Smith Occupation: VP, policy and program implementation Relevant experience: Previous school board member at private school (preK-4); parent of two GISD students and husband to current GISD teacher; 20 years of federal, State of Texas, and nonprot experience; military service: US Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (Fleet Marine Force); Volunteer coach for Georgetown youth football and soccer www.smith4gisd.com Jen Mauldin* Occupation: Leadership consultant/coach and Brene Brown Facilitator Relevant experience: GISD school board trustee, 2021-24; experienced school principal, 25 Years; director of special education; regular/special education teacher; Purl Elementary reading volunteer, 2021-24; Dare to Lead facilitator; parent of a former GISD student Candidate website not available

My focus will be students’ academic success, which is made possible by our teachers and support sta. We must advocate for more competitive compensation packages, and build trust, ownership, and transparency by letting teachers have a seat at “the table” to identify meaningful incentives that help retain them.

GISD’s greatest challenge is student enrollment and attendance. Over 1,500 students left GISD for charter/home schooling last year, which resulted in GISD losing [about] $8.7 million in state support. Given GISD’s $9.9 million budget decit last year, we must incentivize student attendance and improve marketing around unique opportunities for GISD students.

The place for Celebrat in

Festival season is here! Many events are happening in Georgetown this month, including the April Art Stroll on April 18, Two Step Inn on April 20-21 in San Gabriel Park, and the City’s 25th annual Red Poppy Festival on April 26-28, just to name a few. Keep up to date with event information at Georgetown.org .

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BY BROOKE SJOBERG & CHLOE YOUNG

Liberty Hill ISD board of trustees, Place 4

If elected, what are your goals for Liberty Hill ISD? My goals are ensuring LHISD’s vision, mission, beliefs, and goals are living in our classrooms, and that our sta have what they need to just do it right and achieve success.

What are the biggest challenges facing LHISD, and how would you address them? The biggest challenges today are securing high-quality teachers and suitable funding for high-quality schools. We must collaborate to develop working environments, training, and benets that attract and support all sta. We need to stay nancially responsible while working with legislators to appropriately fund public schools. LHISD challenges are growing pains. We need to invest in student[s] and give them the best facilities to achieve excellence. Construction of new facilities should stay within budget but still have quality work. We need committees with parents, sta, students and community for suggestions/ input on needs.

*INCUMBENT

Kathy Major* Occupation: Retired educator Relevant experience: 43 years as a teacher, principal, and school board trustee Facebook: A Major In«uence on Education 1

Goals will be to make sure that we continue to support students on their road to adulthood. Make sure schools are a safe environment for all to achieve their goals. Continue to attract highly qualied teachers for student[s] to achieve excellence.

Sharon Yager Occupation: Retired school employee (senior administrative assistant)

Relevant experience: 32 years in education, 15 years as a union president, negotiations, budget, insurance, etc. www.facebook.com/sharon.yager

Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Overcrowding concerns From the cover

What they’re saying

Current situation

Trustees ordered the bond based on a recom- mendation from the district’s citizen advisory committee, or CAC, which unanimously agreed a bond would be in the district’s best interests. Some community members have also expressed support for the bond, citing an interest in the net benet to the community as a whole. Sun City residents Jim and Dianna Watters said they are planning to vote in favor of all four propositions and feel called to give back to their community by supporting public schools. “We may not have our own kids in the school system here, but you don’t lose your feeling for children when you retire,” Jim Watters said. Betty Schleder, another Sun City resident, said she would support the bond because she believes investing in schools will ultimately improve the greater Georgetown community and entice more people to move to the area. GISD parent Ami Glover said while she generally supports the bond, she wishes the district was more transparent about the specic projects and costs associated with each proposition. “I don’t expect them to follow the hard lines,” Glover said. “I don’t think anyone does. But it would be nice to know.”

Padavil said this growth is fueling more frequent bond elections. This is the fourth bond election the district has called in the last 10 years, whereas it only held two in the 15 years prior. If the district were not experiencing such rapid growth in a short period of time, he said ocials would likely be able to congure existing buildings and projects from the previous bond to meet existing needs. “Georgetown is the fastest-growing community in the country,” Padavil said. “The consequences of not keeping up are signicant.” The bond package district ocials are proposing would raise the existing tax rate by one penny per $100 valuation, election lings show.

This is the district’s largest bond package to ever go before voters. Appearing on the May 4 ballot, the $649.5 million proposal is spread out over four propositions, with the biggest chunk of the proposed funding going toward building a new elementary, middle and high school. This comes as the district is projected to grow by about 500 students in the 2024-25 school year, Superintendent Devin Padavil said during his state of the district address in February. “If we do not have additional facilities, we will have at least six of our schools over capacity,” he said. “The only solution to that is to put a farm of portable buildings outside of our schools, or have additional buildings for our kids to have the appropriate size.”

Growth in Georgetown The district’s population is projected to grow by more than 6,000 students in the next decade.

Projected student enrollment

Years enrollment exceeds campus capacity

20k

15k 10k 0

2023-24*

2025-26

2027-28

2029-30

2031-32

2033-34

School year

*ACTUAL ENROLLMENT

From our point of view as elders, the kids of the community are dearly important. Absolutely. So it’s of importance to us here. JIM WATTERS, SUN CITY RESIDENT

Campuses exceeding capacity 2023-24 • Wagner Middle • Wolf Ranch Elementary • East View High

2024-25 • Mitchell Elementary

2025-26 • Williams Elementary

2026-27 • Tippit Middle

SOURCES: GEORGETOWN ISD, ZONDA EDUCATIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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BY BROOKE SJOBERG

The breakdown

Looking ahead

Proposition B will also allow for the replacement of student and teacher devices. Landon Hein, GISD’s chief of technology and innovation, said over 50% of devices are in need of replacement due to both age and condition. Propositions C and D would fund an expansion of the performing arts center as well as weight and locker rooms at East View High School. Padavil said student participation in these extracurriculars has increased by 38% in recent years.

If approved, the four-proposition bond will allow for the construction of new campuses, needed renovations and other capital improvements. Padavil said in addition to the new schools, Proposition A will allow for some renovation at all GISD campuses, including installing safety measures, such as secure entrances, as well as purchasing new buses to replace old ones. He said these new buses will have seat belts to secure riders in the case of an accident.

Should the bond pass, GISD will levy an additional one cent per $100 valuation on properties within its boundaries. Should the bond fail, Padavil said the district would likely need to adjust boundaries again for a second year in a row to buy enough time for the district to put forth another bond proposal. The district cannot self-fund the projects otherwise, he said. Webb said he believes the bond is the best way to address student and district needs. “It’s no secret that we’re growing in leaps and bounds,” Webb said. “These kids are going to have to exist somewhere. Could we put them in portables? Yes. But does that contribute to a quality learning experience? I don’t feel it does.”

A closer look Georgetown ISD’s proposed bond package focuses most heavily on addressing enrollment growth. Proposition A, $597.47 million: school facilities, capital improvements, safety and security • Design and construction of High School No. 3: $356 million • Design and construction of Middle School No. 5: $106.05 million • Design and construction of Elementary School No. 12: $66.57 million • Renovation of the old Benold Middle School as the new Frost Elementary School: $38.4 million • Renovations to campuses, upgrades and purchases of new equipment: $28.18 million • Purchase 15 new school buses: $2.27 million

Tax impact

$1.0467 per $100 of valuation

Current tax rate

Proposition B, $20.33 million: technology and technology infrastructure • Replacement of and new staff and student devices: $18.49 million • Technology infrastructure improvements, such as phone systems, data center, £irewall and electronics: $1.48 million • Replacement of printers: $363,000 Proposition C, $27.85 million: ne arts facilities • Construction of a performing arts center at East View High School: $26 million • Maintenance of Klett Performing Arts Center: $1.5 million • Replacement of £ine arts concert attire and uniforms: $350,000

Tax rate if bond passes Average homesteaded home value

$1.0567 per $100 of valuation

$332,425

Total: $649.51 million

Annual tax increase $33.24

Monthly tax increase

Proposition D, $3.86 million: athletics • Renovate and expand EVHS Field House, repair track at Georgetown High School: $3.86 million

$2.77

NOTE: PROPOSITIONS MAY NOT EQUAL TOTAL DUE TO ROUNDING.

SOURCE: GEORGETOWN ISD¥COMMUNITY IMPACT

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

C O M M U N I T Y

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CELEBRATION

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Education

BY BROOKE SJOBERG

Georgetown ISD examines salaries amid budgeting A new compensation study from the Texas Association of School Boards shows teacher pay in Georgetown ISD falls slightly short of the market rate for more experienced teachers. The overview As administrators craft a budget for scal year 2024-25, they said they are looking for ways to improve pay for all employees. At the same time, ocials are working to reduce the projected $1.8 million shortfall for the upcoming

GISD considers hiring uncertied teachers A proposed amendment to Georgetown ISD’s District of Innovation plan would allow for the hiring of teachers without certica- tion as the district works to ll vacancies. The gist This change would allow the district to hire candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree but no teaching certication, with the intention of becoming certied while employed with the district. The exemption would not be allowed for prekindergarten, bilingual or special education positions, ocials said. If approved, the district would create a grow-your-own program through a partner- ship with Indiana Wesleyan University to help sta obtain degrees and certications while employed with the district.

Georgetown ISD compensation Salaries in Georgetown ISD fall behind the market median for teachers with more experience.

Georgetown ISD salary

Median market salary

$53,000 $53,050 $54,898 $54,500

$57,182 $56,000

$59,600 $58,278

$61,943 $60,803

scal year. The details

SOURCE: TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BOARDSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

as special education and bilingual roles. What’s next?

The study came with a set of recommendations for adjustments to the district’s pay structure, including improving starting salaries or adopting a general pay increase, as well as converting incentive payments to stipends for hard-to-ll positions, such

The board of trustees will consider the recom- mendations from TASB at the next board meeting on April 15, after press time. Sta will bring a nal budget proposal to the board’s June meeting.

Harmony Public Schools breaks ground on campus The charter school system Harmony Public Schools broke ground on its rst Georgetown campus March 22. What you need to know The future STEM-focused Harmony Science Academy Georgetown, will be located on 22 acres at 201 Blue Ridge Drive, Georgetown. It joins 62 other HPS campuses across the state. When the Georgetown campus opens in August 2025, it will serve kindergarten through sixth grade, expanding each year to serve a new grade level with a nal goal of serving up to 12th grade. A second building will be constructed to serve these additional students. At full build-out, HPS' Georgetown campuses will comprise an elemen- tary, middle and high school.

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GEORGETOWN EDITION

Real estate

The number of homes sold increased by more than 50% year over year in February in two of Georgetown’s three area ZIP codes. Residential market data

February 2023

February 2024

Homes sold

Average days on the market

-6.38%

+63.24%

+56.6%

+6.33%

+44.16%

+34.38%

78626

78628

78633

78626

78628

78633

Median home sales price

78633

78626

February

2023

2024

$400,000

$395,950

78626

130 TOLL

78628

$508,500

$510,000

78628

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS AND UNLOCK MLS 5124547636 • WWW.ABOR.COM

$471,500

$419,016

78633

Homes sold by price point in February 2024

78626

78628

78633

$900,000+

$700,000-899,999

$500,000-699,999

$300,000-499,999

<$299,999

Georgetown market

February

2023

2024

February

2023

2024

February

2023

2024

Homes under contract

Price per square foot

284 169

297

321

$222 $219

New listings

Months of inventory

3.4

225

239

995

761

Closed sales

Active listings

Transportation

By the end of 2024, Texas drivers could look over to see a semitruck traveling down the highway with no one in the driver’s seat. Leading the charge in the Austin area is autonomous truck company Kodiak Robotics, which is already hauling IKEA furniture and Tyson Foods chicken daily on Texas roads. Currently, Kodiak trucks have a “safety driver” monitoring the truck as it carries freight for hundreds of miles. By the end of the year, Kodiak will send trucks out unmanned. Autonomous vehicles could adapt to be safer than a human driver, resolve supply chain issues and make life for truck drivers easier, Dan Go, head of policy at Kodiak, said. Austin Curtis, CEO of San Marcos-based freight brokerage Guadalupe Logistics, said driverless semis could tackle routes that go into unsafe areas or are nancially unviable. Driverless semis take on Texas

The breakdown

Go said autonomous trucks dier from cars as they have more predictable driving patterns and fewer obstacles, such as pedestrians, cyclists and stop lights, compared to taxis. Cruise and Waymo also have larger eets than autonomous truck companies do. “The Kodiak system doesn’t get tired, it doesn’t get distracted, it doesn’t check its phone, it doesn’t have a bad day and take it out on the road,” he said.

Autonomous vehicle companies are required to self-report any crash incidents to the National Highway Trac Safety Administration. Waymo and Cruise take the lead in collisions among 39 companies with 240 and 151 crashes respectively, according to data collected from July 2021 to Feb. 15 by the NHTSA. Third in line is General Motors, which owns Cruise, with 144 crashes, according to the NHTSA.

Autonomous vehicle crashes

Waymo

240

Cruise

151

Car

Semitruck

General Motors

Data shows autonomous passenger vehicles have more crashes than autonomous trucks. However, passenger vehicles have larger testing eets and navigate more obstacles comparatively.

144

Kodiak 3 5 Aurora

100

150

200

250

NOTE: SELF REPORTED DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM JULY 2021FEB. 15.

SOURCE: NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Explained

Autonomous trucking companies such as Torc Robotics, Aurora and Gatik use sensors, cameras and mapping software as safety features, though each company has a dierent approach. Below are examples of how Kodiak addresses concerns: How do Kodiak trucks navigate obstacles? Unlike other self-driving vehicles that use heav- ily-detailed maps to navigate, Kodiak trucks use

a simpler map that can be updated regularly. The trucks also have 18 sensors that monitor all parts of the vehicle and its surroundings 10 times each sec- ond. This technology allows the semis to respond to changing road conditions, such as an accident. How do Kodiak trucks deal with adverse weather? The trucks routinely operate in inclement weather, as its sensors are able to see through rain

and fog better than the human eye can, according to the company. During a storm, the semis slow down to match the environment on the road and can pull over to wait it out. How do Kodiak trucks respond to tire blowouts? In the event of a tire blowout, Kodiak’s system triggers its "fallback plan" by turning on its hazards and pulling to a safe stop on the side of the road.

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What's next?

The why

Autonomous vehicle companies Aurora and Gatik are also poised to join the race to go driverless by the end of the year, focusing on routes in Dallas and Houston. Aurora representatives said they have longer-term plans to expand to Central Texas. To accommodate the inux of driverless semis in the Austin-area, the Texas Department of Transportation has a plan to establish a "smart corridor" on SH 130 from Georgetown through Del Valle. The stretch will be equipped with sensors and cameras to help the vehicles navigate road conditions and hazards, according to road technology company Cavnue. “SH 130 is one of many advanced toll roads in Texas with several technologies already like ber, cellular, cameras and tolling facilities,” said Darran Anderson, TxDOT’s director of strategy and innovation. Details on when the smart corridor will o¢cially launch have not been announced.

Georgetown

Texas roads have been ideal for autonomous trucking companies to launch new technology, Go said, as the state has some of the most lucra- tive freight routes in the nation and legislators have welcomed the new innovation. The supportive culture sprouted from Senate Bill 2205, a law passed by the Texas Legislature in 2017 that prohibits cities from regulating autono- mous vehicles due to their economic potential. While self-driving semis have not received much push back in the more than two years they’ve been on the road, the bill allowed autono- mous passenger vehicles to pilot new technology which has garnered more attention from locals. Autonomous vehicle company Cruise launched over 100 self-driving taxis in Austin for just over a year before pausing operations last October due to safety concerns and public complaints. However, Waymo’s self-driving Jaguars are rolling through Austin’s streets as of March 6.

183

Hutto

Round Rock

45 TOLL

Smart Corridor Technology along SH 130 will assist navigation of autonomous trucks.

130 TOLL

290

Manor

MOPAC

183

Austin

Del Valle

Buda

45 TOLL

SOURCES: CAVNUE, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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Transportation

BY APRIL KELLEY, HALEY MCLEOD & CHLOE YOUNG

City Council picks Austin Avenue bridge design Georgetown City Council approved a contractor to complete the design of the Austin Avenue pedestrian bridge at an April 9 meeting. The overview Six of the seven council members voted to award Freese and Nichols $2.8 million to move forward with Concept 2. Council members selected the design at a March 26 workshop meeting from three concepts presented in August. The pedestrian bridge will cost $18.3 million, with $12.6 million for construction; $5.1 million for the design, construction oversight and miscellaneous inspection services; and $500,000 to build connec- tions to trails, said Wesley Wright, the city’s systems engineering director. What they're saying Council member Mike Triggs and two community

City puts more money toward DB Wood Road Georgetown City Council approved a change order in the amount of $590,806.19 for additional improvements for the DB Wood Road project at a Feb. 27 meeting. In a nutshell The change order amended the city’s con- tract with Jordan Foster, LLC, with the addi- tional funds going toward furnishing and installing an electrical conduit to provide electricity to the proposed Georgetown ISD high school and the city’s lift stations that will be located near Cedar Breaks Road and DB Wood, according to city documents. What else? The stretch of the road currently under construction—Hwy. 29 to Oak Ridge Road— is expected to be complete in mid-2025.

Georgetown City Council advanced the above concept for the Austin Avenue pedestrian bridge.

RENDERING COURTESY CITY OF GEORGETOWN

members said they favored Concept 1, and raised concerns about the cost of Concept 2. Concept 1 would have cost $14.5 million, Wright said. Many board members stood by their decision to advance Concept 2. While some residents felt Concept 1 was sucient, the chosen design made more of a statement in downtown Georgetown, council member Amanda Parr said. “We’re not building a bridge for this budget cycle. We’re building a bridge for the next 75 years,” council member Jake French said.

WilCo celebrates completion of CR 245 expansion Williamson County ocials held a ribbon- cutting ceremony March 18 for the completed expansion of CR 245, providing an improved con- nection to Ronald Reagan Boulevard near Sun City and Georgetown—an area that continues to see rapid growth, according to county ocials. Two-minute impact The $6.9 million project involved expanding the former two-lane roadway into three lanes, which includes a center turn lane and additional right- turn lanes at various locations. The improvements are part of bigger plans to convert this small road into a six-lane thoroughfare. The project, which broke ground in January 2023, is a result of 2019 voter-approved bond funding. However, this project was not initially included in plans for the funding.

1 SUN CITY

KEY:

245

2338

Georgetown

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