CAMPO Funds awarded to Hays County roads
DAILY COMMUTE
Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Jones shared good news about CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) funding of road projects during a recent Commissioners Court meeting. Many of the funding requests presented to CAMPO by Hays County during the metropolitan planning organization’s most recent call for projects received full or partial funding for 2019-2020.
“Most of our projects are shovel-ready,” Jones said, “which helps put them at the top of the list for funding if CAMPO deems them beneficial. Thank you to our staff and consultants who worked hard to put this list together and to maintain shovel-ready projects that can begin as soon as money becomes available.”
Precinct 4 Commissioner Ray Whisenant noted appreciation for assistance provided by former commissioner and current CAMPO Executive Committee Chairman Will Conley, and Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe thanked the County’s Transportation Department staff for initializing road designs on many of the projects, which helped get them to the shovel-ready stage.
Conley said, “CAMPO worked hard to address the needs throughout all of Central Texas. I was personally pleased to see Hays County jurisdictions do so well and look forward to building on this success in the future.”
Jones noted that some $30 million of the CAMPO funds will help pay for projects included in the 2016 voter-approved road bond, which could result in a lower bond amount being issued, or additional needed projects added.
In Precinct 4 (Dripping Springs’ Precinct), improvements to Lime Kiln Road between Post and Hilliard Roads will include raising two low-water crossings to reduce the number and duration of road closures during heavy rain. CAMPO is funding $4.178 million of the $5.786 cost. The intersection of U.S. 290 and Trautwein Road will be improved, with CAMPO funding $1.049 million of the $1.508 cost.
In Precinct 3, $6.6 million will go towards improving RM 3237 between RM 12 and RM 150, including right-and-left turn lanes or widened shoulders at some locations such as Rolling Oaks, St. Stephens School, River Mountain Road, the intersections at RM 12 and Winters Mill Parkway, as well as a new intersection at RM 3237 and RM 150 as outlined in the FM 150 Character Plan. Additional upgrades are pending preliminary engineering completion.
In Precinct 2, FM 2001 will be upgraded to a four-lane divided road with new traffic signals and pedestrian crossings from Sunbright Boulevard to FM 2001. CAMPO will fund $5.808 million of the $8.818 million cost. RM 967 will have a center turn lane added from FM 1626 to Oak Forest Drive. CAMPO will fund $4.252 million of the $5.824 million cost.
In Precinct 1, FM 621 will be widened, and a turn lane added from De Zavala Drive to CR 266 (Old Bastrop Highway). CAMPO funds will pay $4.080 million of the $5.144 million cost as well as $5.217 million of a $7.279 million gradeseparated overpass on FM 110 at SH 123 and $30 million of a $118.38 million construction of a two-lane road from east of SH 123 to east of I-35 at Yarrington Road.
While the City of Dripping Springs did not directly receive CAMPO funds, some cities in Hays County did receive CAMPO funding for several projects.
In Buda, RM 967 at Main Street will have intersections improved from Austin to China/Ash Streets, with CAMPO picking up $1.384 million of the $1.73 cost. On FM 2001, the east side of FM 2001 from Overpass Road to Old Goforth road will get a 10-foot-wide multi-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists with CAMPO funding $400,000 of the $500,000 cost. At the FM 1626 and RM 967$350 intersection CAMPO will fund $160,000 of the $200,000 cost for a land use and transportation analysis. A connectivity study will analyze travel patterns and demands to determine optimal connectivity along RM 967, with CAMPO funding $280,000 of the $350,000 project cost.
Emergency responders, drivers and pedestrians will get relief in the City of Kyle when the Union Pacific rail sidings, where trains often block Center Street for up to 40 minutes, are moved north of the downtown crossing. The new siding area will be located between Burleson Drive and Kohler’s Crossing by 2020. CAMPO will fund the entire $15.209 million cost.
In San Marcos, CAMPO will fund $450,000 of the $700,000 needed for intersection improvements at Wonder World Drive and Hunter Road, as well as $800,000 of the $1 million needed for a San Marcos-Southwestern Hays County transportation analysis.
Two projects in southwestern Travis County will also benefit Hays County commuters. CAMPO will fund $11.2 million of the $16.812 million expansion of FM 1626 to a fivelane road with a continuous turn lane from Brodie Lane to Manchaca Road, and fund $4.320 of the $49.24 million plans and estimates for major improvements to FM 1826 from U.S. 290 to the Travis County line. Improvements include a four-lane, divided arterial with bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
For more information about CAMPO, visit https://www.campotexas.org.