Members of the Four Points Chamber of Commerce, 6816 N. RR 620, Austin, officially renamed the business advocacy organization as the West Austin Chamber of Commerce on July 1.

“The name change came about because we were interacting with the city [of Austin] and other entities,” Chairman Raymond Freer said. “They asked us, ‘Where is Four Points?’”

He said the name change was in conjunction with a rebranding program that focuses the group’s attention on two of the largest issues affecting area residents—traffic in the RR 620/RR 2222 corridor and staffing businesses in the region.

Representing the West Austin Chamber of Commerce, Brian Thompto, the chamber’s director of community relations and mobility, addressed Austin City Council on June 23 about funding Four Points roadway projects including a proposed RR 620/RR 2222 bypass during the council’s $720 million transportation bond discussion.

Freer said chamber members are planning to meet with Capital Metro staffers to discuss organizing a vanpool or other type of public transportation to help local businesses hire and retain employees who find it difficult to access the area. The RR 620 corridor has a limited public bus service that makes only two stops daily off RR 2222 by RR 620.

“[With our new focus], it became apparent we would have an Austin presence,” Freer said. “I think when we come in and talk about Four Points, people may not think we are a part of Austin. So we have to educate them about where we are, and when we say we are West Austin, they know we are part of Austin at that point.”

The chamber encompasses the region along RR 620 from Anderson Mill Road to the Mansfield Dam bridge and includes the RR 2222/River Place area, Steiner Ranch, Grandview Hills, Canyon Creek and Concordia University, he said.

The Four Points Chamber of Commerce was created in March 2010 with about 80-90 members, Freer said. The organization now has more than 130 members, he said.