City council members approved a motion authorizing city staff to move forward with federal grant applications after Randy Skinner, assistant director of transportation for the city of Cedar Park, presented a plan—including Whitestone Boulevard and Bell Boulevard—to the city council at its Jan. 8 meeting.
The projects
One project would see Whitestone Boulevard widened from four lanes to six between Bagdad Road and the Williamson/Travis County line. The cost of that project is estimated at $27 million.
A corridor study for Bell Boulevard is the second project being recommended for funding. Documents provided by city staff at the council meeting say the study would evaluate roadway safety assessing things like the number of driveways, medians and street lighting. It also considers adding sidewalks or shared-use paths, along with features like benches, trash cans, landscaping and other upgrades to make the area more attractive and user-friendly. That study is expected to cost $1 million.
The grants in question are Surface Transportation Block Grants, which are administered by the Federal Highway Administration. Projects will be selected by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
If the grants are awarded, the local government will be required to match 20% of the grant amount. The city of Cedar Park and Williamson County have an agreement that would allow them to share the 20% matching funds for the Whitestone Boulevard project. If approved, the earliest the grant funds could become available is 2028.
