Representatives from Williamson County and the cities of Cedar Park, Georgetownand Jarrell held a ribbon cutting March 5 for the final, northernportion of Ronald Reagan Boulevard.

With the final segment complete, all sections of the north-south arterial connecting Jarrell to Cedar Park are open. The roadway provides an alternative for travelers wanting to avoid I-35 traffic.

This has been a long time in the making, Williamson County Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said. The completion of Ronald Reagan is a major accomplishment for Williamson Countys road bond program.

The final phase of the Ronald Reagan Boulevard project cost $14.3 million which wasgenerated by a 2006 road bond, county officials said. It took 22 months to complete.

This is an exciting time to be here, said Williamson County Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long. This is going to last far beyond our lifetimes.

Ronald Reagan Boulevard was built in six phases over 10 years at a total cost of $68.2 million, according to a news release. The first phase from FM 1431 to FM 2243opened in December 2004. The final phase connects Ronald Reagan Boulevard to CR 237 in Jarrell.