Representatives from the Texas Department of Transportation, Hays County and the cities of Kyle and San Marcos gathered at the intersection of Yarrington Road and I-35 today to mark the completion of a years-long improvement project in the area.

“It took everyone here to make this happen,” TxDOT District Engineer Terry McCoy said.

The improvement project, which has cost $12.45 million to date, according to a presentation made to Hays County on Oct. 18, began in June 2014. Laura Harris, project manager with HNTB, the firm managing the project, said the final cost will likely be closer to $12.7 million when construction is complete.

“What’s particularly notable about this intersection is I feel like for Hays County it’s a nexus—not just for traffic, but for public representation and, most importantly, our partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation,” said Ray Whisenant, Hays County Precinct 4 commissioner.

The county has partnered with TxDOT to build and improve roads throughout the county, including the Hwy. 290 West expansion, the FM 2001 frontage road connector in Buda, the Kyle Crossing bridge over I-35, the FM 150 realignment east of I-35 in Kyle, I-35 southbound frontage road from FM 1626 to FM 150 in Kyle and the portion of FM 110 from McCarty Lane to SH 123 in San Marcos.

The new Yarrington bridge features six lanes of travel, sidewalks and U-turn lanes in both directions. The I-35 frontage roads near the bridge switched from two-way traffic to one-way as part of the project as well.

Another partnership program with TxDOT has also been created, and projects currently under construction include the widening of FM 150 from Lehman Road to Hwy. 21 to allow for construction of a center-turn lane in Kyle, and I-35 ramp improvements between FM 150 and the Blanco River in Kyle and San Marcos.