ONGOING PROJECTS
1. Southwest Bypass
Construction continues on the $19.8 million south segment of the Southwest Bypass that will extend the roadway 1.25 miles from Leander Road to the southbound I-35 frontage road. An $18.3 million north segment connecting Leander Road and West University Avenue opened in July. (Estimated timeline: 2016-20)
2. FM 1460 widening and realignment
Crews are finishing a two-year FM 1460 widening and realignment project between Georgetown and Round Rock. When complete, the $34.7 million project will include upgrades on FM 1460 between Quail Valley Drive in Georgetown and just north of University Boulevard in Round Rock. (Estimated timeline: 2016-late 2018)
RECENT UPDATES
3. Austin Avenue bridges
Georgetown City Council voted Aug. 28 to accept a preferred option for the Austin Avenue bridges project that will include repairs to the existing bridge spans and a new pedestrian bridge just to the east. The decision allows the Texas Department of Transportation to determine environmental assessment needs. Repair work would allow the bridges to stay open during the day but would require closures at night.
Timeline: public hearings in 2019
Cost: $7 million-$10 million
Funding source: TBD
4. Inner Loop improvements
Chasco Constructors completed a series of improvements in August to Inner Loop between Maple Street and Belmont Drive. The project in southeast Georgetown is widened portions of Inner Loop and added turn lanes at several locations along the roadway, including at entrances to the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter and the county Central Maintenance Facility.
Timeline: October 2017-August 2018
Cost: $5.5 million
Funding source: Williamson County
5. Rivery Boulevard improvements
Crews with Aaron Concrete Contractors are adding new right-turn lanes and other upgrades along Rivery Boulevard at or near intersections with Wolf Ranch Parkway, Hintz Road and Williams Drive. Work will cause periodic lane closures along the roadway.
Timeline: summer 2018-2019
Cost: $1.4 million
Funding source: Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corp.
6. Rivery Boulevard extension
The city hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Aug. 4 for a project to extend Rivery Boulevard from its north terminus at Williams Drive to a new intersection with Northwest Boulevard. The new roadway segment will include four lanes with a divided median as well as a traffic circle at the intersection of Park Lane. Joe Bland Construction is the contractor for the project, and engineering is handled by KPA.
Timeline: August 2018-summer 2019
Cost: $5.1 million
Funding source: Georgetown 2015 transportation bond package
7. Airport Road widening
Culvert construction and other preliminary work continued in August on Airport Road between Lakeway Drive and Aviation Drive near the Georgetown Municipal Airport. Patin Construction is handling the project to widen Airport from two lanes to five, including adding a center turning lane and moving the intersection of Airport and Lakeway.
Timeline: June 2018-summer 2019
Cost: $2.4 million
Funding source: city of Georgetown
8. Southwestern-GoGeo agreement
City Council approved a transit service agreement with Southwestern University on Aug. 16 that will let faculty, staff and students use their university ID cards, known as Pirate Cards after the school’s mascot, to ride GoGeo buses during the 2018-19 academic year. GoGeo’s Orange Route includes bus stops on or near Southwestern’s campus and connects to the Georgetown Public Library, which serves as a central hub for the city’s fixed-route bus system. Southwestern will use $2,500 the university has budgeted for a van-pool program to pay for the use of university IDs on GoGeo buses.
This post is adapted from a section that appears in the September 2018 print issue of Community Impact Newspaper's Georgetown edition. All information is current as of Sept. 4, 2018.
