“They didn’t even call it a Transportation Master Plan back then, ... [it was] just a napkin with lines on it,” CIP Program Manager Gerald Pohlmeyer said.
Locals, such as business owner Matt Cohen, have high hopes for Kenney Fort. Cohen, who owns and operates a Tropical Smoothie Cafe with his wife, Tracy, said its location near the road is one reason they chose it.
However, he also said that with the most recently completed section having opened in June, it’s “too early to tell” what kind of traffic it will bring his way.
The big picture
Kenney Fort Boulevard gets its name from the Republic of Texas-era fort built in the 1830s—the first permanent settlement to offer settlers a place of refuge in what is now Williamson County. Earlier this year, Round Rock Preservation installed a historical marker for the old fort.
In the years to come, Round Rock officials envision the structure’s namesake to eventually be a high-capacity roadway that gives residents an alternative to nearby high-traffic roads.
The six-lane divided roadway is made up of seven segmented projects, in various stages of completion, running north to south on Round Rock’s east side.
With the first segment of Kenney Fort completed over a decade ago, city officials said that the project has “come a lot slower over the years.” But once actualized, the road will offer residents and commuters an alternative to I-35.
A closer look
Although the Kenney Fort road extension was envisioned over 40 years ago, the plan has stuck pretty close to the original design, Pohlmeyer said. When the Texas Department of Transportation planned to establish SH 130 along a portion of where Kenney Fort is now, Round Rock voted to shift the highway to the east.
Two arterial roads—Kenney Fort Boulevard and A.W. Grimes Boulevard—were constructed to make up for the shift.
Kenney Fort almost parallels A.W. Grimes, I-35 and SH 130. This redundancy in Round Rock’s roadway network is a good thing, officials said.
“We expect some traffic to shift onto that arterial and lessen congestion on other routes,” said Brian Kuhn, Round Rock planning engineering assistant director. “It gives people alternatives.”
Other routes face more traffic while helping to support the north-south corridor. Red Bud Lane has seen an average of 16,000-18,000 cars daily since 2016. The Kenney Fort extension aims to lessen the burden on the supporting four-lane roads.
The segments of the road project in Round Rock are funded through multiple sources, including federal and state transportation funds, sales tax, and development fees. Williamson County also contributed funds to expand Kenney Fort Boulevard.
“We need to help our cities build their infrastructure system,” Williamson County Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles said.
As for the cross-county connection, Pflugerville has approved plans to connect Kenney Fort to Meister Lane. Construction is anticipated to begin later this month, Pflugerville Operations Director Evan Groeschel said.
The Pflugerville section will be “developer-driven,” as construction will occur in tandem with nearby industrial and office space.
“It took a lot of coordination and communication effort to make sure that it could be done,” Groeschel said.
Georgetown also plans to extend Rockride Lane south for a connection with Kenney Fort, according to Transportation Planning Manager Lua Saluone.
Like in Pflugerville, a portion of the road crosses into a planned development, and Saluone said Georgetown officials are working on obtaining a right of way.
Funding for the project has come from a variety of sources, including from the city of Round Rock, Williamson County and the Texas Department of Transportation. To date, an estimated $179 million has gone to the road construction.
What they’re saying
Ann Brennan and Martin Lee moved to Round Rock in 2017. They said they have been happy with the updated portions of Kenney Fort, especially as an alternative to Old Settlers Boulevard.
“This is a really big deal,” Lee said. “Anything to do with the Kenney Fort extension is going to change the commutes of people.”
Others are concerned about the road project affecting nearby neighborhoods. Peiying Wu, a Round Rock resident who lives a block away from Kenney Fort, said she’s concerned the road will increase reckless driving and noise once completed.
The ongoing construction impacts more than commuters and individuals. Kenney Fort Pub, at the intersection of Hwy. 79 and North Kenney Fort Boulevard, is a U.K.-inspired restaurant. Local owner Tim Jones hopes that the road extension will be good for business.
“Until it’s fully open, we’ll never know,” he said.
Going forward
Work continues on segments 2 and 3, originally estimated to be done in March 2023. Senior Project Manager Greg Ciaccio said the contractor, JD Abrams, ran into material and labor issues during the pandemic. The projected completion date has since been changed to this November.
“Staff and city leadership have continuously been working to push this project to completion within the confines of state law regarding the contract for the project,” Ciaccio said.
Segments 5 and 6 are in the planning stage, with the designs being developed.
No construction for road connections in either bordering cities has started, but is expected soon in Pflugerville. Boles said the county is in constant talks with Pflugerville and Georgetown engineers to plan roadways and “get people around safely.”
Quote of note
“Huge growth in Round Rock over the past few years—huge growth coming in the future, and this is on the east side of Round Rock ... Connecting these cities so people can flow is going to be beneficial,” said Michael Thane, Round Rock Director of Utilities.
