The funding will help the county prevent crashes and fatalities, Precinct 4 commissioner Russ Boles said at a Dec. 30 meeting.
“This is going to allow us to spend these funds; partner with some of our cities inside the county; and make incremental improvements to intersections and safety signs and a whole variety of things that we’re looking forward to getting to address,” Boles said.
The local impact
Using the SS4A grant, the county plans to install:
- 3,648 reflective signal backplates to improve traffic signal visibility at 238 intersections
- 75 pedestrian-activated warning lights at crosswalks
- 32 speed feedback signs
This grant will fund the relocation of the southbound entrance ramp between I-35 and the frontage road at the Southwest Bypass in Georgetown.
The SS4A grant will cover 80% of project costs, and the county will contribute $4.9 million from its Road and Bridge funds, the 2023 voter-approved WilCo Road Bond and funding from Cedar Park, Georgetown, Round Rock and Taylor for projects in their cities.
Why it matters
There were 248 fatalities and 1,254 serious injuries on roads in Williamson County from 2019 to 2023, according to a county news release.
Once implemented, the projects are estimated to prevent over 3,000 crashes and over 89 fatalities, Boles said.
About the program
The SS4A competitive grant program was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, dedicating $5 billion from 2022-26.
Almost $1 billion was granted to U.S. states and municipalities for transportation projects in the most recent award this month.
SS4A provides two types of grants: planning and demonstration grants to develop an action plan, and implementation grants to fund projects that align with an existing action plan. Williamson County was the only entity in Texas to receive an implementation grant, according to a county news release.
