Travis County Commissioners paved the way Jan. 8 for initial improvements to begin on Hamilton Pool Road. Officials awarded a $2,241,998.50 contract to Capital Excavation Company for the initial phase of the project, which is one of 60 bond and critical safety projects approved in the November 2017 package. Crews will reconstruct the bridge over Hamilton Creek, add shoulders and bicycle safety lanes and add two turn lanes at the entrance to Hamilton Pool Preserve. The improvements will enhance a 6.5-mile stretch of Hamilton Pool Road between RM 12 and the east bank of the Pedernales River. In a Nov. 19, 2018 memo, public works director Morgan Cotten describes “significant safety concerns” along the narrow, two-lane, rural road. Area residents use the road to commute and visitors access Hamilton Pool Preserve, West Cave Preserve and Reimer’s Ranch Park from the road, he said. Construction is expected to last 8 months, according to county documents. Hamilton Pool Road will remain open to traffic while construction is ongoing. Only one lane at a time will be open to traffic while the other lane is under construction. Access will be controlled with temporary traffic signals, according to county documents.