Motorists traveling Hamilton Pool Road between Hwy. 12 and Hwy. 71 should drive with caution as crews from Texas Gas Service are working in the area for the next eight weeks, according to Christy Penders with OneGas, which is the parent utility of Texas Gas Service.

Utility crews are moving natural gas lines to prepare the way for a $13.7 million road project under the direction of the Texas Department of Transportation. Hamilton Pool runs south from Hwy. 71 to Hwy. 12 and beyond, eventually crossing the Pedernales River. The road project will extend from Hwy. 12 north to Hwy. 71, according to TxDOT.

Work along the 6.3-mile segment will add a 12-foot-wide center turn lane and 6-foot shoulders on both sides of the highway and will increase safety as the number of cars on the roadway increases, according to information provided by TxDOT. State engineers estimate the number of vehicles traveling along Hamilton Pool will increase 38% to 31,850 vehicles per day by 2042. Construction of the additional lanes is estimated to take 16 months to complete.