This follows a discussion the council held about the state of Texas road system at which members asked questions of a Texas Department of Transportation engineer at its Feb. 22 meeting.
Council Member Andrea Willott requested the discussion and South Travis Area Engineer William Semora Jr. was on hand to explain progress TXDOT has made toward a project to improve safety along RM 620 through Bee Cave and its neighbors. This project will install an advanced traffic-management system along RM 620 starting in Bee Cave at its intersection with Hwy. 71 to its intersection with Anderson Mill Road at the Williamson County line.
Semora said TXDOT is conducting preparation work such as an environmental review and rights-of-way acquisition.
The city agreed to provide $5 million toward the project, in accordance with state code, which requires local participation of 10% of the rights of way acquisition and utility relocation costs. Currently, the city is only required to pay $2.5 million of the contribution with the remaining portion of the funding due later in the improvement process.
Semora said in projects like this, the rights of way need to be bought early on. Of the $5 million the city has set aside for the project, $2.4 million will go toward rights of way purchases with the remaining $2.6 million deferred until construction begins.
Semora said it is hard to say when the state will fund the project, but that the state usually waits until the project is “shovel-ready.”
“[RM] 620 is a high priority,” Semora said. “Everyone recognizes its need.”
Semora also suggested enlisting Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard to help push the regional need. Mayor Kara King additionally voiced her concerns over traffic on Hwy. 71.
“We can no longer wait on [Hwy.] 71, either,” King said to Semora. “I need you all to check that out; I need you to put that on your radar. It really stumps me. [Hwy.] 71 is a parking lot. It’s worse coming into the city; where are these people coming from? It is the opposite of what you would think the traffic pattern would be.”
Semora said if the project continues on its current pathway, the city could see utility work begin in late 2023 or early 2024.
