The details
On Oct. 9, the Texas Department of Transportation presented a project to Bee Cave City Council to add medians along a 6.4-mile stretch of Hwy. 71 to increase safety in the area. An open house held Oct. 17 allowed residents and local representatives to review plans in person, and a virtual open house is available online through Nov. 1 for residents to leave feedback on any necessary changes.
The federally funded project, which totals approximately $2 million, is estimated to begin in fall 2025 and last six to nine months.The TxDOT-led project accounts for 15 median breaks throughout the project, TxDOT Public Information Officer Antonio Luján said, plus seven pedestrian crossing improvements at intersections at the following locations:
- The west crossing of Pedernales Summit Parkway
- East crossing at Serene Hills Drive and Sweetwater Village Drive
- All four crossings at Vail Divide
- Entrance into Del Dios Way
- West crossing at North Joint Access Road
- All four crossings at Bee Cave Parkway and Hamilton Pool Road
- West and North crossing at RM 620 and Shops Parkway
Poster boards along the room also highlighted several safety facts about the medians, including:
- From 2019-22, there was a 15% increase in sideswipe crashes
- From 2019-22, there was a 10% increase in non-intersection-related crashes
- The total number of crashes on the road reached 151 in 2022
Most of the project work is anticipated to take place at night when possible, Luján said, as the project does not need to account for moving utilities or other complex factors that would otherwise require daytime closures. TxDOT will work with Bee Cave and Lakeway to inform residents of when and where to expect closures, Luján said.
Additional work has been completed by TxDOT designers to ensure large vehicles, such as school buses or trailers, are able to safely maneuver the turns being proposed by the project. If the intersection is too small, TxDOT will review what accommodations can be put in place to provide those vehicles with safe access to a U-turn, Luján said.
What they’re saying
The original plans proposed by TxDOT did not include a median break for the only entrance and exit to The Homestead neighborhood, prompting residents Lou Anthony and Shashi Guruprasad to get involved in the project process.
A major concern of Homestead residents is that many neighbors use horse trailers and larger vehicles. Without a median break, these vehicles would have to make a U-turn to get where they need to go, Guruprasad said.
“The median barrier is good to improve the safety, I agree with that, as long as all the communities and all the large businesses have access to enter with a median break,” Guruprasad said.
Having lived in The Homestead neighborhood for 21 years, Anthony said she was relieved that TxDOT has listened to feedback from residents and allowed a median break at Great Divide Drive.
“The original plan was going to be a big problem for us in the Homestead ... and they listened,” Anthony said. “They changed the scenario so that at least until Willie Way is completed, we will have access from Great Divide.”
“I know a lot of people don’t like [the medians], but they solve two problems for me, and both are dangerous. I run a collision repair shop, I don’t need any more business. If I wanted more business, I’d say, ‘no, forget the medians, that’s fine.’ ... No, [the current traffic flow] is bad news for everybody.”
Stay tuned
Findings from the public comment period will be shared by TxDOT at the Nov. 12 City Council meeting, Bee Cave Mayor Kara King said.
“Anytime there’s good communication where you solicit feedback from the community, I think you ultimately end up with a better project and one the community will support,” King said. “I don’t really have a sense yet if the community has been supportive of this project or if they don’t want it. ... I’m really interested in hearing all the feedback that TxDOT gets.”
