Little Elm Trail[/caption]1. Little Elm Trail
The city of Cedar Park experienced eight days without rain in May, which delayed filling in existing gaps on Little Elm Trail between Lakeline Boulevard and US 183, said Jennie Huerta, the media and communications manager for the city. The project includes adding right-turn lanes on southbound US 183, Lakeline and the existing portion of Little Elm. The city is in the underground utility phase of construction, which includes the installation of storm, sewer, water, electric and gas lines.
Timeline: December 2015-early 2017
Cost: $7.06 million
Funding sources: city of Cedar Park ($2.98 million); Cedar Park Community Development Corp., also known as the 4B Board ($550,000); Williamson County ($3.53 million)
2. East Whitestone Boulevard pass-through project
The city of Cedar Park, the Texas Department of Transportation and Williamson County are collaborating to reconstruct Whitestone Boulevard into a six-lane, divided roadway from Market Street to Sam Bass Road. In May, rain delayed crews, who are widening Whitestone from four to six lanes and lengthening turn lanes on Whitestone to Toro Grande Drive as well as Raley and Sam Bass roads, Huerta said. According to the city of Cedar Park, 70,000 vehicles per day use the intersection of Whitestone and Parmer Lane/Ronald Reagan Boulevard. At a Williamson County Commissioners Court meeting May 17, Commissioner Valerie Covey said this project shows why the county needs alternative routes.
As of June 3, construction of the median between Market and Toro Grande is scheduled to begin soon. The project also includes a rebuilt intersection of Whitestone and Parmer/Ronald Reagan. Upon completion the new intersection will be a continuous-flow intersection.
Timeline: August 2014-August 2016
Cost: $22 million
Funding sources: city of Cedar Park (TxDOT will reimburse 80 percent of actual construction costs), Williamson County
Cypress Creek Road/Lakeline Boulevard[/caption]3. Cypress Creek Road/Lakeline Boulevard intersection
The project includes adding extended dual left-turn lanes and widened existing left- and right-turn lanes on north- and southbound Lakeline Boulevard, which includes adding a lane to a bridge on Lakeline. Crews will soon begin construction to add medians to Lakeline, and the additional left-turn lanes on Cypress Creek will open once the ends of the medians on Lakeline are modified.
Timeline: June 2015-June 2016
Cost: $2.2 million
Funding sources: city of Cedar Park, Williamson County
4. Old FM 2243 widening
The city of Leander is widening Old FM 2243 from two to five lanes, including a center lane, between US 183 and a location west of North Lakeline Boulevard. City Engineer Wayne Watts said the amount of rain received in May could extend the project by 30 days, but no official extension has been made. As of June 3 crews were working on installations of dry utilities and will continue for the next couple of weeks. Watts said the dry utility companies, such as AT&T, Suddenlink Communications, Time Warner Cable, Grande Communications and Pedernales Electric Cooperative, will then begin to place conduit rods. Watts said crews will add overhead electric lines on the south side of the roadway, and the transmission line on the north side will stay in place above ground because of a PEC easement about 100 feet away. Watts said it is possible crews will be able to place the PEC distribution lines underground in the future.
Timeline: Jan. 4, 2016-October 2017
Cost: $24 million (estimated)
Funding sources: city of Leander, Williamson County (50 percent or up to $9.15 million)
5. North Bagdad Road expansion
Crews are widening Bagdad Road from two to fire lanes, including a center turn lane. City of Leander Engineer Wayne Watts said the city was previously building the project between Old FM 2243 and CR 280, but now will reduce the scope of the project to finish the roadway at Collaborative Way. Watts said the project engineer, H.W. Lochner Inc., discovered additional right of way acquisitions the city would need on northbound Bagdad between CR 280 and San Gabriel Road and south of CR 280 on the west side of Bagdad. Therefore city staff decided not to go through the process of acquiring additional right of way. The project will include new storm sewers, sidewalks and utilities on both sides of the road. In August the project is expected to go out for bids, but Watts said as of June 3 the sidewalk project would have to be bid separately since Williamson County obtained funds from the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Since those are federal funds, they have extra requirements, such as environmental requirements, that non-federal funded projects do not have to meet. Construction could begin on the project in late September or early October.
Timeline: September or October 2016-March 2018
Cost: $13 million (estimated)
Funding sources: city of Leander, Williamson County (50 percent or up to $4.9 million)
