Transportation Updates   Transportation Updates Roadway extension[/caption] 1. Little Elm Trail The city of Cedar Park is continuing to fill gaps on Little Elm Trail between Lakeline Boulevard and US 183. The project includes installing right-turn lanes on southbound US 183, Lakeline and the existing portion of Little Elm. On Oct. 6, construction crews were working between Juliette Way and Lakeline, said Jennie Huerta, media and communications manager with the city of Cedar Park. She said the contractor will begin extending and adding turn lanes on Lakeline near the intersection with Little Elm, which will continue for the next two to three months. During that time, drivers in the area can expect to see lane closures on Lakeline during the day, Huerta said. 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 on a project to rebuild East Whitestone Boulevard into a six-lane, divided roadway between Market Street and CR 175/Sam Bass Road. The project also includes a new intersection at Whitestone and Parmer Lane/Ronald Reagan Boulevard, which opened as a continuous-flow intersection Aug. 2. Median construction between Raley Road and CR 175/Sam Bass continues, and final asphalt and striping is underway, Huerta said. The project is expected to be completed at the end of October, Huerta said.

Timeline: August 2014-October 2016 Cost: $22 million Funding sources: city of Cedar Park (TxDOT will reimburse 80 percent of actual construction costs), Williamson County

3. Cypress Creek Road/Lakeline Boulevard intersection upgrades The project includes 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. On Oct. 6, Huerta said the project was substantially complete, and minor closeout work would be completed in the upcoming weeks.

Timeline: June 2015-October 2016 Cost: $2.2 million Funding sources: city of Cedar Park, Williamson County

4. North Bagdad Road expansion Construction crews will widen a part of North Bagdad Road from two to five lanes, which includes a center turn lane, between Old FM 2243 and Collaborative Way in Leander. City Engineer Wayne Watts said as drivers travel north on Bagdad, the road will transition from five to three lanes, then it will transition to two lanes north of San Gabriel Parkway. The project will also include new storm sewers, sidewalks and utilities on both sides of the road. Watts said the roadway project will advertise for bids in October and open for bids in the first two weeks of November. Bids will be awarded the first week in January, and construction could begin in February and is expected to last about 18 months.

Timeline: February 2017-July 2018 Cost: $13 million (estimated) Funding sources: city of Leander, Williamson County

Transportation Updates Roadway widening[/caption]

5. Old FM 2243 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. On Oct. 6, Watts said construction crews were completing the relocation of dry utilities, which had previously been delayed due to fiber-optic cable damage with AT&T facilities. The city closed North Bagdad Road just north of Old FM 2243 the evening of Oct. 7 to install large storm water box culverts under the road as part of the main trunk line of Old FM 2243’s roadway drainage system, Watts said. Crews continued the installation of the storm sewer trunk line and installed the base of the road after the weekend closure, then began installing curbs and gutters. He said the city closed the easternmost entrance into H-E-B at the corner of US 183 and Old FM 2243 during construction and expects it to reopen in a few weeks.

Timeline: Jan. 4, 2016-October or November 2017 Cost: $24 million (estimated) Funding sources: city of Leander, Williamson County (50 percent or up to $9.15 million)

6. East Crystal Falls Parkway turn lane The project includes building a dedicated right-turn lane at the west side of the intersection of East Crystal Falls Parkway and US 183. The lane will be built for drivers heading east and turning southbound onto US 183. Watts said the city would be advertising the project and opening it for bids Oct. 6, and a contract would be awarded in November. He said construction could start in early December or early January, and the city plans for construction to last about 120 days.

Timeline: December 2016 or January 2017-March or April 2017 Cost: $450,000 Funding sources: city of Leander

Transportation Updates