The board of trustees approved a memorandum of understanding with the city to do so at a Feb. 5 special meeting.
What’s happening?
The district and city will collaborate to synchronize nine traffic lights along Hwy. 29 beginning west at Liberty Hill High School and running east until Stonewall Parkway, according to a map of the project. The new traffic light timing is scheduled to start in April, according to city information.
The partnership comes as the city will realign Main Street, formerly Loop 332, with Bailey Lane and add traffic lights near Liberty Hill Middle School. Construction on the $1.8 million project is expected to begin when school recesses this summer, Liberty Hill City Manager Paul Brandenburg said.
The city also plans to construct public roadway improvements, extend shared use paths, and complete other related transportation and utility improvements near the school, according to district documents.
The impact
City officials said Main Street and Hwy. 29 have experienced increased traffic during school drop-off and pickup as the district’s enrollment grows, according to previous reporting by Community Impact. School traffic made up 18.6% of all traffic along Hwy. 29 during peak hours, according to city information.
The joint efforts are expected to improve traffic near Liberty Hill Middle School, throughout downtown and along Hwy. 29.
The collaboration will also “maximize efficiencies and prudently manage taxpayer resources” to complete the improvements in a timely manner, and avoid duplicating efforts and expenses, the document states.
