The City of Hutto selected Kasberg, Patrick and Associates on Oct. 18 to design new sidewalks along FM 1660, a project the city hopes will help increase pedestrian safety.

The sidewalk improvement project was approved by voters as part of a transportation bond package in 2009. City Manager David Mitchell said the project, which among other uses creates sidewalks connecting two Hutto ISD schools—Ray Elementary and Farley Middle schools—is intended to make walking along FM 1660 safer for students and residents.

"This will allow schoolchildren to walk safely to and from school," Mitchell said. "But we also see a good number of citizens walking along the right of way of this roadway outside of school hours."

Mitchell said the project could allow HISD to alleviate its bus routes but stipulated that was not what prompted the decision to launch the project.

Mitchell said the targeted completion date for the project is June 2013.