Motorists in Cedar Park will find wider, smoother driving on New Hope Drive and Cottonwood Creek Trail after the city and Williamson County finished road improvements in November.

Both roads now span four lanes instead of two, with added outside lanes for bicyclists. New sidewalks and streetlights border the road and a raised median divides the lanes. At a ribbon-cutting Dec. 12, Cedar Park Mayor Matt Powell said the upgrades will help support area traffic.

"This area is one of the great economic engines in Cedar Park—the 1890 Ranch area along with the hospital [and] Cedar Park Center," Powell said. "But for that area to work at its best and most efficiently, you need to have a good road network around it."

City leaders said the project, which began in July 2012, was finished early and under budget.

"This project comes at the right time," he said. "It'll support more traffic and support it more safely, and allow families to shop and go to work in this area safely and efficiently."

Cedar Park provided about $2.6 million and Williamson County spent about $3.45 million. Upon completion, project savings totaled $50,000, which can go toward new roads, Powell said.

Williamson County Commissioner Cynthia Long joined other regional leaders at the ribbon-cutting and also toured a new fire truck from the Cedar Park Fire Department.