Improvements to I-35
The project in Round Rock will provide enhancements to 2.3 miles of I-35 from SH 45 N to Hwy. 79. Work includes the reconstruction of northbound and southbound frontage road intersections at I-35 and Hwy. 79, the addition of a third left-turn lane from westbound Hwy. 79 to southbound I-35, and the construction of braided ramps on northbound I-35 between Hesters Crossing Road and RM 620 in an effort to relieve bottleneck issues.
Timeline: July 2016-early 2019
Arterial H extension
Williamson County is extending Arterial H to Sam Bass Road, including the design of four lanes for Arterial H.
Timeline: June 2016-fall 2017
East Pecan Street construction
East Pecan Street from east of SH 130 to Weiss Lane is being reconstructed into a four-lane roadway with curbs, gutters and a sidewalk, and roadway rehabilitation will occur from Weiss to Cameron Road. The project is two lanes in each direction with selected median openings.
Status: Most work is completed between Weiss and SH 130. Temporary shifts in traffic occur during daytime hours near Weiss.
Timeline: September 2016-August 2017
Cost: $1.8 million
Funding sources: city of Pflugerville
Weiss Lane improvements
The project will replace all bridges on Weiss Lane from East Pecan Street to Cele Road starting with the one-lane bridge near East Pecan. It will expand the road from two lanes to four, adding turn lanes and shoulders as well as improving drainage with storm drain facilities and curbs and gutters.
Status: Construction of a new bridge west of the one-lane bridge continues. Two lanes of roadway have curbs and gutters and are paved.
Timeline: March 2017-fall 2018
Cost: $14.6 million (city of Pflugerville), $7.4 million (Travis County)
Funding sources: city of Pflugerville, Travis County
RM 620 widening
The 2.74-mile segment of roadway in Round Rock will be widened from four to six lanes and will include new curbs and gutters and a raised median. The segment will include construction of left- and right-turn lanes, culverts, water-quality facilities, retaining walls and the construction of a sidewalk on the north side of RM 620.
Status: The right-turn lane on eastbound RM 620 from Cornerwood Drive to Deep Wood Drive closed June 22 for four to six weeks. The lane should reopen in late August.
Timeline: January 2017-spring 2018
Cost: $6 million
Funding sources: Williamson County, Texas Department of Transportation
I-35 at FM 3406/Old Settlers Boulevard improvements
The project will replace and widen the Old Settlers Boulevard bridge, construct two new U-turn bridges—one in each direction—and make bicycle and pedestrian enhancements. The project is designed to reduce bottlenecks and improve travel times at the I-35 and Old Settlers intersection in Round Rock.
Status: Grading and bridge work is scheduled to begin this month. The contractor has requested a shift in westbound traffic at I-35, which may extend the loss of eastbound traffic movement. The contractor said by doing the entire bridge project at once, it would go from a 12-month bridge reconstruction to an eight-month construction timeline. There have been overnight closures of one lane on I-35 under the bridge in July.
Timeline: March 2017-spring 2019
Cost: $12.4 million
Funding sources: TxDOT
Sun Light Near Way expansion
The Sun Light Near Way portion of the Helios Way project includes expanding and reconstructing the two-lane roadway from East Pecan Street to Helios. The roadway is classified as a collector and will consist of one lane in each direction with a two-way central turn lane and designated turn lanes at the Helios intersection. The Helios Way West extension consists of the extension of Helios west of Sun Light Near with a connection to East Pecan. The roadway will provide two lanes in each direction with selected median openings.
Status: Paving work continues on both roads. Sunlight Near is completely closed to Helios. The right lane of eastbound East Pecan west of Impact Way is closed during the construction of Sun Light Near Way.
Timeline: November-August
Cost: $3.4 million
Funding sources: city of Pflugerville
CR 110 South improvements
The project includes improvements to approximately 2.2 miles of CR 110 between Hwy. 79 and Limmer Loop. It will upgrade the existing two-lane roadway to a three-lane roadway, which is half of an ultimate six-lane roadway.
Status: Grading work continues to widen the road.
Timeline: March 2017-September 2018
Cost: $27 million
Funding sources: Williamson County
How it works: Blue highway signs statewide a part of TxDOT’s Directional Signs Program
Travel-related businesses looking to get their slice of the $68 billion annual direct travel industry in Texas can participate in the Texas Department of Transportation’s Logo and Directional Signs Program. The blue advertising signs drivers see on the sides of Texas highways are a result of the program.
Business owners can lease space on the signs to place a logo at a cost ranging from $900-$3,250 per year for main lane signs and $150-$750 per year for ramp signs. The cost is determined by the daily traffic count for the area.
Only travel-related businesses—which include those selling gas, food or lodging; camping sites; 24-hour pharmacies; and those offering at least one primary motorist service—are eligible to participate in the program. Major shopping areas are also allowed to lease individual signs, according to LoneStar Logos & Signs, which partners with TxDOT to offer the Logo and Directional Signs Program.
TxDOT requires that businesses are located no more than 3 miles from an eligible highway.
