Railroad quiet zones
Construction includes city of Round Rock and Union Pacific railroad work at street and railroad intersections. Crossings are being brought up to compliance with federal standards regarding quiet zone requirements. Crossings are electronically controlled by the train, which triggers traffic signals and clears the tracks of motorists. Union Pacific has installed signals at A) Burnet Street and B) St. Williams Street, though both are currently inactive.
Status: Phase 1 awaiting a letter of authorization from Union Pacific for the contractor to begin work; Phase 2—Burnet to Red Bud Lane—is progressing, and crews are working on the Hwy. 79 railroad crossing
Cost: $4 million (budgeted), $400,000 Texas Department of Transportation grant (safety improvements)
Funding sources: budgeted, TxDOT
McNeil Road extension, Phase 2
The project will act as a bypass for downtown Round Rock, allowing traffic to flow more smoothly and reducing travel times and collisions. Phase 2 of the project will extend the roadway from Burnet Street to Georgetown Street.
Cost: $3 million
Funding source: budgeted/Type B
RECENT UPDATES
I-35 improvements from RM 1431 to FM 3406, northbound
The project is designed to improve safety and mobility on I-35’s northbound frontage road as well as its exit ramp between RM 1431 and FM 3406. Work on the expanded frontage road will widen it from two to three lanes, relocate the exit ramp and add an extended exit lane between RM 1431 and FM 3406.
Status: utility work underway; crews are building out the left lane northbound frontage road
Timeline: July-late 2020
Cost: $10.4 million
Funding sources: Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, TxDOT
Hwy. 79 improvements and Brushy Creek Plant Road
The project will include intersection improvements and traffic signal upgrades as well as new and extended turn lanes at Harrell Parkway and Brushy Creek Plant Road. The project will also feature a new crossing of the Union Pacific railroad tracks to provide access to Kalahari Resorts & Conventions.
Status: utility work underway
Timeline: TBD
Cost: $6.9 million
Funding source: Type B
UPCOMING PROJECTS
RM 620 improvements
The city of Round Rock, Williamson County and TxDOT are partnering on the RM 620 project, which will feature improvements from Deep Wood Drive to I-35. The project will add frontage road lanes as well as construct a bridge over the railroad crossing at Chisholm Trail Road and add a roundabout underneath the bridge. To help maintain access to businesses and residential spaces in the area, access roads will be built between Lake Creek Drive and Chisholm Trail Road. A second bridge will be constructed to carry RM 620 traffic over Lake Creek Drive.
Status: TxDOT let the project for bidding in August
Timeline: anticipated to begin construction late 2019
Cost: $40 million
Funding sources: TxDOT, Williamson County, city of Round Rock
