Officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of FM 110 North on Jan. 31 at 1807 Airport Drive in San Marcos. The section of FM 110 North from Hwy. 80 to east of I-35 at Yarrington Road officially opened to traffic Dec. 20.
The road will enhance the safety and mobility of drivers by reducing congestion between Kyle and San Marcos, said Antonio Luján, a public information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation.
This infrastructure project cost just over $39 million and included federal, state and local dollars, according to TxDOT.
San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson noted that the road had been planned since the 1950s.
“We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” Hughson said.
The details
FM 110 is roughly 11 miles of a new $67.2 million road in Hays County. The north segment makes up 6.5 miles of the full road.
Since the north segment’s completion, FM 110 now forms a loop east of I-35. The road has been open for a little over a month and gives motorists an alternate route to avoid traffic congestion throughout the I-35 corridor.
The south section of the road was completed back in October of 2020. Construction for the middle section of FM 110 began later that same year in March and was completed in October 2021.
“As Central Texas continues to grow in population, alternative options will help drivers spend less time on the road, getting to their destinations in less time,” Luján said.
He noted that the team leading construction of the road worked diligently to manage utility impacts and site conditions amid a significant drought. The road’s design consisted of several challenges due to the Cottonwood Creek Watershed, which required a bridge over Cottonwood Creek according to engineering firm Binkley & Barfield’s website.
“Managing the construction and interaction of the project at the SH 80, SH 21 and I-35 connections required significant logistics, as well as coordinating the SH 21 overpass construction with the airport,” he added.
FM 110 also had to align with the short- and long-term transportation master plans with TxDOT, Hays County and San Marcos for the existing roadways that would intersect.
The impact
Luján explained that the new roadway has additional intersections at Yarrington Road and additional traffic signals on SH 21 near the FM 110 bridge.
“We ask drivers to pay attention to road signs as they navigate this area and the new roadway,” Luján said.
Luján also said exponential growth has increased traffic in the San Marcos and Kyle communities, noting that McCarty Lane near FM 110 carries anywhere between 10,000-11,000 cars per day.
“FM 110 will provide another route for commuters to take between both communities rather than the 6-mile stretch of I-35, while also offering access for new development in a fast-growing area,” he said.
One more thing
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra said the road was essential for first responders, public safety and economic development.
“It will help move people and product more quickly and easily through our county,” Becerra said in an email to Community Impact.
According to the county’s website, two additional travel lanes and additional interchanges will be constructed as traffic continues to increase in the area.
