Funding for the second phase of the Bee Caves Road widening project, which will add a center turn lane and sidewalks from Walsh Tarlton Lane to Redbud Trail, was secured Feb. 26.

The additional $5 million—bringing the total cost of the project to about $10.5 million—comes from Proposition 1 funds approved by the Texas Transportation Commission, the governing agency for the Texas Department of Transportation. The money is part of more than $1.7 billion in projects throughout the state.

"We are very excited to have the money secured and to get the project underway," said Dave Claunch, mayor of the City of West Lake Hills.

With the additional funding the TxDOT will combine the two phases of the build and bid the roadway improvements as one project, he said.

Work is expected to begin this summer to relocate utilities, including upgrading a water pipeline which is planned to be funded by Water District 10's May bond proposition. Once relocations are complete, roadway work will begin on the south side of the road with traffic moved to the north side. Two lanes in each direction will remain open at all times, and business entrances will not be blocked, Claunch said. After the southern side work is compete, crews will switch to the northern lanes, and traffic will be diverted to the southern lanes. Construction is expected to take two years.

Before any work can begin the city must finish acquiring the needed right of way. Claunch said he expects to gather the necessary ROW agreements by early May. About one-third of the land was acquired through friendly sale, another third was through price negotiations and other considerations, and one-third was obtained by eminent domain, he said.

During construction, Claunch said the city is concerned the amount of cut-through traffic on side streets will increase dramatically. Because of these concerns, the city is working with TxDOT to possibly restrict left hand turns onto some residential side streets from Bee Caves Road during eastbound morning rush hour, he said.

The city also hired a police officer and purchased an additional patrol car in preparation of the increased traffic on city side streets.

"[The officer's] job will be traffic enforcement on those side streets," Claunch said. "He is there to be a visible presence for drivers and hopefully discourage some of that cut-through traffic."