Leander plans widening projects for Old FM 2243 and Bagdad Road

Assistant City Manager Tom Yantis said the Old FM 2243 project represents a unique construction challenge.

“We’re in a small, tight corridor, trying to get a lot of lanes of traffic in there, and we have a ton of utilities and a major overhead electric transmission line [to deal with],” Yantis said. “We have a bunch of existing businesses and now existing residences [and] new residential projects that we’ve got to keep access to throughout the whole project.”

Business growth on Old FM 2243 has made the road more hazardous, especially for turning vehicles, he said. The project is meant to improve highway safety, Yantis said.

By contrast, Bagdad has fewer nearby businesses, and the city’s widening project anticipates future growth on the road, he said.

“We have a major traffic generator getting ready to be finished at the end of next year, which is the new Tom Glenn High School,” Yantis said.

New residential development is also expected along Old FM 2243 and Bagdad, he said.

“All those factors together made those two arterials our highest priority,” Yantis said.