Georgetown, Hutto and Taylor representatives presented possible road and park improvement and expansion projects to the Williamson County bond advisory committee at its May 23 meeting.
Ed Polasek, transportation services director for the City of Georgetown, presented three road project possibilities to the committee: a 3.25 mile Hwy. 29 bypass to Leander Road estimated to cost $22 million, that the city has already devoted $5.5 million for design, right-of-way acquisition and environmental permits; a $5 million two-lane, 3.8 mile frontage road for I-35 from Williams Drive to Lakeway Drive, the only stretch of I-35 without a frontage road under construction or being designed, Polasek said; and $19 million to widen D.B. Wood Drive to four lanes.
Kimberly Garrett, Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department director, requested $2.5 million for an approximately 1.25-mile hike and bike trail expansion from Booty's Road Park to Williams Drive. The project is expected to cost $3.5 million and the city said it would contribute $1 million. Garrett also requested $1.5 million for trail development in Garey Park, a 525 acre park the city does not yet own. Georgetown officials agreed to contribute $500,000 for the Garey Park trails project.
Hutto Assistant City Manager Micah Grau presented three road projects to the committee: a $10 million frontage road project around SH 130, that the City of Hutto will match 20 percent; a $10 million, 8,500 foot expansion of CR 119 that Hutto would match 10 percent; and widening and improvements to CR 101, that would require $20.5 million for a four-lane expansion and $15.75 for a three-lane expansion. The City of Hutto offered no match for the CR 101 project.
