Proposed mobility bond aims to increase capacity of Georgetown roads with high traffic volume

The city of Georgetown is putting together a mobility bond package for a May 2021 vote.

According to a news release, the primary focus areas of the mobility bond are:

• Increasing capacity of Georgetown’s roadway network and bridges with high traffic volume;
• Improving intersections, building sidewalks and enhancing safety throughout Georgetown to create new connections within and among neighborhoods; and
• Coordinating with other planned transportation work, including projects identified in the pedestrian and bike master plans, to accelerate delivery to Georgetown residents.

Residents will drive the development of this bond via a citizen advisory committee that will provide final recommendations as well as through multiple opportunities for public feedback before the election is called, the release said.

“We’ve made some real progress since 2015, particularly with the opening of Rivery Boulevard, Southwest Bypass, and others, but we know there’s room for improvement,” Mayor Dale Ross said in the release. “We need our residents’ help to pave our way into a future we can all get behind. Your input is critical so we can prioritize transportation projects that matter most to you.”

City Council appointed 16 people to the Mobility Georgetown 2021 Citizen Advisory Committee at its July 14 meeting. The committee will meet from August through December. Meeting location and details are still to be determined.

The first opportunity for public feedback is an online survey that asks residents to share their priorities for the bond. Georgetown residents can take the survey between July 15-Aug. 15. The survey is available online and in the lobbies of city facilities in English and Spanish.

Public engagement during this phase will be limited due to COVID-19 concerns, the release said. The committee will use this feedback to inform its decisions about which projects to prioritize and put forward for the bond. Once the committee has a proposed list of projects, the city will again ask for public input.