CR 179 in Leander is scheduled to close June 8 for reconstruction of the Brushy Creek bridge, City of Leander Engineer Wayne Watts said May 30. The closure coincides with the end of the Leander ISD school year and will likely extend into September or October, he said.
The city and school district collaborated on the timing of the closure to minimize the impact on students attending Stiles Middle School, located on Barley Road and only accessible from CR 179.
"We have to tear out the existing drain structure and install a 44-foot-wide bridge," Watts said. "The roadway construction started back in February and will be ongoing with the bridge construction."
Upon completion, CR 179 will have three lanes, including a dedicated left-turn lane, as well as bike lanes on both the east- and westbound sides, Watts said. If future needs arise, the road could be restriped to make a four-lane, undivided road.
Traffic studies show about 77 percent of the traffic on CR 179 turns onto the road from Ronald Reagan Boulevard, west of Stiles Middle School and the bridge scheduled for closure. Watts said through traffic can use alternate routes such as CR 177, located north of CR 179.