Cedar Park city staffers have selected four park and transportation projects they would like to see funded by the 4B Community Development Board.

The four projects, presented during the June 13 Cedar Park City Council meeting, would cost a combined $2.575 million. That money would come from the 4B board, which has the power to use a half cent of sales tax revenue to fund projects such as parks, road improvements and economic development incentive packages.

Assistant City Manager Sam Roberts said his emphasis is on "shovel-ready projects," and in particular, projects that immediately need money toward engineering, environmental studies and land surveying. Two preliminary engineering projects, a $550,000 proposed expansion of Little Elm Trail and a two-year, $1.6 million proposed widening of Anderson Mill Road, were deemed the most urgent, he said.

If approved, work on Little Elm Trail would eventually result in a new access point to US 183, Roberts said.

"To me, it's a no-brainer," he said. "It's the biggest bang for the buck."

Drawing more comments from council was the proposed Anderson Mill Road project, which would widen the roadway from north of Lime Creek Road to FM 1431. The expansion needs to happen as soon as possible, Roberts said, because residential growth north of Cedar Park mandates it.

Council members and Roberts agreed the project will require support from additional partners, possibly including Williamson and Travis counties as well as the city of Leander, Roberts said.

In addition to road projects, Parks and Recreation Director Curt Randa is asking for money to construct a $250,000 BMX/adventure bike park. One public meeting, which 30 people attended, was held May 22 to seek input on the project's design. A second meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. June 19 at Cedar Park City Hall.

Randa said the city is also completing its first phase of high-priority park shade structures throughout the city, and his department is ready to proceed on installing six additional shade structures totaling $175,000. The parks he proposed to receive shade structures included Veterans Memorial Park, Brushy Creek Lake Park, Prize Oaks Park, Peggy Garner Park, Carriage Hills Park and Janet Bartles Park.

Roberts and Randa also informally presented their proposed projects during the 4B board's June 11 meeting. The 4B board will consider the projects as part of its proposed fiscal year 2014 budget. If approved as part of the overall city budget in October, then each project will require 4B board final approval.