A request sent to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization to fund a feasibility study on the proposed RR 620 elevated toll road has angered residents in the Senna Hills and Barton Creek West neighborhoods.
As proposed, the toll road would connect the existing SH 45 S in Southwest Austin to RR 2222 and RR 620 in West Austin. Despite the city of Lakeway proposing the project, the elevated toll road would go through the city of Austin and complete a loop around the city.
Many residents who might be affected by the toll road's location are upset with the plans because it could go through neighborhoods, the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve and the greenbelt. Barton Creek West resident Rich Jones gathered more than 600 signatures from residents against the proposed toll road.
"I understand the need for a loop around the city, but it would be better suited to have it further west in areas that are more developed," he said.
Lakeway's request for a $3 million feasibility study is part of CAMPO's annual call for projects for federal funding. Jurisdictions from the six-county region—Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson—were asked to submit regional and local projects.
CAMPO received 78 project requests for the 2015–19 fiscal years and has $75.6 million to allocate. In June CAMPO's board approved a list of projects on which to complete illustrative modeling for the 2040 long-range transportation plans, which will be finalized by May 2015. Lakeway's elevated toll road project was approved in that list for modeling.
During a Sept. 8 CAMPO public hearing, more than two dozen residents, including city of Bee Cave Council member Michelle Bliss, signed up to speak against the elevated toll road. Bliss agreed the project should be located in a different area. She also cited frustration with the city of Lakeway.
"The biggest problem is that this should be in an area that the cities all agree on," she said. "In the year and a half that I've been on Bee Cave City Council, not once has the city of Lakeway discussed this [with us]."
Senna Hills resident John Dugan agreed.
"I can't believe Lakeway lobbed this at us, two beautiful, diverse communities," he said. "It's a shock. I can assure you we will have every name in every household if you move forward with this."
Other residents spoke of reasons why they love their community and chose to live there.
"[The toll road proposal] a terrible idea," Senna Hills resident Corey Newhouse said. "Part of the reason we all moved out west was to get away from the sprawl. It seems like a scheme of the city of Lakeway to pawn off traffic problems on the rest of us."
