2. FM 971 and Austin Avenue intersection[/caption]1. I-35 northbound frontage road
Construction to add northbound I-35 frontage road lanes between Hwy. 29 and SE Inner Loop continues. The project will also add a southbound-to-northbound turnaround bridge at Leander Road and add four noncontiguous sidewalks from SE Inner Loop to Westinghouse Road. In mid-May construction crews began installing railroad signals at SE Inner Loop and I-35. Contractors urge drivers in the area to use caution and pay attention to road signs as trucks enter and exit the construction zone, and new portions of the roadway and entrance and exit ramps are opened.
Timeline: February 2013-summer 2015
Cost: $19.3 million
Funding sources: Williamson County road bond with a pass-through financing agreement with Texas Department of Transportation
2. FM 971 at Austin Avenue
The city of Georgetown will realign and make improvements to the intersection of FM 971 and Austin Avenue. The project will align the intersection with the planned Northwest Boulevard bridge, which will span I-35. The bridge is expected to provide an alternate route from the west side of the city to Georgetown High School and SH 130. The FM 971 improvements will also include a pedestrian tunnel along the east side of Austin Avenue. In March the city completed improvements in San Gabriel Park near the intersection, which included relocating the granite trail, Soccer Field 4 and other elements, including baseball backstops and exercise equipment, to make room for the roadway improvements. Design work and environmental assessments are still being completed. TxDOT will complete the construction. The city is also working with TxDOT to develop a funding agreement.
Timeline: fall 2016-fall 2017
Cost: $4 million
Funding sources: city of Georgetown 2008 road bond
3. Hwy. 195 widening, Phase 3
Construction to widen Hwy. 195 to a four-lane divided highway from the Bell/Williamson County line to I-35 is nearing completion. The project is divided into three phases. Phase 3 from just south of Ronald Reagan Boulevard to I-35 is expected to be completed in early summer 2015. Final paving on the northbound lanes from just south of Shell Road to just north of Sun City is being completed. Paving was delayed because of recent rains. TxDOT is managing the construction.
Timeline: January 2013-
early summer 2015
Cost: $18.8 million
Funding Sources: TxDOT, Williamson County funded the right of way acquisition and utility relocation
4. FM 1460 expansion
Construction to widen FM 1460 to four lanes from Quail Valley Drive in Georgetown to just north of University Boulevard in Round Rock is expected to begin in early summer. The project also includes traffic signal and bridge improvements. Utility reconstruction for the project is still underway. TxDOT will complete the construction.
Timeline: summer 2015-summer 2017
Cost: $38.4 million
Funding sources: cities of Georgetown and Round Rock, TxDOT, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and Williamson County
5. 2015 Road Bond approved
Georgetown voters approved a $105 million road bond package during the May 9 election with 75.18 percent of the vote, or 2,281 votes. The bond will fund 10 construction projects and cover the design work for 11 other projects to be completed in the future. The bond is the biggest in the city’s history, Georgetown Transportation Services Director Ed Polasek said. According to a contract with the voters approved by City Council in February, the bond cannot raise property taxes more than 2 cents per $100 valuation per year or
10 cents cumulatively, he said.
