The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is considering projects for the second round of funding from Proposition 1. The board is considering adding three projects to its 2015-18 Transportation Improvement Program. Those projects could receive the Proposition 1 funding.[/caption]

Three projects on I-35 in Travis and Williamson counties could receive funding from the second allocation of Proposition 1 dollars voters approved in 2014.

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is asking for public input on adding these projects to its 2015-18 Transportation Improvement Program.

Any project that would receive Proposition 1 funding would need to be included in the four-year TIP, which lists projects that will receive federal funding or are deemed regionally significant. The agency receives input from its counties and cities on what projects to list in the TIP.

Proposition 1 dedicated a portion of the state’s oil and gas tax revenues toward the State Highway Fund instead of the Economic Stabilization, or Rainy Day, Fund.

For fiscal year 2014-15, the area received about $120 million, which CAMPO decided to dedicate toward projects on I-35 in Hays, Travis and Williamson counties. Those projects are scheduled to begin construction in 2016.

TIP amendment

CAMPO is set to receive about $46.8 million in FY 2015-16 and $49.4 million in FY 2016-17. CAMPO Senior Planner Alex Kone said the board will consider funding for FY 2015-16 at a later date until details on projects for FY 2016-17 can be worked out with TxDOT.

The three I-35 projects are not currently in the TIP. Whenever CAMPO amends the TIP, it is required to host a public hearing and seek input from residents. The projects CAMPO is proposing to add the TIP are:

• ramp reversals between FM 3406 to RM 1431 in Round Rock
• add shoulders and auxiliary lanes; make improvements to the frontage roads, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and pavement at the intersection of 51st Street
• add shoulders and auxiliary lanes; make improvements to the frontage roads, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and pavement at the intersection of Oltorf Street

“When you read the description of the projects it may not seem that big, but we have to do some of these things in sequence to do the [other] overall projects,” CAMPO Executive Director Ashby Johnson said. “These are the [initial steps] to do other things.”

Kone said the Williamson County project is an extension of an existing project the city of Round Rock helped fund to reverse ramps between FM 3406 and Hwy. 79.

Public input

Residents may also submit comments through a variety of other methods by 5 p.m. Nov. 6. Responses will be provided to the CAMPO board for the Nov. 16 meeting.

Online survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/CAMPO_TIP
Email: [email protected]
Mail: CAMPO, P.O. Box 1088, Austin, TX 78767
Fax: 512-974-6385
Phone: 512-974-2529