Cedar Park's Community Development Co. Type B Board, also known as the 4B Board, authorized city staff to move forward on planning to construct right turn lanes at several intersections throughout the city. Darwin Marchell, director of city engineering, said the total budget for the project is $1.4 million and will address turn lane needs at six intersections. The funds are divided in half between intersections along Lakeline Boulevard and Whitestone Boulevard.
Along Lakeline, the construction would include extensions of the right and left turn lanes on the northbound side at New Hope Drive. Marchell said the extensions may help with traffic issues involving school buses, as the intersection is near the Leander ISD bus barn. “All it takes is one or two buses in that left turn lane and it backs up into that through lane, so that’s a much-needed improvement,” Marchell said. Other projects along Lakeline include construction of a right turn lane on northbound sides at W. Park Street and Treeline Drive. Along Whitestone, board members approved the construction of a right turn lane on the westbound sides at Walton Way and Railyard, as well as on the eastbound side at Discovery Boulevard. Marchell said the city would like to start on all projects at about the same time. Marchell said some of the roads were built by the Texas Department of Transportation, which did not build right turn lanes, and others were built in 2000 when the city had a smaller population. Board member Bob Lemon asked if the city plans to continue to include right turn lanes in the construction of new roads. “All our new roadways we’re building now have turn lanes at least at city streets, and we try to put them at the major driveways where we know there’s going to be a lot of traffic,” Marchell said. The next step is a public hearing, which is scheduled for the board’s June 13 meeting.