After several years of construction, work on Bee Caves Road, or RM 2244, is expected to be complete at the end of next year.

The improvement project includes constructing a center turn lane between Redbud Trail and Walsh Tarlton Lane as well as adding shoulders and sidewalks within the project limits. The conversion of the existing four-lane roadway into a five-lane roadway will enhance safety and mobility.

Construction was originally slated to begin in mid-2016, but due to private utility relocations crews did not begin work on the roadway until late 2016, said Bradley Wheelis, Texas Department of Transportation public information officer.

Wheelis said some private utility relocations are still incomplete, but crews have shifted work locations and phasing to move forward, and construction crews continue to work on underground utilities, including wastewater and water lines. Progress in 2018 included the expansion of the roadway from Redbud to Buckeye Trail, including sidewalks and shoulders. The north side of Bee Caves was expanded from Buckeye to Camp Craft road in mid-November.

“We anticipate the roadway to be expanded on the south side of the roadway later this year, weather permitting,” Wheelis said. “Crews continue work to install sidewalks and retaining walls in various locations throughout the limits.”

Getting utility issues worked out was one of the biggest steps, said Robert Wood, West Lake Hills city manager.

Mayor Linda Anthony agreed that once utilities were moved residents could finally see work being
accomplished.

“As far as major roadway construction projects through urban areas go, this has gone incredibly smooth,” Anthony said. “There have been as few adverse impacts on traffic flow as we could expect.”

She added that TxDOT has done a good job of working whenever weather permits and keeps a clean job site.

“Staff have been attentive to business, resident and commuter concerns and keep us and the media in the loop,” Anthony said.

Prior to expanding the roadway from Buckeye to Camp Craft, crews lowered two adjacent streets, McConnell Drive and Westhaven Drive, to allow for a smooth transition to Bee Caves once expanded, Wheelis said. TxDOT anticipates the part of the project in which Buckeye is lowered will begin later this year, weather permitting.

The next leg of the project, from Westlake Drive to Walsh Tarlton, has a dense business population, which is taken into consideration as work progresses, Wheelis said, adding the goal is to balance traffic flow without compromising safety.

“At times there may be a need to reduce Bee Caves Road to one lane in each direction in order to complete work safely,” he said. “Access to all businesses will be maintained.”