Hutto awarded $1.4M grant for Hwy. 79, FM 1660 improvements

Hutto will receive a $1.4 million grant for improvements to the intersection of Hwy. 79 and FM 1660, U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, announced in a Sept. 22 news release. Grant funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation and awarded to the Texas Department of Transportation for the city project.

“As a member of the Appropriations Committee responsible for transportation funding, I love seeing the work I do with my colleagues in Washington make it full circle back to our community,” Carter said in the release. “The over $1.4 million will make significant improvements to a busy intersection in Hutto, making it safer and more efficient for residents.”

FM 1660 and Hwy. 79 roadway improvements were incorporated into the city's 2018 transportation bond package, which allocated $70 million to roadway and drainage projects. Two intersections identified include FM 1660 North and Hwy. 79, as well as FM 1660 South and Hwy. 79.

Enhanced features to FM 1660 North include additional right turn lanes from FM 1660 to westbound Hwy. 79, along with additional right turn lanes from Hwy. 79 to FM 1660 North. The project has an anticipated construction start date of fall 2021, per city documents.

FM 1660 South improvements include widening the roadway to three lanes from Hwy. 79 to Austin Avenue. A dedicated left and right turn lane will also be incorporated from FM 1660 South to Hwy. 79 and a right turn lane from eastbound Hwy. 79 to FM 1660 South.

Construction on FM 1660 South improvements is expected to begin in fall 2022, according to city documents.

“We are very excited to be a partner with the Texas Department of Transportation in receiving this grant,” Mayor Doug Gaul said in the release. “From a transportation infrastructure standpoint, it’s going to increase capacity at FM 1660 and Hwy 79, which is a key intersection in the City of Hutto. The additional turn lane will improve efficiency and decrease delays for our citizens, while also providing additional safety with a pedestrian crossing.”