The extension of Wyoming Springs Drive from Creek Bend Boulevard to Old Settlers Boulevard is on track to be completed this fall. (Courtesy city of Round Rock)
Residents on Round Rock’s west side will soon have a true alternative to I-35 once the city and county complete the full extension of Wyoming Springs Drive, officials said in June. Ongoing and future road projects are set to help drivers and pedestrians reach their destinations faster and with less traffic.
Construction on the second phase, connecting Creek Bend Boulevard to Old Settlers Boulevard and adding an overpass at Hairy Man Road, is set to be completed this fall.
County projects are also enhancing connectivity in this part of the city. Williamson County marked the completion of a bond-funded project to widen and improve Sam Bass Road in April.
The big picture
The city of Round Rock and Williamson County are working to address the transportation needs of current and future residents west of I-35.
One of the ways the city plans for future development is by building arterial roads long before such development arrives, Assistant Director of Transportation Infrastructure Gerald Pohlmeyer said. A future Arterial C road project is an example, as well as Wyoming Springs.
“We all know it’s coming, but then [developers] have to build to our roadways and our standards at that point,” Pohlmeyer said. “We don’t show up later having to deal with whatever they left us.”
The city has also completed several “bottleneck” projects to increase the traffic throughput of existing roads. These include adding turn lanes to constricted intersections, such as the intersection of Round Rock West Drive and McNeil Road, and traffic signals, such as those placed at CR 175 and New Hope Drive, in partnership with Cedar Park.
Future phases of extensions to Wyoming Springs Drive will bring a continuous north-south route connecting RM 620 to RM 1431, Williamson County Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said. This will be a direct alternative to the interstate on this side of the city, similar to what is on the east side, which has two alternative routes spanning the city’s limits—and more in the works.
The full build-out of Wyoming Springs will also alleviate traffic congestion on other roads, she said.
“O’Connor [Drive], of course, is going to be helped when Wyoming Springs goes north,” Covey said. “Right now you might take O’Connor to Great Oaks [Drive] and go north. Well, you can take Wyoming Springs and go all the way to RM 1431 when [the county finishes] both those projects.”
How it works
On the west side, road planning is a collaborative effort between counties, municipal utility districts and the city, Thane said. All are working with strict geographic limitations, as neighborhoods are built close to narrow road easements. Acquisition of additional land for roads is a challenge, Covey said.
One way the city of Round Rock and Williamson County are partnering to address needed right of way and costs for the future north extension of Wyoming Springs Drive is by right-of-way acquisition. While the county will fund construction of the road, the city is in the process of securing the right of way for the road’s location.
In Round Rock, transportation projects are funded by roadway impact fees paid by developers, a portion of sales tax revenue, bonds, and federal and state grants.
The city also dedicates millions of tax dollars each year to transportation projects.
Millions of dollars are set aside to fund road projects each year in Round Rock.
Going forward
City staff are engaging firms to design and engineer a handful of new projects coming to the city’s west side, Thane said.
He said a future project at the intersection of Hairy Man Road, Sam Bass Road and Woods Boulevard is in the planning stages. City notes from community meetings show residents have been most receptive to a “peanut-shaped” roundabout to remediate congestion issues.
In the long term, Thane said his department will continue work with adjacent cities, MUDs and the county to ensure long-term connectivity, pedestrian access and traffic management throughout the city.
Covey said the full build-out of roadways is also planned in Williamson County.
“[It’s] not just what needs to happen because it’s broken today, but anticipating the growth that we might have in the future,” Covey said.
