Pages

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Commissioners court pledges $5 million, takes new tack on traffic congestion in northern Hays County


The resolution adopted Tuesday states that Hays County expects to proceed with a $70 million expansion of FM 1626 into a four lane divided roadway from FM 2770 north to the Hays-Travis county line


Send your comments and questions to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Hays County Communications Specialist Laureen Chernow at laureen.chernow@co.hays.tx.us, to Pct. 2 Commissioner Jones at mark.jones@co.hays.tx.us or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story

Click on map to enlarge

County commissioners voted Tuesday to start over with a new plan to relieve traffic congestion in northern Hays County and southwest Travis County and to abandon a controversial years' old state transportation plan, known as the State Highway 45 southwest extension.

A resolution adopted by commissioners court at its regular Tuesday meeting:

- requests the Texas Department of Transportation to remove SH45 between Loop 1 and FM 1626 from the state highway system
- asks for the return of previously expended right-of-way money
- and pledges $5 million to construct a (new) 2 to 3 lane three-mile long county road in partnership with Travis County connecting Loop 1 and FM 1626 near the north Hays County line.

"By taking the project back from TxDOT, we will have local control and can build the road faster, cheaper and in accordance with all environmental guidelines," Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Jones states in the resolution.

The SH45 southwest extension has been on the drawing board for at least 20 years but has been stymied by resistance from Travis County commissioners and property owners along the proposed route. A major source of concern is that major highway construction could have adverse effects on environmentally sensitive areas over the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer.

The resolution adopted by commissioners Tuesday states that Hays County expects to proceed with a $70 million expansion of FM 1626 into a four lane divided roadway from FM 2770 north to the Hays-Travis county line. The planned expansion, also several years in the making, is still not universally supported by area residents.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Commissioners Court pledged $5 million to build in Travis County. Are they willing to go $8 million?

That is what Travis County Commissioners Court wants.

Anonymous said...

You're right, Anon #1! According to today's (Sept. 30) Austin newspaper, Conley-Cobb-Jones have
already pledged $5 million of Hays County taxpayer money to this almost-entirely TRAVIS County project, and the Travis County Judge, Sam Biscoe, is angling to get $8 million out of us.

Look at the black line on the map (indicating the project); it's almost entirely in Travis County.

We taxpayers really are spineless if we let this travesty get by us.

Lunacy! said...

This is crazy! Hays County Commissioners have obligated us to pay for highway construction in TRAVIS County? Is Travis County going to pay for any highway construction in Hays County?