By Logan McCullough
Hays County voters will head to the polls this November to decide on two bond propositions, which include a $131 million road bond.
Of the $131 million, Pct. 2 could receive the largest portion at $35.3 million, if voters approve the proposition.
In addition, $10 million of allotted funds for Pct. 1 are designated for improvements to Dacy Lane, which also spans into Pct. 2.
“The Buda/Kyle area is pretty well represented in the bond,” Hays County Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones said.
Within the scope of Pct. 2 projects in the bond proposal, $22.5 million would go for a combination of civic needs.
Those include improvements on drainage, low water crossings, bridge replacements, environmentally engaged conservation and non-motorized transportation.
Pct. 2 would also receive an additional $10 million from the state to be used for “safety and mobility,” according to Jones.
When asked about which project he is most anticipating, Jones referenced Dacy Lane, which handles traffic for two Hays CISD middle schools, Chapa and McCormick. Jones said the area east of Interstate 35 has “just exploded over the past few years. He said Dacy Lane “just can’t handle the capacity that it has had.”
“The $20 million for Dacy lane would be the first one we would probably start,” Jones said. “It is the one that is most needed right now.”
When asked about the delay on improvement projects such as Dacy Lane, Jones attributed it to funding issues. He said Hays County has had to pay to reconstruct multiple state roads and highways with no state money.
“Some of these are on state highways,” Jones said. “FM 1626 is a state highway that the county ended up paying. Same thing with FM 967 in Buda and (State Highway) 21 east to Kyle. All of these are state highways that the county is having to pay to improve.”
What other projects is he looking forward to, outside of the scope of the road bond? Jones said one is to move the switching station out of the Kyle city limits.
Jones said the move would “be a huge improvement for the citizens of Kyle.” Jones did not give a timetable as to when that improvement could be implemented.
Final voting for projects under the road bond, along with the county’s jail bond proposition, will take place in November.
