Staff Report
Roughly three years after groundbreaking, the northern part of the FM 1626 improvement project is complete.
According to a Hays County release, the completed 3.3-mile portion extends from FM 1626 between RM 967 and Brodie Lane in Travis County.
“This is a long awaited and much-needed road improvement,” Hays County Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones said in a statement. “We are pleased with the improved mobility and safety for both drivers and pedestrians.”
Improvements extend to a two-lane roadway with a center turn lane. In addition, the county installed sidewalks south of Jerry’s Lane and a bridge over the Little Bear Creek that replaced a curved low-water crossing.
In addition, the county utilized context sensitive design features that were obtained through public input workshops.
That includes developing an “urban design” section with a reduced speed on the corridor on the north and south portions of the RM 967 intersection.
Other features were sidewalks in urban sections and on key bridges, and the removal of several low water crossings. According to the release, the county also minimized right-of-way impact by effective use of the existing roadway footprint.
Construction for the improvements began in October 2012. The improvements were part of Hays County’s Pass-Through Finance program with the Texas Department of Transportation.
That program allowed the county to pay for road improvements up front, while TxDOT reimburses those funds once the project is completed.
According to the release, TxDOT will reimburse $36.4 million of the $133.1 million for the FM 1626 north project.
But the southern portion of the FM 1626 improvement, which will improve 3.2 miles of FM 1626 between RM 967 and FM 2770, will not be completed until 2018.
In addition, Hays County also prioritized a $1.45 million bond project to construct a new bridge to replace a low-water crossing on Lakewood Drive. The low-water crossing, which frequently floods, will ensure “all-weather access” to FM 1626 for several subdivisions. The roadway on Lakewood Drive from Lewis Lane to FM 1626 was also raised to prevent flooding.
