By Andy Sevilla.
As federal dollars become available to help fund mobility projects in the Austin metro area, Kyle city officials are throwing their hat in the ring for a chance at bringing transportation dollars home, and the newly hired city engineer is hitting the ground running.
City officials announced Friday the hiring of Leon Barba, PE – an engineer who has led several departments within the city of Austin for the past 20 years – as Kyle’s new city engineer. He is tasked with the rollout of a $36 million road bond voters approved in May.
The road bond was developed to engineer and reconstruct Bunton Creek, Burleson, Goforth and Lehman roads, as well as extend Marketplace Avenue. These roads were identified as priority projects by a citizens visioning process in 2012.
| Barba |
The city’s former engineer, Steve Widacki, left earlier this year in the midst of negotiating engineering contracts for the five roads. Widacki took another job in Austin.
On Nov. 19, city council members directed City Manager Lanny Lambert to pursue professional services agreements with Freese and Nichols and K. Friese and Associates for the engineering of Burleson Road and Marketplace Avenue, respectively. City officials believe those two roads could score high among needed regional mobility projects within the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (CAMPO) service area, based on previous assessments, and earn federal funding.
CAMPO staff announced Nov. 18 that more than $28 million is available for transportation projects in the CAMPO region, which includes Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties.
Barba’s first day on the job in Kyle was Nov. 18 and council members expect him to bring forward an engineering contract for Bunton Creek Road as early as mid-January.
“Leon’s vast engineering experience in municipal government will provide a great deal of benefit to the city of Kyle,” Lambert said in his hiring announcement of Barba. “The city engineer carries a lot of responsibility to ensure our projects and developments proceed in a proper manner and in accordance with all applicable laws, standards and regulations. We are very fortunate to have someone of Leon’s experience on our team.”
Barba has more than 40 years of engineering experience, having spent the last 20 years in various related positions with the city of Austin, according to his resume and city officials.
“It’s a pleasure and honor for me to be here working for the city of Kyle,” Barba said in the announcement. “I’m looking forward to being able to support the City and the citizens as we continue to grow this city.”
Barba will, in part, be responsible for the maintenance of Kyle roads, several of which have deteriorated from lack of upkeep. Fiscal year 2013-14 is the first year city officials set aside a road maintenance fund, which already has taken a blow after several roads in Kyle suffered flood damage. Specifically, the fund will pay for repairs to the Burleson Street Bridge and Windy Hill Road.
The city engineer position in Kyle performs and oversees professional engineering work related to the planning, design, construction and maintenance of city projects and programs. The position is also responsible for preparing engineering designs, reviewing engineering plans, and providing general engineering support to the development review process.
Barba is a licensed professional engineer with the state of Texas, and has served as assistant director and building official for Austin’s Watershed Protection/Planning and Development Review Department, and as chief engineer for the city of Austin’s Public Works Department.
