by BRAD ROLLINS
The Federal Highway Administration has finalized environmental clearance for a widening of FM 1626, an approval process that has dragged on in one form or another since 2004.
“We’ve been waiting to get that call for a long time,” said Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones, who has made completion of the project a priority as did his predecessor, Jeff Barton.
The project will transform 6.8 miles of narrow two lane farm road into a four- and five-lane thoroughfare with extra wide shoulders for bicycle traffic and a separated hike and bike trail or sidewalk a portion of the length.
The county expects to have right-of-way purchased and utilities relocated by spring for the northern segment of the project, from FM 967 to the Travis County line. Construction is planned to begin by summer 2012, Jones said.
Engineering and design on the northern segment, by RS&H, is about 90 percent complete. Raba-Kistner has the engineering and design contract on the southern segment, and that task is about 60 percent completed, Jones said.
Hays County voters approved selling more than $83 million in bonds for the project in 2008 but Jones said he expects the final pricetag to be considerably less due to depressed construction prices.
The court previously sent Pct. 3 Commissioner Will Conley to Washington to meet with authorities and encourage faster action on FM 1626 and other county projects awaiting federal approval. The Texas Department of Transportation also intervened on the county’s behalf to try to hasten the process.
