Community invited to give feedback
DRIFTWOOD — The county garnered community feedback on improvements to Darden Hill Road last week.
A community meeting was held from 6:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17, at the Cypress Springs Elementary School Cafeteria at 11091 Darden Hill Road in Driftwood. The county shared background information and the preliminary design for community feedback; all information is also available online, and the comment period will be open through June 2.
The improvements to Darden Hill Road from RM 1826 to Sawyer Ranch Road are needed to improve safety, mobility and connectivity, according to information provided at the meeting. The improvements will include widening from two to four lanes, adding a median and shoulders, improving the intersection of Darden Hill and RM 1826 and adding a path for pedestrians and cyclists to connect to existing sidewalks.
Though there will be a median, the county is actively seeking feedback for the location of median breaks to allow for left turns and U-turns.
According to CD&P Community Engagement Director Jacqie Wilson, the preliminary design phase of the project, which is the only part of the project funded by Hays County’s 2016 Road Bond, is approximately 60% complete. The county is actively seeking funding, however there is currently no identified funding or timeline for the final design, right of way acquisition or construction.
“This project is a priority for me and my precinct. Cypress Springs Elementary opened in August of 2021 and has more than 550 students – increasing traffic in the area that lacks continuous sidewalks,” said Hays County Commissioner Walt Smith in a news release. “This project, along with the county’s other improvement plans for Darden Hill, will help keep residents and visitors safe and improve travel times.”
This project is part of a larger effort being planned in phases to improve Darden Hill Road and RM 150 from RM 1826 to RM 12. Additionally, Hays County is expecting construction on a roundabout at the intersection of Sawyer Ranch Road and Darden Hill Road to begin this summer. This is one of nine different roundabouts planned in the Driftwood and Dripping Springs area.
Comments on the preliminary design may be submitted through the website, by email at [email protected], by mail (PO Box 5459, Austin, TX 78763), or by text/voicemail at 512-400-6107.
For more information about the project or to sign up to receive project updates, visit www.improve150.com/darden. For construction updates on the Sawyer Ranch Roundabout, visit www.improve150.com/SawyerRanchRoundabout.
