TxDOT looks at possible US 290 expansion

DRIPPING SPRINGS — The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is conducting an environmental study to evaluate long-term safety and mobility solutions along US 290 from RM 1826 in southwest Austin to Rob Shelton Boulevard in Dripping Springs.

Improvements to US 290 in this area were first identified as a need in 2010 in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) 2035 Plan. In 2019-2020, TxDOT conducted a planning and feasibility study for US 290 from RM 1826 in southwest Austin to RM 12 in Dripping Springs. The project was then placed on hold due to implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as resource allocations. In 2022, TxDOT began the next phase of the project development process, launching the environmental study.

The project is needed to improve mobility and safety along US 290 between Oak Hill and Dripping Springs, according to TxDOT, as the roadway does not adequately accommodate current traffic volumes; thus, resulting in congestion and reduced mobility. TxDOT reported that since 2010, daily traffic has increased by up to 50% within the study area and the number of vehicles traveling along the corridor each day is expected to increase 3-5 times over the next 30 years.

In addition, a crash occurs approximately every other day along US 290 in the study area. There were 1,245 reported crashes between 2016-2022 — 19 of those crashes were fatal, 44 resulted in serious injuries and 323 resulted in other injuries, according to TxDOT. Five crashes involved people walking or biking and two of the walking pedestrians died.

“This is to evaluate long-term solutions. We're looking to improve mobility and enhance safety in the corridor. We've had a lot of growth out west in this area and so, the highway really doesn't accommodate the amount of traffic that we're seeing today, much less anything that could be coming our way with additional growth,” said Bradley Wheelis, southwest communications director for TxDOT. “We also need to look at safety enhancements along the corridor as well.”

The environmental study, which is the second of a multi-phase process, will include the following:

• Engagement with community stakeholders, public agencies and local governments

• Continued analyses of current corridor conditions

• Presentation of the purpose and need for the project

• Evaluation of design options and the No Build (do nothing) alternative

• Evaluation of potential impacts to the community and environment (e.g., water resources, air quality, noise, threatened and endangered species, historical and archeological resources, land use and parkland)

• Recommendation of a design option or No Build alternative

“Basically, at the end of the study, we will present a preferred alternative, which is a preferred design or it could be we build nothing,” Wheelis said. “So, we present that to the public, we take additional input and then, if we move forward with a project, then we would go into final design and then into construction. But again, that is a ways off, because we don't have the funding for that. In the stage that we're at right now, the environmental, our next step is to do more public outreach … This is an iterative process that takes a little time and we're certainly not anywhere near wrapping this up.”

TxDOT has been working on getting input from the public on the US 290 from Oak Hill to Dripping Springs Environmental Study. And based on the feedback received thus far, TxDOT is continuing to evaluate design options and has extended the study timeline to allow for more community dialogue.

There were two open houses in 2019, one earlier this year in January and another one on June 1. Wheelis said that there are several opportunities for the public to provide input and feedback, including another open house that is anticipated to take place in early 2025.

While Wheelis ensured that there are no definite construction plans yet, as there is no funding attached to any project, some residents are still left hesitant about the future if anything were to move forward following the environmental study.

“My wife and I believe that the project as it is currently proposed would adversely affect our home value. I believe we all know that something has to be done about the traffic on Highway 290 between Oak Hill and Dripping Springs,” said a concerned Dripping Springs, who lives in the Sunset Canyon neighborhood and wished to remain anonymous. “While some believe that the biggest or most comprehensive option should be implemented, it seems like most residents here don't want our town and countryside paved out of existence and that there should be some compromising/downsizing of the project.”

Another resident, Bill Loeb, said that the study is long overdue and it should go all the way to US 281, as there are not enough lanes to be sufficient enough for the current traffic volume and for the coming growth.

“Having the freeway dead end at the east side of Dripping [Springs] is dung beetle dumb,” Loeb said. “It is a concern that they will half-ass it and drag out the inevitable growth, subjecting us to many more years of road cones.”

He added, “Texas seems to always play ‘catch up’ with infrastructure. Get it right and build it for the next 50 years instead of for the next election cycle.”

For those who were unable to attend any of the open houses, there is still time to provide feedback. Input can be submitted for official documentation through Saturday, June 22 — however, Wheelis said that TxDOT will take comments throughout the entire process and they will take them into consideration for the project.

To learn more about the study, and find where to submit comments, visit bit.ly/3VhbnoY.