Facing a tight deadline, Buda city officials Jan. 18 approved the inclusion of four transportation projects in its application for potential federal funding.
Buda City Engineer John Nett said that the original deadline for the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (CAMPO) project call applications was Jan. 18.
Due to the inclement weather at the beginning of the week, CAMPO allowed Buda an additional day to submit its projects.
Nett said city staff narrowed down their list of potential projects based on prior feedback from city council members to four transportation improvement projects.
Those projects would be scored by CAMPO based on performance measures, cost/benefit to the city and project readiness for the possibility of federal funding.
Nett identified the four proposed projects as the Cabelas connector, the Main Street and RM 967 intersection improvements, the West Goforth Road improvements and a pedestrian and bicycle path connecting FM 2001 to Overpass Road.
Council members gave direction earlier in the month to include the Cabelas connector in its application as that project could not be included in the 2014 bond projects.
The connector road, which was identified as a two-lane connector road spanning 0.3 miles between Cabelas Drive and West Goforth Road, could provide more efficient north-south movement, according to the city’s application.
The connector would create a “backage road for and direct route to IH-35, reducing the vehicle miles traveled and creating redundancy in the system,” according to the city’s application.
Buda’s proposed Cabelas connector would also include curb and gutter, storm sewer drainage, bike lanes, sidewalks and additional turn lanes.
The application states that if the project were selected by CAMPO, it would be constructed in 2021 for a total of $1.84 million. Buda would foot 20 percent of the construction cost, which would amount to $368,000.
Other projects include the Main Street and FM 967 intersection improvements, which are a part of Proposition 3 of the city’s 2014 bond initiative.
The scope of the Main Street project includes widening of the existing roadway to provide turn lanes, widen sidewalks, provide signage and striping for pedestrian safety and reconstruct the existing diagonal parking.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $1,730,000; Buda city leaders approved a 30 percent match, which amounts to $346,000 of the overall cost.
The third project submitted to CAMPO for federal funding is the West Goforth improvements project, which will reconstruct 6,200 feet of West Goforth Road as a two-lane collector with curb and gutter, storm sewer, bike lanes and sidewalks.
The intersection of Main St. and West Goforth Rd. will be reconstructed to “enhance safety, resolve rail crossing conflicts and channelize traffic movements,” according to the application.
If the project is selected for federal funds, Buda would be responsible for $1.62 million of the $8 million project.
Buda officials also included a pedestrian multi-use path connecting Overpass Road to FM 2001, a $500,000 project, into its CAMPO application.
The city would be responsible for $100,000 for the multi-use path project, which is 20 percent of the cost.
CAMPO will make a decision on application in June.
Buda's submissions for CAMPO funds
FM 2001
Construct a 10’ wide multi-use path along the east side of FM 2001 to connect to existing sidewalks along Overpass Rd and proposed sidewalks located along Old Goforth Rd.
Total Project Cost: $500,000
Requested Funding: $400,000
Cabela’s Connector
Construct a 2-Lane Collector for approximately 0.3 miles between Cabelas Dr and West Goforth Rd with curb and gutter, storm sewer drainage, bicycle lanes, sidewalks and turn lanes at intersections with Cabelas Dr and West Goforth Rd.
Total Project Cost: $1,842,000
Requested Funding: $1,473,600
FM 967-Main Street
Widen roadway to provide dedicated left turn lanes, extend right turn lane, widen and construct sidewalks, reconstruct existing parking, intersection enhancements, relocate traffic signal poles and improve crosswalks.
Total Project Cost: $1,730,000
Requested Funding: $1,384,000
West Goforth
Reconstruct 6,200 feet of West Goforth Rd as a 2-lane collector with curb and gutter, storm sewer, bike lanes and sidewalks. Enhance safety at intersection of Main St and West Goforth Rd.
Total Project Cost: $8,079,376.00
Requested Funding: $6,463,500.00
