Potential federal dollars for recommended Austin area transportation projects, including those for Buda and Kyle, are at stake Monday as the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) board begins its review process.
The regional transportation planning organization aims to improve mobility in Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson Counties and ensures an equal distribution of transportation systems. On Monday, the board will take a look at projects from the six counties that have been proposed to receive federal funding during the 2019- 2022 period.
Kyle City Manager Scott Sellers said a proposed rail siding relocation could be discussed by the CAMPO board. The rail siding relocation would ease congestion downtown and improve mobility and safety.
“We think it’s a great project, because it will free up congestion on Main Street and South Street and it will be a safety enhancement,” he said.
Currently, when trains are stopped across Center Street, the Department of Public Safety can be separated from Interstate 35, which has been an issue for police responding to a call, Sellers said. He has also seen people try to walk between train cars to get across, or try to weave their cars between the train gates to try to get across the train tracks at the last second.
“By moving (the rail siding station) away from those crossings, we’ll eliminate those unsafe situations,” Sellers said.
Buda has four projects still in the running, two of which are studies, City Engineer John Nett said.
The two studies would take a look at potential projects such as improving the intersection at FM 1626 and RM 967, and a study into linking the high-growth areas of Buda and South Austin together through connecting FM 1626 and State Highway 45 to I-35, or the Garlic Creek Parkway Corridor.
A project the city hopes to be approved is a potential bike and hike path trail along Overpass Road from the Old Goforth Road improvements into Downtown Buda, as well as a project to relieve a traffic bottleneck at the FM 967 and Main Street intersection by installing dedicated turn and through lanes.
“We are optimistic about our projects going forward,” Nett said.
The Monday, April 9 Transportation Policy Board meeting will start at 6 p.m. in downtown Austin. It will be live streamed at www.campotexas.org/livestream.
