Buda city leaders are now on the clock when it comes to submitting possible transportation projects to be considered for the 2019-2022 Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (CAMPO) project call.
If Buda doesn’t submit an application by Jan. 18, the city must wait another four years until the next project call for federal funding.
Council members were first informed of the project call at their Dec. 5 meeting and they discussed six possible projects for submission.
Any projects submitted would be in competition with other municipalities for federal transportation funding.
Council members were unanimous that the much-debated Cabela’s connector project should be included in the project call. The connector would help alleviate traffic coming into Buda via Cabela’s Drive.
According to Buda City Engineer John Nett, CAMPO received $400 million from the federal government to disburse to municipalities across the state for shovel-ready transportation improvements.
CAMPO scores submitted projects based on a variety of criteria. If a project is selected, municipalities must pay a 20 percent match in order to receive federal funding. CAMPO would cover 80 percent of the project cost.
Buda Mayor George Haehn said Dec. 5 if the projects were not submitted to CAMPO during the project call, they would be less likely to get funding from CAMPO at a later date.
Nett proposed several possible projects that could be submitted to CAMPO.
Council members were unanimous that the much-debated Cabela’s connector project should be included in the project call.
The connector would help alleviate traffic coming into Buda via Cabela’s Drive.
City council members asked staff to highlight three additional projects at the Dec. 5 meeting.
Those included the RM 967 and Main Street intersection improvements, the West Goforth roadway improvements and bicycle and pedestrian improvements on FM 2001.
According to city documentation, the RM 967 at Main Street intersection improvements would consist of reconstructing through lanes and turning lanes to promote increased traffic flow along RM 967. The project would also reconstruct sidewalks and connect them to the greenbelt trails.
The proposed RM 967 at Main Street intersection is projected to cost $1.3 to $2.5 million. It is also included in the 2013 Transportation Master Plan Update and the 2015 Downtown Master Plan.
West Goforth Road improvements have a cost ranging from $6 to $12 million and would consist of reconstructing the road to a collector grade street and enhancing safety and mobility and adding traffic signals in the area.
Nett said the Goforth Road project would increase mobility between I-35 and downtown Buda.
Bicycle and pedestrian improvements on FM 2001, at a cost $300,000 to $500,000, consists of constructing a 10- to 12-foot wide bicycle and pedestrian path along the right-of-way.
Buda City Council could make a decision on potentially submitting projects to CAMPO Jan. 2.
