By RICH KEITH, Four Points News
Texas Department of Transportation officials met recently with local officials and discussed the shortened dual-turn lanes at the congested RM-620 and RM-2222 intersection as well as a potential new bypass option.
TxDOT met with representatives from Texas Rep.Todd Workman’s office, Travis County Precinct 2 Commissioner Bruce Todd’s office, and the Steiner Ranch Neighborhood Association’s founders including president Brian Thompto.
The meeting was a followup between officials and neighborhoods toward finding solutions to the ever-growing traffic volume and congestion experienced daily in Four Points and along the entire RM-620 corridor from TX 71 to Lakeline Mall.
Dual right-turn lanes
The officials revisited the contentions RM-620 dual right-turn lane issue. As reported previously in the Four Points News, traffic engineers originally planned a 470-foot long double lanes, but decided to shorten it to 320 feet after businesses at the intersection complained to TxDOT their roadway access in and out of RM-620 could be reduced. The agency agreed, shortening the lanes to a point before the driveway entrance.
After receiving a high volume of complaints from the community, county officials and Sen. Kirk Watson’s office, TxDOT promised to revisit the turn lane issue to see if alternate designs could be made to work better than the current situation. TxDOT promised to report back on their findings.
“Everyone at this meeting agreed the turn lanes should be longer to support the maximum queuing,” said SRNA’s Thompto, pointing to their limited effectiveness at peak travel times.
For their part, TxDOT is trying to find ways to ensure customers can get into and out of the driveways for the businesses at the intersection, which include a pharmacy and a bank among others.
“SRNA’s position is that while sometimes it is indeed tough to make a left into or out from RM-620, this is only bad during peak travel times,” Thompto said. “We understand TxDOT is trying to preserve a win-win,” he said.
SRNA is urging TxDOT to continue to put into perspective the number of actual drivers who would be affected by driveway access versus the number of drivers who use the heavily-traveled intersection each day.
TxDOT records show 46,000 drivers head southbound on RM-620 every day, 34,000 cars head north on RM-620, 35,000 cars enter the intersection going west on RM-2222.
TxDOT first evaluated how access to the businesses could be made from RM-2222. While right turns in-out are feasible today, left turns in-out from RM-2222 range from problematic to impossible, according to reports.
“This realization caused the process to stall,” Thompto said, adding that other ideas have come forward. TxDOT is evaluating nearby or adjacent properties as part of a potential option for traffic relief. The potential solutions are being looked at for workability, according to reports.
A new option: bypass
During the meeting the idea surfaced of a bypass road which could potentially “cut the corner” between northbound RM-620 and RM-2222. Similar to how the Bee Cave Parkway connects Bee Cave Road and RM-620 at the Hill Country Galleria, this road could alleviate a tremendous amount of pressure at the intersection.
The path identified follows the power line corridor which exists today on county land. Beginning at a point just south of BBQ Outfitters the path would connect to RM-2222, emerging near the area around Cooke’s Automotive.
“The county said they would contact a few property owners,” Thompto said, adding the county must also check on what utilities are under the path or on the path today.
Thompto says this nascent idea may take years to accomplish if it ever happens. “This would be a super win-win option for TxDOT and the community if it can be made to work,” he said.