Westminster sidewalks, Bullick Hollow turn lane in $144M county bond package

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

The Travis County Citizens Bond Advisory Committee recommended to the Travis County Commissioners their ideas for a $144 million bond package last week on July 18.

“We have finished our work,” said Brian Thompto, the only Four Points resident on the 15-member CBAC.

The CBAC took months looking at which Travis County road and park projects should be next in line for funding. They were part of 18 committee meetings and six public outreach meetings. The CBAC recommended an allotment of $144 million over the next four years.

This week, it’s the public’s turn to give feedback to the commissioners on the proposed bond package.

“The public gets a chance to tell the commissioners what they think or ask questions,” Thompto said.

The two general areas of the bond are: $58.2 million for roadway capacity, pedestrian safety and bicycle safety projects, and $72.6 million on a separate proposition for parks and conservation easements, Thompto said.

The CBAC recommends that these Four Points and West Travis County projects go to the bond election in November:

  • Right turn lane at Bullick Hollow Road at RM 2769 intersection (estimated $1.1 million),
  • Westminster Glen sidewalk (estimated $1.7 million),
  • Improvements to Circle Drive/Thomas Springs Road for bicycle safety (estimated $6 million),
  • Bee Creek Sports Complex off of US 71 (estimated $21 million),
  • Arkansas Bend Park Phase II on Lake Travis (estimated $5 million).

Other Four Points projects

Within the Four Points area, Thompto said that it is notable that there were two projects the county was able to commit to already. The secondary evacuation point for Steiner Ranch and Montview area which includes an emergency only connection and improvements to address the water crossing at Low Water Crossing Road.

There was an improvement to add a pedestrian beacon at Grimes Ranch Road and Steiner Ranch Boulevard proposed during the public meetings which the county has agreed to utilize existing funds.

Also in the western part of the county, $4.6 million in safety improvements to Hamilton Pool Road were recommended as a priority also using Certificates of Obligation.

The CBAC also recommended another allotment of $90.4 million over the next four years which does not require voter approval to cover safety projects including roadway safety, bridge safety, drainage and stream crossings, and subdivision drainage.

The Travis County Commissioners will vote Aug. 8 on whether to put the $144 million bond package on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The group said it recommended projects based on need. So 39 percent of the funding would go to Precinct 3, which covers the western part of the county, while about 17 percent would go to southeastern Travis County’s Precinct 4. Precinct 1 (East) and Precinct 2 (North-Central) would divide the rest.