By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News
Never before has so much momentum been built for real improvements to address traffic congestion in Four Points, but local traffic advocates Brian Thompto and Pam Waggoner want to make sure residents know how to best back the most timely initiatives currently underway. They want to maximize the traction gained last week when a local reader brought up seemingly simple traffic fixes to the traffic issues in an opinion column.
The $720 million transportation bond is one timely initiative on the table that will be on the November ballot. In the next couple of weeks, Austin City Council members will be working on the language that can determine allocations for specific projects like the multi-prong, RM 620 and RM 2222 solution that could make significant changes to improve Four Points traffic flow.
Another initiative is adding a second road to Vandegrift High School, a proposal that is awaiting approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Last week, Four Points News ran Mike Beal’s point of view on the opinion page about another idea about how to fix the local traffic issues that would involve a 3,500 foot road to Vandegrift.
Thompto and Waggoner said they wanted a chance to address, amplify and clarify the points made by Beal and encourage the community to get involved at this critical juncture.
Thompto is the Steiner Ranch Neighborhood Association chairman and co-founder and the West Austin Chamber of Commerce (formerly Four Points Chamber of Commerce) director of community relations and mobility.
Waggoner is the Four Points Traffic Committee founder and Leander ISD Board of Trustees vice president.
The following is their response including background and updates on the two local initiatives underway to help alleviate traffic issues in Four Points.