Beginning in September 2011, the City of Round Rock is implementing a $58 million, 5-year program to address traffic needs with a comprehensive set of projects. The new plan targets everything from improving access to the interstate to rehabbing major arterial roads.

Transportation staff identified key problem areas, and presented a series of solutions to the Round Rock City Council at its August planning retreat. The City Council, after providing guidance on timing and priorities, signed off on the program. The 5-year program is flexible, and new projects will be added to it as work is completed and funds allow. It will be updated annually.

Transportation improvement program gets cranked up
Significant progress has been made on more than half a dozen projects as of January 2012, and we want to keep you up to date with a series of quarterly updates on the program, which is funded by the City’s half-cent sales tax for economic development (often referred to as the “Type B” sales tax, after the state law that defines its use.)

It’s worth recalling the program put forward a dozen projects to improve traffic flows and connectivity. Below are the problem areas with a synopsis of the work that is under way. Links take you to the project details:

1. IH 35 corridor deficiencies, most notably on-ramp and off-ramp locations. Late last year the City received 20 responses from engineering firms to design the change to ramp locations between U.S. 79 and FM 3406. This project will make it safer for motorists accessing the interstate as well as improve access to businesses along the frontage road. Because the interstate is managed by the Texas Department of Transportation, a funding agreement with that agency is required – that was approved at the Jan. 26 City Council meeting. Construction is expected to start in 2015, last 18 months and cost $8.5 million.
2. North-south connections west of IH 35. The City Council approveed an engineering contract Jan. 26 to design the extension of Creek Bend Boulevard over Brushy Creek to the intersection of Brightwater Boulevard and Wyoming Springs Drive. Construction is expected to start in 2014, last 18-24 months and cost $8 million.
3. Intersection/corridor efficiency, in particular traffic signal timing and lack of dedicated right turn lanes. A consulting engineer was hired late last year to develop a plan to improve traffic signal timing and synchronization. We expect to begin implementing the plan this spring, with the University Boulevard and Louis Henna Boulevard (SH 45) corridors first, followed by Gattis School Road and Old Settlers Boulevard. We are designing improvements to the IH 35/FM 3406 intersection to add right turn lanes and improve turn lane capabilities along FM 3406. Work on relieving additional intersection bottlenecks will continue over the next 24 months after contracts with five local engineering firms were approved at the Jan. 26 City Council meeting.
4. East-west routes west of IH 35, especially where there are at-grade railroad crossings. The at-grade railroad crossing on RM 620 at Chisholm Trail Road causes significant traffic backups when a train is crossing and severely limits access to Round Rock High School, St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center and other destinations. A bridge will be built over the railroad track. The City’s consultant is addressing TxDOT comments on the project’s early design and work is ongoing with regard to public involvement. A public hearing is expected in February or March and an environmental review process is ongoing for the entire corridor.
5. Rehabilitation of major arterial roads. Bids were received in January for the rehabilitation of streets in La Frontera, and construction should begin in late February or early March; design and survey work is under way to improve flows on Mays Street from Brushy Creek to the railroad overpass; and the City Council approved an engineering contract in January to wrap up the improvements to streets and sidewalks in Southwest Downtown.

Other projects of interest
Progress is being made on developing a Railroad Quiet Zone along the Union Pacific line, most notably adjacent to the Round Rock West neighborhood. A design firm has been selected, with a contract scheduled for City Council approval in early February. 

Last but certainly not least, progress on this season’s street maintenance program continues in identified neighborhoods and should be finished this spring.

While all of these problem areas are within the City’s jurisdiction to address, we will need to partner with the Texas Department of Transportation on some of the proposed solutions. We anticipate that costs will be shared by other agencies on some projects.

Transportation staff analyzed and ranked problem areas and proposed solutions that are both technically sound and affordable, i.e., within the projected revenue stream of the half-cent Type B sales tax. Type B denotes the state law that stipulates the uses for this sales tax, which is for the promotion of economic development.

Round Rock voters in 1997 approved the half-cent sales tax and limited its use to major road and transportation projects, i.e., those that impacted economic development. Since that time, the City has leveraged the $115 million of Type B revenue into $376 million worth of projects by partnering with the Texas Department of Transportation, Williamson County and private developers.

The 5-year program does not include $30 million of ongoing Type B sales tax funded transportation projects, like a new north-south arterial east of IH 35 (Kenney Fort Boulevard) and the widening of Chisholm Trail Road north of FM 3406. Even with the new 5-year program and the existing projects, the City anticipates maintaining an $8-10 million fund balance for the Type B sales tax fund.

We welcome your questions or comments on the program via our Decision Points blog or by email to Transportation Director Gary Hudder.

Questions and answers from the October 26, 2011 Open House and a presentation (2.8 MB PDF) about the program are also available online.