October 27th, 2008
City of San Marcos channel: Council endorses road bonds

From the city of San Marcos

The San Marcos city council Tuesday unanimously voted to endorse the $207 million Hays County Road Bond proposition on the Nov. 4 election ballot.

The Hays County road bond proposes the sale of $207 million to finance the construction of state and local roads across Hays County.

Projects funded with pass-through financing from the Texas Department of Transportation total $148 million, with $133 million of that amount to be reimbursed by TxDOT. Some $59 million is allocated in the road bonds for Hays County-priority projects.

The road bond proposition includes $18 million for the construction of FM 110 from McCarty Lane to State Highway 123. The City of San Marcos and Hays County entered into an agreement in April on the roadway project that will be part of the eastern loop around San Marcos.

County Commissioner Jeff Barton of Kyle presented highlights to the City Council at Tuesday’s meeting. He cited the fast pace of growth in Hays County, serious congestion on state and local roads, safety issues and improved mobility as reasons for the road bond program.

A citizen Bond Advisory Committee of Hays County residents recommended the road bond projects,

Projects that would be funded by the TxDOT-Hays County pass-through financing agreement include:

• FM 1626 (from Fm 967 to FM 2770)
• FM 1626 (from Bliss Spillar Road to FM 967)
• FM 110—From I-35 to State Highway 123 (phase I—from I-35 to future McCarty Road; Phase 2, from future McCarty Road to SH 123)
• U.S. 290 (Nutty Brown Road to Trautwein Road)
• I-35 (Kyle Crossing to Kyle Parkway; FM 150 realignment; FM 150 to 1626 ramps and southbound frontage roads); and FM 2001 (frontage road connector)

Hays County priority roads included in the bond proposal include:

• U.S. Highway 290 (Ranch Road 12 to McGregor center turn lane, improved shoulders)
• Ranch Road 12 (Wonder World Drive, Sports Park Drive, Wimberley business district, junction with RR 32 at Wimberley Junction, environmental studies, Hugh Road, Sink Creek low water crossing)
• RM 1826 (selected intersections, turn lane safety)
• FM 2325 (Fischer Store to Carney Lane)
• Old Bastrop Highway (Center Point Road to Francis Harris Lane)
• State Highway 21 (selected intersections and safety improvements)
• Dacy Lane (Bebee to Windy Hill engineering and right of way)
• Post Road (San Marcos city limits to Yarrington railroad overpass engineering, design)
• FM 1626 /Lakewood Drive (low water crossing and intersection)
• FM 967/ Ruby Ranch Road (safety improvements)

The city council resolution urges voters to support the road bond proposition November 4.