Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that bridges at Hurst Creek and Yaupon creek are already constructed, but may be widened in accordance with the Lakeway Boulevard SUP plan.
Several improvements are on the way for shared use paths, roadways and intersections in Lakeway at locations including Lakeway Boulevard, Wild Cherry Drive, Flint Rock Road and Birrell Street.
At a meeting held May 19, City Council passed a resolution seeking funding from the Texas Department of Transportation for a city project involving pathway improvements to Lakeway Boulevard and widening of two bridges.
Also authorized at the meeting was a development agreement for construction of the new Birrell Street Bridge. Additionally, updated plans were approved for improvements at the intersection of Wild Cherry Drive and Flint Rock Road.
Lakeway Boulevard improvements
The Texas Department of Transportation is planning an expansion of RM 620 which will involve constructing shared-use paths, or SUPs, on either side of the roadway, according to a city resolution.
In coordination with TxDOT’s plan, the city of Lakeway has put forward improvements to the existing Lakeway Boulevard SUP, which will eliminate gaps, improve safety, and connect SUPs on RM 620 to residential areas in Lakeway. Improvements to be studied will include widening bridges at Yaupon Creek and Hurst Creek and extending medians and SUPs, as well as providing safety treatments at certain intersections along Lakeway Boulevard.
In order to fund the project, the city of Lakeway passed a resolution May 21 to apply for assistance through TxDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program for a preliminary engineering study. In total, the city’s local share for construction of new path connections, bridge widening and intersection treatments is estimated at $849,000, according to city documents.
Birrell Street Bridge construction
The city of Lakeway is planning construction of a new bridge that will extend Birrell Street from its current end point at Medical Drive to Lohmans Spur, across from the Lakeway Police Department, according to city documents.
At the city’s May 19 council meeting, members voted to authorize the execution of an agreement with engineering firm Huitt-Zollars for design, bid and construction services needed for the new bridge. In total, the amount will not exceed $575,000.
A previous proposal from Huitt-Zollars was presented at council’s Oct. 21 meeting but was tabled, and a new location for the bridge was later proposed, leading to the May 19 agreement.
Wild Cherry Drive and Flint Rock Road intersection improvements
In 2022, the city of Lakeway identified a need for improvements at the intersection of Wild Cherry Drive and Flint Rock Road, as part of the city’s transportation bond. These improvements included new traffic signals, associated poles, conduits and pedestrian infrastructure, according to city documents.
Revised engineering requirements have resulted in an updated plan, approved at the May 19 council meeting. Improvements will now see the four proposed signal poles with mast arms reduced to two, due to limited space for installation at the intersection, costing $66,752.
