CIP Open House lays out future transportation plans for county

LPR staff

Capital Improvement Plan Open Houses were held Saturday in Lockhart and Tuesday in Luling regarding how to best address and meet the needs to the updates to highways and major thoroughfares in Caldwell County as growth continues.  

American Structure Point, hired by Caldwell County, hosted the Open House events.

Among the items addressed included:

What is Capital Improvement Plan?

Lays out the financing, location, and timing for capital improvement projects over several years. A CIP typically consists of one or more capital improvement projects, which are financed through a capital budget, or county bonds.

What is a Capital Improvement Project?

Any major improvement to county facilities, or infrastructure. In the case of this plan, Caldwell County is looking specifically at transportation projects. This could include improvements to existing roadways, new construction of roads, improvements to bridges, or low water crossings, or trail and sidewalk construction.

County Population

According to Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) estimates, Caldwell County is on track to grow in population from 42,817 to 104,000 by 2045, a 243 percent increase.

Additionally, CAMPO estimates that the number of jobs in the county will grow by 206 percent over a 30-year period from 16,692 jobs in 2015 to 51,000 jobs in 2045.

Regional Growth

Population forecasting developed by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) estimates that the six-county region will more than double in population by 2045 to nearly 4.7 million residents.

Roadway projects

San Antonio Street (SH 142) Corridor Study, from Colorado Street (US 183) to SH 130 — 2.7 miles. Estimated cost $41.1 million. General project description: Perform Corridor Study of project limits to assess needed improvements. Roadway improvements are anticipated to be 3-lane urban section from Colorado Street to Borchert Drive and transition to a 5-lane section for remainder of project limits to SH 130.

Borchert Drive/Loop, from W. San Antonio Street to SH 142 — 3.7 miles. Estimated cost of $46.6 million. Reconstructing existing roadway to expand to a 3-lane section. This includes expanding the bridge over SH 130, and bridges at Boggy Creek and Clear Fork of Plum Creek crossings.

City Line Road, from W. San Antonio Street to FM 20 — 1.9 miles. Estimated cost of $22.3 million. Reconstruct existing roadway to expand to a 3-lane section. Safety improvements at Maple Street intersection to accommodate Lockhart Junior High School traffic. This would include eliminating the offset in the Maple Street intersection.

SH 142, SH 80 to SH 130 — 6.3 miles. Estimated cost of $111 million. Project is a 4-lane arterial section with center median, and left turn lanes would be provided at intersecting streets. Includes bridge and cross culvert. Prepare the construction drawings/plans and prepare the final environmental to get the project ready for bidding. Construction funding would likely require state or federal funds. 

SH 142 (Alternate), Borchert Loop to Windsor Drive — 2.4 miles. Estimated cost of $46.2 million.

Project is a four-lane divided arterial section with center median, and left turn lanes would be provided at intersecting street. Includes bridge and cross culvert.  Prepare the construction drawing/plans and perform final environmental permitting to get the project ready for bidding. Construction funding would likely require state or federal funds. Project addresses congestion in the vicinity of SH 130.

FM 20 realignment, S. Medina Street to S. Commerce Street — 1.1 miles. Estimated cost of $16.2 million. Realignment of FM 20 in the vicinity of Lockhart high school to match alignment of blackjack Street at S. Colorado St. Roadway would be expanded to a three lane section to include a center left turn lane. Intersections of country Drive and existing State Park Road (FM 20) would be realigned to intersect the new FM 20 alignment.

William Pettus Road, SH 21 to SH 142 — 4.1 miles. Estimated cost of $96.8 million. Project is a varying 5-lane undivided and 4-lane devoted arterial section with center median, and left turn lanes at intersecting streets. Bridge over railroad and new alignment southeast of railroad crossing. Prepare the construction drawings/plans and perform final environmental permitting to get the project ready for bidding. Construction funding would likely require state or federal funds.

Truck Bypass (Luling), SH 80 to Pierce Street — 1.3 miles. Estimated cost of $26.3 million. New alignment roadway beginning at SH 80 consisting of two lanes and shoulders with bridge spanning the railroad track and connecting to W. Pierce St. on the west side of looming. Project is intended as a truck bypass to limit the large truck through town.

US 183 (E. Pierce St.), Turn Lane Addition, from Magnolia Avenue to Plum Creek — 3 miles. Estimated cost of $72.8 million. Re-striping and widening to add center turn lane as safety improvement. Prepare the construction drawing/plans and perform final environmental permit to get the project ready for bidding. Construction funding would likely require state or federal funds.

SH 80 (Segment 1) Schematic and Environmental, from County Line to SH 142 — 3.8 miles, Estimated cost of $96.7 million. Prepare schematic and perform environmental services study of project limits to assess needed improvements.

SH 80 (Segment 2), from SH 142 to SH 130 — 5.5 miles. Estimated cost of $139 million. Prepare schematic and perform environmental services study of project limits to assess needed improvements.

SH 80 (Segment 3), from SH 130 to Magnolia Avenue (Luling) — 10.7 miles. Estimated cost of $269 million. Prepare schematic and perform environmental services study of project limits to assess needed improvements.

Bridges and low-water crossing projects

In addition to Improvement and expansions, the county is considering two buckets of related but distinct public safety projects. These two projects — work on bridges and on low-water crossings — include projects all across the county to improve safety and mobility, and minimize flood hazards. Engineers are working for the county identified bridges and low-water crossings most in need of upgrades

There are four bridge replacement locations with an estimated cost of $19.8 million. Bridges were rated as the highest priorities for replacement, using a ranking system from Caldwell County study using CDBG grant funds. The locations are the top five priority culverts or bridges:

Bridges:

1 — CR 227 (Rocky Road) at Brushy Creek

2 – CR 233 (Polonia Road) at Plum Creek

3 – CR 111 (Political Road) at Dickeson Creek

4 – CR 109 (Black Ankle Road) at Dry Branch

Low-water Crossings:

1 – CR 205 (Seawillow) at Plum Creek Branch.

2 – CR 140 (Wattsville) at Copperas Creek

3 – CR 183 (Old Lytton Springs Road) at Dry Creek

4 – CR 133 (Ivy Switch Road) at McNeil Creek

5 – CR 182 (Dry Creek Road) at Dry Creek

How do they pay for the projects:

Counties and cities often use general obligation bonds for capital improvement projects like roads, parks, and public facilities. The bonds must be approved by voters in a general election.

Caldwell County Commissioners Court has until Monday, Aug. 19 to decide whether to put some or all of these projects on the Nov. 5 election ballot.

If commissioners put these projects on the ballot and they ae approved by voters, bonds would be sold to investors and backed by the full faith and credit of Caldwell County’s AA- bond rating. General obligation bonds are paid off using county property taxes.