Karen Huber County Commissioner: Precinct Three Report

Lake Travis View

News Report
Road Gives Lakeway Access to Texas 71
February 18, 2010

By Devin Monk

For months, days of rain have thwarted Legend Communities’ push to open Highlands Boulevard, a two-mile stretch of roadway through western Lakeway that by connecting Rough Hollow Drive to Bee Creek Road provides an outlet to Texas 71 and relieves traffic congestion on Ranch Road 620.

Despite some setbacks, the development firm celebrated the official opening of the much-anticipated 30 mph connector on time and on budget with a ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 11 on one of the road’s two bridges. The road opened to traffic Feb. 6.

“It basically connects the Hill Country with Lakeway. The best of both worlds get to enjoy each others amenities — business, shopping, water activities — without making that detour to [RR] 620. We now have a direct pipeline to the Hill Country,” said Al Sommers, spokesperson for Legend Communities.

Principal developer Haythem Dawlett opened Highlands Boulevard in a light drizzle with Pct. 3 County Commissioner Karen Huber, Lakeway Mayor Dave DeOme, Bee Cave Council member Mike Murphy, Lakeway City Manager Steve Jones and other civic and business dignitaries commemorating the occasion.

Travis County contributed $2.2 million to the $7.7 million project cost, a component instrumental to finishing the second phase of the road in less than 12 months. The first phase of Highlands Boulevard, which was completed in March 2006 for $1.5 million, extended from Lakeway Boulevard to Rough Hollow Drive.

“The road would have been built eventually, but we would have had to build it in bits and pieces and could have taken up to eight to 10 years [to complete]. This way, the road was accelerated tremendously,” Dawlett said.

Lakeway, Bee Cave and Lake Travis ISD shared an interest in seeing the road completed sooner to relieve Texas 71 and RR 620 of traffic and cut down on commute times. Previously, school buses would have to fight traffic on a circuitous route from 71, up RR 620 and through Lakeway to reach Serene Hills Elementary School.

Legend Communities had a vested interest in opening the road to connect to its development in Rough Hollow that includes plans for 1,400 single-family lots, 330 condominium units, 35 acres zoned for commercial development, 10 acres zone for a hotel and more than 300 acres of parks and green space. It also features The Grille at Rough Hollow and yacht club.
Originally, Legend Communities planned for 3,000 residential lots but scaled its vision to 1,650 to 1,750 planned units, which reduced its impervious cover impact.

“It’s a better quality project now. It’s a better use and stewardship of the land,” Dawlett said.
Highlands Boulevard, which features two bridges, weaves through hilly terrain that required retaining walls to stabilize the earth. When another road section in the development on Rough Hollow Drive gave way because of oversaturation during heavy rains, Lakeway officials required more stabilizing walls be constructed along the road before the city would accept it into its road system.

City Manager Jones said the convenience of the road would outweigh some residents’ concerns about cut through traffic and cited its slow speed limit and number of intersections and lanes.

When Serene Hills Drive opens, it also will serve as a vital link to Texas 71. Jones said the road will pose more of a cut-through risk, but its slower speed and intersections will likely deter drivers looking for a shortcut.

“With the stops and speed I don’t think it will be that big a concern,” he said. “It will be a huge benefit to the school district because the buses won’t have to take that long circuitous route [to Serene Hills Elementary].”

Serene Hills has been complete for several months, but Texas Department of Transportation is requiring deceleration lanes and turn lanes where it intersects with Texas 71. Lakeway secured a federal stimulus grant from Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization to fund the project.

Jones said the contractor would mobilize equipment this week and begin construction on Serene Hills the first week of March. Barring extensive weather delays, he said the road should be finished in three months.

TxDOT has already approved a traffic signal for the intersection with parts already on hand, but a traffic study would need to find to find one is warranted there before it is installed.
“The road is good to go, but we just have to get that intersection reconfigured and we’ll open it as soon as we can,” he said.

Link to the original article online.