Key roadway drives forward
Round Rock group kicks in $10M for SH 45; CAMPO gives major nod

Roadblocks have been removed for the north and south portions of State Highway 45 -- a project considered critical to economic development in Central Texas.

The Round Rock Transportation System Development Corp. upped the amount of money it intends to earmark for SH 45 North by $10 million, bringing its total contribution to $30 million. The decision means funding for right-of-way within Round Rock's city limits no longer should be an issue. Also, the Capital Metropolitan Planning Organization's policy advisory committee has reversed a course it had been considering by voting not to delay a portion of SH 45 South connecting FM 1626 with I-35, near Buda, until SH 130 opens. That section is the same one the Austin City Council voted to delete from its transportation plan.

Both portions of SH 45 are proposed to connect with MoPac Expressway and SH 130, ultimately forming a loop around the Austin area. SH 45 and SH 130 are scheduled to be completed by 2007, according to CAMPO's transportation plan. SH 45 North is proposed as a 17-mile toll road at a cost of $685 million, according to CAMPO. SH 45 South, much of which is proposed as a toll road, would cost $160 million, according to CAMPO. SH 45 South has been a bone of contention among the Save Our Springs Alliance, the Austin City Council and business people such as real estate developer Gary Bradley. In addition to voting not to delay any of SH 45 South, the CAMPO committee decided to provide an undetermined amount of funding to accelerate construction of the part of SH 45 South that runs east of I-35. A CAMPO representative says the money will aid the success of SH 130.

Business executives such as Bradley and a representative of Indianapolis-based retail developer Simon Property Group Inc. are thrilled with the decisions regarding SH 45. Bradley says it's time Central Texas put politics and personal problems aside and take constructive steps to solve the area's transportation problems. Bradley is affiliated with a company that owns land near Buda that will become more accessible when SH 45 opens.

On the other hand, SOS Executive Director Bill Bunch says he thinks SH 45 South will lead to more development and, therefore, will harm environmentally sensitive areas. Bunch says SOS will continue to oppose SH 45 South. "If CAMPO is going to throw some money at it, even it's for the eastern part, it's helping the whole thing," Bunch says. Bunch says he takes issue with recommendations made by CAMPO's staff that found "no discernible" effects will be felt on MoPac if the full SH 45 South is built. Bunch says previous studies by consultants painted a different picture, noting MoPac would be turned into a bypass for I-35 if SH 45 South were finished before SH 130 opens. "On one hand, you say the road is very much needed, but on other hand say no one will use it. You can't have it both ways. Either there is a serious need ... and it will funnel a lot of traffic onto MoPac, or it won't and therefore we don't need it," Bunch says.

Alison Schulze, assistant director of CAMPO, says the consultants -- known as the Loop 1-US 193 Special Committee -- did find MoPac would experience more traffic if SH 45 is completed before SH 130. However, Schulze also says the team spent only one week on its analysis, which was why CAMPO's staff was asked to do a more complete study. Schulze says the CAMPO committee ultimately voted 16-3 in favor of not delaying any portion of SH 45 South. Austin City Council members Daryl Slusher and Will Wynn as well as Travis County Commissioner Karen Sonleitner voted for the delay. Slusher has said the full SH 45 South project would violate Austin's Smart Growth philosophy.

Bradley says he thinks the CAMPO vote now shows consensus has been formed in support of all of SH 45 South. He credits the additional research done by the group's staff. "When everybody thoroughly understood the issue, then I think it was pretty obvious as to the correct course of action," Bradley says.

A Simon representative says CAMPO's vote might benefit a 200-acre, mixed-use project being planned for an area which would connect with SH 45 South. "It's important for us to chose a location where people can get to us. Roads, generally, are positive things," says Tom Schneider, senior vice president of development for Simon. Schneider also says he thinks it is high time Austin build a transportation loop such as the one that would be created by SH 45 and SH 130. That loop will become more of a reality thanks to action recently taken by a Round Rock transportation group.

Mike Robinson, a board member of Round Rock Transportation System Development, says SH 45 North will help people move through "one of highest sales tax-generating intersections in the state." Robinson refers to the Round Rock intersection of I-35 and FM 1325, which is teeming with retail and commercial development. The development group decided to boost funding, Robinson says, because that portion of SH 45 North happens to sit within both the Round Rock limits and the Travis County limits. "Travis County doesn't buy right-of-way within city limits, so it kind of left a void," Robinson says. "It's just the way we do business in Round Rock. We want to keep this project going, so it was just time for us to belly up and come up with the $10 million."