Big changes are coming to Round Rock's Greenlawn Boulevard, following a unanimous decision by the City Council this past Thursday. The council gave the green light to a project that will see the road expand from four to six lanes in a push to accommodate increasing traffic demands. This development is set to enhance the connective tissue of the city's infrastructure, leading right up to The District, a major new development currently in progress.
The project doesn't stop at the addition of extra lanes. A dedicated 8-foot bicycle path is on the blueprint, too, providing a safe corridor for cyclists along the one-mile stretch of Greenlawn Boulevard, between I-35 and SH 45. The District, a substantial mixed-use space sprawling over 65.5 acres, will integrate seamlessly with Greenlawn Boulevard through six access points, facilitating fluid transit in and out of the area. The contract, sporting a price tag of $13.9 million, has been snatched up by Austin Engineering Co., Inc., reflecting Round Rock's investment in its burgeoning transportation network.
Funding for this expansion is drawn from the city's Transportation and Economic Development Corporation (Type B) sales tax revenues, a pot of money earmarked specifically for improvements like this. As per the details shared by Round Rock's official site, construction is slated to commence this summer with a timeline of roughly 14 months to reach completion.
The benefits of such an expansion could be manifold, easing congestion, improving safety for non-motorized travelers, and likely spurring further economic development in the vicinity of The District. It is a vision of a city that seeks not only to grow, but to do so by paving ways that bind its burgeoning neighborhoods with the veins of thoroughfares designed to beat with the rhythm of progress and prosperity. The reality of these ambitions will of course, hinge on the smooth execution of construction plans in the months to come.
