Round Rock's traffic landscape is set to shift as the Old Settlers Boulevard Extension project progresses, promising to alleviate the vehicular pressure on Highway 79. As reported by the City of Round Rock's official news, this extension will push Old Settlers Boulevard eastward past Red Bud Lane all the way to County Road 110, facilitating easier commutes as of spring next year.
The construction, which began last year, is not a small feat; spanning nearly a mile in length, it introduces a four-lane, divided pathway, hoping to ease the community's daily grind. In the hopes of bolstering Round Rock's connectivity, the project will also include a 10-foot shared-use path on one side and, starting its service across McNutt Creek, will be flanked by twin bridges. A sidewalk will also grace the other side, along with a traffic signal and crosswalk at the intersection with CR 110.
While the anticipated cost is looming at $23.4 million, the funding for the road development emerges from a collaborative pool. City-issued bonds, the Williamson County Road Bond Program, and a crucial fragment from the City of Round Rock’s half-cent sales tax for roads – these are the financial conduits that make the extension possible. As the project scaffolds into existence, visions of a future linkage to State Highway 130 hang just over the horizon, even though for now, the extension is tasked with a more immediate mandate - bandage the transit woes facing Highway 79.
Residents of the Sienna subdivision and those frequenting Old Settlers Park stand to gain much from this infrastructure endeavor. They will witness the convenience of an east-west connection laid out just outside their front doors, ushering in not just paths but possibilities – the sweet promise of shorter, smoother journeys. According to the City of Round Rock's announcement, the broadened roadway is the city’s answer to the present throngs and a step towards embracing the future's inevitable swell of motorists that will seek passage through Round Rock's evolving thoroughfares.
