The approval came after the project received a long-awaited biological opinion on the project’s second phase from U.S. Fish and Wildlife in December, Williamson County Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said.
“We have reached a milestone on that project from an environmental standpoint,” Covey said. “We’re not through yet, we’re not ready to break ground yet, but we’ve passed a big hurdle.”
The project has been planned for several years but was held up by a lack of funding and an extensive environmental review process, she said.
“That’s why [it] is so important that we got this [biological opinion] done,” she said. “We are able to move forward.”
The first segment—from about 1 mile south of the Bell County line to just south of Florence—broke ground in April and is expected to cost $39.2 million, which was less than original estimates, TxDOT Austin District Engineer Carlos Lopez said. Construction is expected to be completed in February 2014.
The final environmental clearance will allow the county to move forward with purchasing right of way and moving utilities for Phase 2 of the project, which spans from 3.4 miles south of Hwy. 138 to 9.27 miles south of Hwy. 138. Phase 2 is expected to be let out to bid sometime in early 2013 and cost $29.9 million, Lopez said. However, Covey said the county is trying to expedite that process.
“We have the green light to go buy right of way and move utilities in that area,” Covey said. “From my perspective, we are pushing it to happen as quickly as possible. The county’s portion of buying right of way and moving utilities—we are pushing it as quickly as we can, and we will expedite it.”
Phase 3 of the project, from the southern portion of Phase 2 to I-35, is expected to be bid in fall 2012, and is estimated to cost $21.2 million.
Construction on phases 2 and 3 is expected to last 24 to 30 months, Lopez said.
The project’s funding, about $93 million, comes from Proposition 14 bond money, approved in 2003 and reauthorized in 2007, Lopez said. The bond money is backed by federal and state highway funds. Williamson County commissioners also approved $10 million–$12 million to help pay for right of way acquisition, utilities and consultant costs.
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