RM 620 expansion study sent to county court for approval
RM 620 expansion study sent to county court for approval
Written by Mandy Hobby Wednesday, 07 December 2005
A feasibility study on expanding RM 620 was submitted to the Williamson County commissioners’ court for approval, according to Precinct 1 Commissioner, Lisa Birkman.
“It has been submitted for county court viewing, and we are hoping it will come up as an agenda item in December,” Birkman said.
The RM 620 corridor study began last March and it entails finding alternatives to improve safety and mobility throughout 3.5 miles of RM 620 from SH 45 to Deep Wood Drive.
“The study will determine ways to improve a heavily traveled road that many people use and will continue to use,” Connie Watson, Williamson County public information officer, said. “We want to help people not have any longer of a commute than they need to.”
According to Birkman, RM 620 was built to hold approximately 20,000 cars a day. The road is currently holding between 36,400 and 51,100.
The Eye Associates of Central Texas is located off RM 620 on Round Rock Avenue and experiences the congestion every day.
“Most of the time the traffic is stopped and there isn’t even an accident,” Karen Sliva, Eye Associates administrator, said. “Every school year, we see an increase and wonder if this is just how it is now.”
Once the study is approved by the County, RM 620 will undergo an engineering and environmental assessment. Environmental assessment includes the study of the area surrounding proposed construction and this step recently halted a county road project.
“We originally planned to build an extension of Wyoming Springs from RM 620 to SH 45,” Birkman said. “But we were unable to get clearance due to an endangered karst invertebrate (cave-dwelling species) habitat along the proposed route.”
After assessment, construction preparation and actual construction will begin. According to Watson, it is too soon in the process to estimate a construction date.
Williamson County will pay for the initial funding and then be reimbursed by Texas Department of Transportation based on the traffic volume on RM 620.
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