On August 29, Hays county, in partnership with the city of Buda held their final open house in Buda for local residents to review and comment on the feasibility study to design and construct an extension of SH 45 between IH-35 and FM 1626.
The first open house took place on June 15, 2023, when the study was introduced to the public. A second open house was held on December 7, 2023, to share preliminary route concepts and gather public feedback. Input from these sessions has been used to further develop the preliminary route concept.
The feasibility study explores closing a critical 'gap' in the SH 45 highway system, connecting SH 45 SW in Hays and Travis counties to SH 45, east of Interstate 35. The proposed extension would pass through several large tracts of land in Buda and Manchaca.
The need for the study was identified in the 2021 Hays Transportation Plan and in the larger CAMPO 2045 Regional Transportation Plan.
CAMPO, which stands for the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties. MPOs are federally required throughout the country in areas with a population of 50,000 or more and are required to produce a 20+ year transportation plan, called a Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), and a four-year planning document called the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
At the August 29 open house, residents viewed the refined preliminary alignment, results of the recently completed traffic studies, and the findings of the preliminary access assessment. They were also invited to leave comments as the first phase of the 'gap' study concluded.
“The future corridor would provide access to economic opportunities developing in the west and throughout the region,” said Hays County Commissioner Walt Smith, Pct. 4. “Hays County, and other regional leaders, have a responsibility to taxpayers, area residents, and the traveling public to fully consider the Gap Project.”
The study, commissioned by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), seeks to address growing traffic congestion in the rapidly developing region south of Austin.
Because of the gap between SH 45 SW and SH 45 SE, cut-through traffic from Austin adds congestion through Buda as commuters traveling to San Marcos and Kyle drive to get to IH-35 in order to travel south.
The project is expected to face controversy, similar to the SH 45 SW project, which took nearly 30 years to complete due to legal and environmental challenges. The SH 45 'gap' project is also located over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, raising concerns about potential water contamination.
As the feasibility study wraps up, the next phase will involve an environmental impact study, expected to take at least two to three years. That study will take lessons learned from the SH 45 SW project in order to design a roadway that minimizes any environmental impact.
In November, Hays County voters will consider a $440 million transportation bond package that includes $7.095 million for the county's portion of the project; designing a new 1.9-mile, four-lane highway for the SH 45 Southwest Extension from its current intersection at FM 1626.
Although no more open houses are scheduled for the first phase of the study, residents can still view and comment on the feasibility study at: sh45gap.com. Comments can also be sent by email to [email protected]. The public comment period closes on September 17.
