620/2222 improvements (Lakeway, Comanche, Hudson: contractor, live in, moving)

[cBach]

Well, I attended the community meeting with transportation planners yesterday evening. In summary, the only improvement on 620 in the short term will be a light at 620/Steiner Ranch Blvd which will be timed with Comanche Trail.

The 620/2222 bypass is at least 18 months before contractor bid and 18 months implementation after that, assuming funding. What this means is that no improvements will occur to this intersection for at least 3 years.

An interesting note is that 620 will be 6 lanes from Steiner Ranch Blvd to 2222 and 2222 will be 6 lanes from the Bypass to McNeil.

I looked at the schematics and the Bypass will probably not help as much as I thought. First off, it will be 4 lane divided and the southbound two lanes will merge into one which will form the third eastbound lane of 2222. There will be no left turns permitted from the Bypass onto 2222. The Bypass in the other direction looks to help the traffic better.

So, basically, the Bypass would function if you want to go to Vandegrift, Riverplace, or downtown, but if you want to go to HEB at 4 points, you will still need to go to the 620/2222 intersection because of that non permitted left turn.

Also, it appears that for westbound 2222 there will only be a light for turning left onto the Bypass and for the eastbound 2222 lanes. The other lanes would be unobstructed. It's basically a "Super street" intersection.

The intersection of the Bypass and 620 will be a full intersection.

[CarnivalGal]

I wasn't able to make the meeting, but I already knew the bypass was not the best plan. The money could best be spent on other options - like extending Four Points Blvd. Thankfully, LISD is working on just doing that themselves.

As a friend said, they should have scheduled the meeting for 5:15 instead of 7:00. Then maybe we would see something actually get done.

I also don't understand expanding 620 to 6 lanes, then back down to 4 lanes. Why doesn't anyone see that will just cause a huge bottleneck? It really needs to be 6 lanes from 71 to 183.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by CarnivalGal

I wasn't able to make the meeting, but I already knew the bypass was not the best plan. The money could best be spent on other options - like extending Four Points Blvd. Thankfully, LISD is working on just doing that themselves.

As a friend said, they should have scheduled the meeting for 5:15 instead of 7:00. Then maybe we would see something actually get done.

I also don't understand expanding 620 to 6 lanes, then back down to 4 lanes. Why doesn't anyone see that will just cause a huge bottleneck? It really needs to be 6 lanes from 71 to 183.

Well they explained this all at the meeting.

Even though 620 is a state road, for the Lakeway and Bee Cave section, those cities are contributing for the 6 laning of that section. From Lakeway to Steiner Ranch Blvd, the traffic is actually lower, I think they said it doesn't meet the threshold for 6 lanes from Lakeway to Steiner Ranch and then it is 42,000 cars per day from Steiner Ranch 2222. The threshold for 5 lanes is around 30,000 and so after that you need 6 lanes.

The section from 2222 to 45 is being considered for six laning as well with an elevated expressway above it. That is probably 5-10 years out from what they said. That section has from 50-60,000 cars per day so a more drastic measure is needed.

What the Bypass will do is just put the bottleneck that is at 620/2222 right on the Bypass road at 2222. The advantage will be it's a smaller distance and you will now have a total of 3 right turn lanes onto 2222 (2 at 620 and 1 at the Bypass). So traffic will move faster no doubt.

As far as the road to Vandegrift they said in no uncertain terms that there will NEVER be a bypass road through the preserve but they may declare some of the old 3M property to be county owned and build a road from Four Points to McNeil. A less palatable but okay option I guess.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by cBach

Well they explained this all at the meeting.

Even though 620 is a state road, for the Lakeway and Bee Cave section, those cities are contributing for the 6 laning of that section. From Lakeway to Steiner Ranch Blvd, the traffic is actually lower, I think they said it doesn't meet the threshold for 6 lanes from Lakeway to Steiner Ranch and then it is 42,000 cars per day from Steiner Ranch 2222. The threshold for 5 lanes is around 30,000 and so after that you need 6 lanes.

The section from 2222 to 45 is being considered for six laning as well with an elevated expressway above it. That is probably 5-10 years out from what they said. That section has from 50-60,000 cars per day so a more drastic measure is needed.

What the Bypass will do is just put the bottleneck that is at 620/2222 right on the Bypass road at 2222. The advantage will be it's a smaller distance and you will now have a total of 3 right turn lanes onto 2222 (2 at 620 and 1 at the Bypass). So traffic will move faster no doubt.

As far as the road to Vandegrift they said in no uncertain terms that there will NEVER be a bypass road through the preserve but they may declare some of the old 3M property to be county owned and build a road from Four Points to McNeil. A less palatable but okay option I guess.

Yeah, I get all of that. But seeing as Bee Cave / Lakeway is one of the fastest growing areas in the state, by the time they actually widen 620, the section from Lakeway to SR will meet the threshold, and we'll be having this meeting again.

I know the city will never build the road to Vandegrift, but I thought LISD decided to just take matters in their own hands and has already begun the process with Fish and Wildlife.

The bypass they propose is going to do diddly squat. It just moves the back-up from one stop light to another. Three turn lanes won't do any good if none of the lanes are actually moving. Kind of like now when you get the green arrow to turn on 2222, but cars are solidly backed-up to River Place Blvd, so you can actually turn. But now there will be three cars that won't be able to turn instead of 2.

I just think it's a waste of money on road projects that aren't really going to improve the situation. That money would be better served on projects that would actually solve the problem.

[FalconheadWest]

Originally Posted by CarnivalGal

Yeah, I get all of that. But seeing as Bee Cave / Lakeway is one of the fastest growing areas in the state, by the time they actually widen 620, the section from Lakeway to SR will meet the threshold, and we'll be having this meeting again.

Possibly, but I don't see this. Lakeway gets lots of traffic and then Steiner to 2222 is backed up. I've never (knock on wood) been backed up between Hudson Bend and Steiner. The traffic moves very well and there is no need for more lanes to hold that traffic.

I live in the area and do everything possible to avoid 620, but with the way it's designed, it's going to be difficult enough to get 6 lanes thru because some of those driveways are already at such angles that the road can't possibly move closer to those buildings. There's a gas station that is so steep that many moving trucks get stuck and block traffic.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

Possibly, but I don't see this. Lakeway gets lots of traffic and then Steiner to 2222 is backed up. I've never (knock on wood) been backed up between Hudson Bend and Steiner. The traffic moves very well and there is no need for more lanes to hold that traffic.

I live in the area and do everything possible to avoid 620, but with the way it's designed, it's going to be difficult enough to get 6 lanes thru because some of those driveways are already at such angles that the road can't possibly move closer to those buildings. There's a gas station that is so steep that many moving trucks get stuck and block traffic.

The way it was explained, they will be doing away with the middle lane and reducing the lane widths, similar to how MoPac was done. Jersey barriers could be put instead of a grassy median. Not ideal but like you say, there's not much to work with there.

[FalconheadWest]

Originally Posted by cBach

The way it was explained, they will be doing away with the middle lane and reducing the lane widths, similar to how MoPac was done. Jersey barriers could be put instead of a grassy median. Not ideal but like you say, there's not much to work with there.

The middle lane needs to be there for the turns into all the business. There is no way they could get rid of it as many of the businesses do not connect so you can't just turn into one and go through the parking lot to the other.

[CarnivalGal]

The moral of the story is still that their proposed improvements will not really solve the congestion problem at 620/2222, which I thought was the purpose.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

The middle lane needs to be there for the turns into all the business. There is no way they could get rid of it as many of the businesses do not connect so you can't just turn into one and go through the parking lot to the other.

The schematics show that there will only be turns for key businesses and for the rest you'll have to do a Michigan U-turn at the next light.