SH 45 GAP STUDY
VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE #3
Available Online August 29 to September 13, 2024
SH 45 Study Open House
Thank you for visiting the third and final virtual open house for the SH 45 Gap Study. The purpose of this open house is to share the refined preliminary alignment, results of the recently completed traffic studies, and the findings of the preliminary access assessment. Public comment and feedback is requested.
Comments may be submitted through the website, during the in-person open house, or by email, mail, text, or phone. We encourage all those that are interested in the Study to participate and share their thoughts.
In-person Open House Meeting
Thursday, August 29, 2024 | 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Sunfield Station Event Center
2610 Main St., Buda, TX 78610
Please view the open house material below and share your comments
Comments may be shared at the open house meeting, through the online comment card, interactive map, by email, mail, text, or voicemail. To be included in the official summary of this meeting comments must be received by September 13, 2024.
Hays County, in partnership with the City of Buda, is exploring the feasibility of the Gap Project before the area is substantially developed.
This study is looking into factors such as engineering challenges, environmental impacts, and cost considerations. Additionally, the study aims to bring together property owners, local partners, regional stakeholders, and the community to plan for transportation needs and ensure that everyone's input is considered. This collaboration is important to develop a transportation solution that works well for the area and considers the interests and concerns of all involved.
The purpose of the potential Gap Project is to enhance regional mobility and facilitate system connectivity.
The goals for this third open house are to gather comments on the study and feedback on the refined preliminary alignment, preliminary access assessment findings and traffic study results.
Opposition to the Gap Project due to:
• Concerns about potential environmental impacts such as impacts to the Edwards Aquifer
• Concerns about increased traffic on Mopac and other area roadways Support for the Gap Project.
Specifically noted was:
• Traffic relief on local roads
• Improved travel times and support for the connection
Suggestions for frontage roads, ramps and intersection designs were also received.
For more information, please review the meeting report available on the project website
• Rivers and Streams
• Floodplain
• Railroads
• Oil/Gas Pipelines
• Transmission Lines
• Edwards Aquifer Transition Zone
• Wildlife Habitats (Texas Garter Snake)
• Wetlands
• Potential HazMat Sites
• EJ Area
• Residential
• School Sites
• Civic Sites
Through careful consideration of these resources, adverse effects were minimized.
83 individual historic age resources on 28 parcels in the study area
Two of the properties had been previously determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, or NRHP for short. Those two properties are: Old San Antonio Rd. and one homestead
Four properties were identified as potentially NRHP eligible for NRHP, including Tom Cleveland Dam, the Union Pacific rail bridge over Onion Creek, and two homes
The Union Pacific rail line may also be eligible, but additional study is necessary for final determination
When considering historical-age resources in the study area, the preliminary alignment was found unlikely to result in an adverse effect to any historic property
Please note, if the Gap Project advances beyond the current feasibility study, additional historic investigations would be done. At that time, coordination with the Texas Historical Commission would occur and final NRHP-eligibility determinations would be made
The analysis evaluated and compared “No Build” and “Build” conditions.
The following performance measures were derived from the model:
• 2045 forecasted daily traffic demand volumes, , AM peak period volumes, and PM peak period volumes
• 2045 forecasted traffic demand volume to roadway capacity ration (also known as the V/C ratio)
• Daily vehicle miles traveled; and
• Daily vehicle hours traveled
Additionally, current origin/destination patterns for SH 45 SW were evaluated.
It is important to note that traffic in the study area and region would increase with or without the Gap Project.
During the AM peak period, heavy traffic volumes move between northern Hays County and the Loop 1 South area.
Similar travel patterns occur in the PM peak period as with the AM peak period, with heavy traffic volumes between northern Hays County and the Loop 1 South, but the commute direction is reversed.
Existing conditions: SH 45 SW is a 4-lane, controlled access tollway and is currently not used to its design capacity.
The CAMPO 2045 Plan includes no future plans to add capacity.
When considering effects of the SH 45 Gap Project compared to a No Build:
• Even with the increased traffic, SH 45 SW stays at or near its design capacity for most of the day
• Only during the PM peak period is SH 45 SW projected to exceed its design capacity, with speeds reduced by up to 10 miles per hour
• Much of the increased traffic would be diverted, via the Gap Project, from surrounding roadways
• Like existing SH 45 SW, the Gap Project would include environmental best practices and controls
By diverting traffic from local roads to the Gap Project, the benefit of existing and planned environmental controls would be maximized
Existing conditions: MoPac (Loop 1) South is a 4-lane, controlled access freeway.
The CAMPO 2045 Plan includes the future addition of express lanes north of Slaughter Ln but no plans to add capacity south of Slaughter Ln.
When considering effects of the SH 45 Gap Project compared to a No Build:
• The highest increase in traffic on MoPac would be in the area south of Slaughter Ln.
• South of Slaughter Ln., where future improvements are not planned, average travel speeds would be reduced by up to 8 miles per hour in the PM peak period
• Speeds would also be reduced by up to 4 miles per hour in the AM peak period.
• North of Slaughter Ln., the effects of the Gap Project on traffic volumes are less notable, with average travel speeds comparable to the No Build
• Even with the increased traffic, MoPac stays under, at, or near its design capacity
• From SH 45 SW to US 290 W, the ratio of trucks to overall daily vehicles would increase by less than 2 percentage points
• North of US 290 W, the ratio of trucks to overall daily vehicles would increase by less than 0.1 percentage points
Existing conditions: RM 1626 is a 4-lane, arterial roadway from I-35 (south) to Menchaca Rd and a 2 lane, arterial roadway from Menchaca Rd to I-35 (north). From I-35 (south) to SH 45 SW, the roadway is at or over design capacity with a trucks ration of up to a 5%. From SH 45 SW to Menchaca Rd, the roadway is under or near design capacity with a trucks ration of up to 8%.
The CAMPO 2045 Plan includes future expansion to 4 lanes from Menchaca Rd to I-35.
When considering effects of the SH 45 Gap Project compared to a No Build:
• From SH 45 SW to Robert S. Light Blvd, the degree to which it is over capacity would decrease
• Daily traffic volumes would be reduced by approx. 7,000 vehicles south of SH 45 SW and approx. 3,200 vehicles between FM 967 and I-35
• Average travel speeds during the AM and PM peak periods would increase by up to 10 miles per hour
• The ratio of trucks to overall daily vehicles would reduce by as much as 2.4 percentage points
Existing conditions: I-35 is a 6-lane, controlled access freeway and is currently at or over design capacity from US 290W (Ben White Blvd) to RM 1626 south of Buda.
The CAMPO 2045 Plan includes future expansion to 10 lanes north of SH 45 SE. Expansion south of SH 45 SE is being studied by TxDOT.
When considering e>ects of the SH 45 Gap Project compared to a No Build:
• Would remain at or over design capacity for most segments of I-35 in the study area
• Average travel speeds during the AM and PM peak periods would increase by up to 4 miles per hour
• Ratio of trucks to overall daily vehicles would reduce by up to 0.6 percentage points
Existing conditions: Brodie Ln., Menchaca Rd., and South 1st St are arterial roadways that run north/south and generally parallel to MoPac
The CAMPO 2045 Plan includes no future plans to add capacity
When considering effects of the SH 45 Gap Project compared to a No Build:
• Traffic would generally be lower between US 290 W and SH 45 SW
• As MoPac south of Slaughter Ln. begins to reach capacity, some of the demand shifts to Brodie Ln. and Menchaca Rd.
• Average travel speeds during the AM and PM peak periods would be comparable to No Build speeds
• Remain under design capacity for most of their length
Existing conditions: Stassney Ln., Davis Ln./Dittmar Rd., William Cannon Dr., Slaughter Ln., RM 967 and Robert S. Light Blvd are arterial roadways that generally run east to west parallel to the Gap Project.
The CAMPO 2045 Plan includes no future plans to add capacity
When considering effects of the SH 45 Gap Project compared to a No Build:
• Traffic on these east-west arterials would be generally lower between MoPac (Loop 1) S and I-35
• Average travel speeds during the AM and PM peak periods would increase by up to 4 miles per hour
Refining the alignment on the east end of the study area to make use of available right of way that has been reserved for the extension of Puryear Rd.
Toward the west side of the study area, slightly shifting the alignment at the crossing of an electric transmission main to allow the roadway to pass between two transmission towers and avoid impacts to the existing towers.
Please note, access findings are preliminary and subject to change or refinement during future phases of project development if the project should proceed forward.
To accommodate these cross sections, two right of way “footprints” have been developed. The roadway without frontage roads would typically require 250 feet of right of way and with frontage roads the roadway would typically require 400 feet of right of way.
• Limit roadway lighting to those areas necessary for safety
• Follow dark skies best practices such as utilizing shields and low impact lighting to minimize the potential for fugitive light
• Incorporate appropriate water quality controls to minimize the potential for water quality impacts
• Design drainage structures in a manner that maintain natural flows
• Outside of safety clear zones, limit clearing of trees and vegetation within the right of way
• Use native and non-invasive species to revegetate disturbed areas
• Identify and preserve wildlife corridors along the alignment
• Incorporate a shared use path to safely and efficiently accommodate cyclists and pedestrians
• Ensure that the project aesthetics and landscaping are compatible with the existing, natural environment
• Aggressively monitor construction and take corrective actions, as necessary, to address environmental concerns
This list is not intended to be all inclusive. Instead, it is the starting point for a comprehensive list of environmental commitments intended to ensure that the Gap Project would be designed, constructed, and operated in an environmentally sensitive manner.
construction of the Gap Project is feasible and could be accomplished while minimizing adverse impacts.
The Gap Project would:
• Require approximately 145 to 190 acres of right of way
• Be compatible with currently planned development
• Increase daily miles traveled within the traffic study area by approx. 1.3%
• Reduce overall travel time in the traffic study area by approx. 6,900 hours per day or 2.5 million hours per year
• Enhance transportation system management by providing a safe and e>icient eastwest route through southern Travis County and northern Hays County, and an alternative route in the event of an incident on either MoPac or I-35
The Gap Project would NOT:
• Result in displacements of existing or planned homes or businesses
• Impact parks, recreational areas, or community facilities and resources
With careful planning and a commitment to identification and incorporation of environmental best management practices, the project could be constructed as a model for environmental sensitivity.
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