Hays County Motorists Reap The Benefits Of 08′ Voter-Approved Road Bonds
Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX – Hays County motorists enjoy a much-improved road system since area state highways were first built decades ago, and on Tuesday the Hays County Commissioners Court pointed out the credit goes to voters who, by a 2-to-1 margin, passed the 2008 Road Bonds (Proposition 2).
“We told the voters what we intended to do, and we followed through,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Will Conley said. “The people gave us a tremendous amount of trust in our desire to keep up with the exponential growth we’ve experienced over the last several decades, and it has paid off. Almost all of our projects are completed or underway, while we’ve maintained a lower tax rate than originally projected in 2008 and an enviable AA bond rating. Also notable is that $133 million of the debt incurred will or has already been paid back by TxDOT much sooner than expected.”
The County’s transportation consultant, Mike Weaver of Prime Strategies, told the Court that a combination of the funds and innovative leadership allowed residents to reap the benefits with even more cost savings than expected. Through partnerships, refinancing for lower interest rates and pass-through funding which in some cases paid back the County more than the cost of a road’s construction, the $207,110,000 was nearly doubled to provide even more improved roads. Savings were reallocated to additional road projects, allowing today’s drivers to have a smoother, safer trip throughout many roads in the county.
“It’s difficult today to remember what these roads were like even a few years ago,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe said. “Many were narrow, two-lane roads with dangerous low-water crossings and no shoulders, such as the road to the newly built San Marcos High School on the Old Bastrop Highway (County Road 266). It was a concern for young drivers and parents alike, as well as teachers and school bus drivers.”
Some additional highlights of the 38-project bond lineup:
FM 110 Loop (East San Marcos Loop)
An elegant, safer intersection at RR 12 and RR 32
Ramp improvements and one-way access roads along I-35
Major improvements along U.S. Hwy. 290 and many intersections
FM 1626 North & South between Brodie Lane in Travis County and FM 2770 in Hays County
For details and explanations of all 38 road projects through the Priority Road Bond Program, the Hays-TxDOT Pass-through Finance Program and the Hays-TxDOT Partnership Program, view the video of the presentation to Court July 12, 2016 and commentary at http://hays.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=196 or view the slide presentation Hays County Leveraged Transportation Investment Program separately at
http://www.co.hays.tx.us/SharedFiles/Download.aspx?pageid=256&mid=290&fileid=6906.
Contact any county commissioner if you have questions or want additional information.
