Hays County Commissioners Address Road Safety Improvements, Authorize 381 Economic Development Agreement With ENF LLC

Staff Reports

On Tuesday, March 26, the Hays County Commissioners Court addressed several items regarding road safety improvements and authorized the Hays County Judge to execute a 381 Economic Development Agreement between Hays County and ENF LLC.

During executive session, commissioners consulted with counsel and deliberated regarding economic development negotiations associated with Project Magic Mint and Project Big Hat.

Following the executive session, commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe made a motion to authorize the Hays County Judge to execute a 381 Economic Development Agreement between Hays County and “ENF Kyle Technology LLC” as presented in executive session.

The motion passed 4-0 with Commissioner Mark Jones being absent.

Commissioners considered a formal agreement between Hays County and TxDOT related to the FM 110 at SH 123 Overpass Project. The project is an element of the Hays County 2016 Road Bond Program and an element of the overall FM 110 project with the TxDOT-Hays County Partnership Program.

The overpass project was included in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s FY 2019 to 2020 Transportation Improvement program.  

CAMPO has awarded $5,217,000.00 in Federal construction funding. The Advance Funding Agreement would memorialize the roles and responsibilities of TxDOT and Hays County and is required for the project to receive Federal construction funding.

TxDOT would contribute a total of $6,024,496.00 in State and Federal funds, which includes construction funding and direct State costs, and Hays County would contribute a total of $2,600,000.00 which includes construction engineering and local share match.

Commissioner Lon Shell said he appreciated Commissioner Ingalsbe working with the state of Texas to get the project moved up. He noted the intersection at SH 123 is an extremely dangerous intersection and is likely to get worse as traffic continues to increase on the road.

Commissioners also voted to select Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc. to perform a feasibility study on Centerpoint Road in Precinct 1. The item authorized staff and counsel to negotiate a contract, which will come before commissioners for approval at a future meeting.

According to the agenda, a feasibility study is needed to make some road improvements and to move utilities.  

Ingalsbe told the court that funds have been set aside in the county’s transportation budget to look at safety improvements; there are two blind hills on Centerpoint Road in the area.

The county is looking at one near the intersection of Centerpoint and Beback Inn, which has been a subject of concern amongst residents.

“It’s become very dangerous,” Ingalsbe said. “Residents out in the area have been requesting that we cut down that hill so they can see oncoming traffic as it approaches Beback Inn Road.”

Ingalsbe said the county is also looking to expand the project to include the second blind hill, and the feasibility study is needed to see how the county moves forward with the project.

Staff said it’s a complicated area with utilities involved, and the county feels it needs to hire an engineering company to make sure it is done properly.