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Friday, July 30, 2010 |
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SH 130 road construction to start soon
Published March 5, 2009
SEGUIN — State Highway 130 could be rolling into Seguin by 2012.
“The design phase is 90 percent complete and we’re in the process of acquiring right-of-way,” said Ben Engelhardt, an engineer with the Texas Department of Transportation. “We’re hoping to begin construction in the next 60 days.”
Engelhardt made a presentation to Seguin City Council on Tuesday explaining the timeline for the project and keeping council and residents updated on progress.
He said the tollway will be a 40-mile extension of the existing S.H. 130, which is open between Georgetown and the Austin airport area. This new portion of the project is estimated to cost $1.35 billion.
The phase of the S.H. 130 project ending at Interstate 10 in Seguin will connect to the existing highway at Mustang Ridge in Travis County and end at I-10 east of Seguin.
The interchange will be located at the old weigh station west of the FM 2438 exit.
“Within the first year, we’ll begin construction on all 40 miles of roadway, and we’re expecting to be done by November of 2012,” Engelhardt said.
The project is being developed as part of a public-private partnership between TxDOT and the S.H. 130 Concession Co., LLC. — a partnership between Spanish-based Cintra and Zachary American Infrastructure. Drivers on the new road will pay a toll of 12.5 cents per mile, which will help repay the cost of the project and pay for upkeep.
Engelhardt said the public-private agreement was reached as a way to help preserve state road dollars, which do not meet Texas’ road work needs. Eventually, S.H. 130 will continue into North Texas where it will connect with Interstate 35 near Denton, providing an option for drivers wishing to bypass I-35 congestion in Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth.
Mayor Betty Ann Matthies said she and city staff have been in close communication with both TxDOT and Cintra-Zachary officials throughout the project.
“They’ve kept us informed in a very timely way,” she said. “But last night we wanted to have an update in a City Council meeting so both council and the public could be apprised of what is going on. I was very pleased with his presentation and the fact that we’re still on track to finish by 2012.”
There were few concerns expressed by council, but councilman Don Keil did worry about the possible construction of cloverleaf interchanges or other potentially dangerous sections of road. However, Engelhardt assured him that such features are not part of the plan.
“Cloverleafs are considered kind of outdated,” he explained, adding that the interchange at I-10 will be designed similar to the direct interchange at U.S. Highway 281 and Loop 410 in San Antonio — made to help traffic merge with ease.
Groundbreaking on the interchanges, one of the most complex parts of the project, could begin in August.
Matthies said she is looking forward to seeing the project started and can’t wait to see how the growth and development related to the tollway will change Seguin’s future.
“I think it’s a very positive thing for the community because it will bring additional traffic and, from that, hopefully additional business to Seguin,” she said.
The mayor said that she has driven Texas toll roads many times, and even has a toll pass that she uses when traveling the existing stretch of S.H. 130 to visit her children in Round Rock and Austin.
“It’s wonderful to completely bypass Austin,” she said. “It’s such a friendly way of getting up there.”
Visit www.mysh130.com for more information on the S.H. 130 project.
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