Prop 1 money in Hays County will be focused on I-35
By Jenna Coleman
Interstate 35 frontage road in San Marcos. Photo by Jenna Coleman
Proposition 1 money was divided amongst planning districts earlier this year, allotting Hays
County a portion for improvements along Interstate 35 between Kyle and San Marcos.
Proposition 1 was approved by 80 percent of voters in November 2014, according to the Capital
Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, adding billions to the State Highway Fund. Proposition 1 takes
money from the Economic Stabilization Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund, and uses it towards
improving highways throughout the state without creating new taxes or fees.
Two projects have been approved in Hays County, the largest one is focused on moving
entrance ramps and exits along north and southbound I-35 between Kyle and San Marcos. This project
will give drivers more frontage road to merge, helping the flow of traffic and decreasing congestion.
Entrance ramps will be moved closer to over pass points and exits will be moved further away, creating
more space.
“It provides better access but it also assists in mobility. For example, if there’s a crash in the
middle of that area, people can get off and perhaps get around it without going through a traffic signal,”
said Chris Bishop, public information officer at TxDOT. “We’re also looking at eliminating two-way
frontage roads.”
The construction cost of this project is an estimated $10,743,999. Proposition 1 money will
contribute $9,124,999, according to the TxDOT website.
TxDOT does not currently have the funding to complete improvements on the entire “growth”
corridor, which stretches from Georgetown just north of Austin, to the south side of San Marcos,
advanced transportation planning director Diana Vargas said, so TxDOT is selecting segments of the
corridor for improvements, working on them one at a time. The $9 million in Proposition 1 money,
however, is committed to the segment between Kyle and San Marcos.
“What we can fund, we’re funding,” Vargas said.
Between September 2013 and August 2014, Hays County spent $26,072,221 on highway
construction, receiving only 0.5 percent of the state’s highway funds, according to district and county
statistics released by TxDOT. The United States Census Bureau states Hays County population grew 18
percent between 2010 and 2014, showing a growth percentage of about 5 percent per year.
“[Prop 1 money] is going to help as the area grows, and let’s face it, Hays County is one of the
fastest growing places in the state if not the country,” Bishop said.
Rapid growth prompted CAMPO, alongside TxDOT to aim their portion of Proposition 1 money
at alleviating congestion on I-35, in turn relieving commuter’s headaches.
“In Hays County we need to make sure we can accommodate traffic … so that it circulates
better,” Vargas said.
Fernando Sanchez, an exercise sports science senior at Texas State, commutes along I-35 for
work every day and like many people in the Austin area, expresses some contempt for traffic. Sanchez
commuted between Austin and San Marcos but recently moved to San Marcos to avoid the traffic
surrounding Austin, he said.
“I’m glad prop 1 passed, I just really hope the money will make a difference,” Sanchez said. “I
can’t think of anywhere that needs highway expansion more than the Austin area right now.”
Texas residents, like Sanchez, expressed their need for new highway funding when they voted
for Proposition 1 in November.
“We’ve been working to put that money to use as quickly as we can, in places where it would
make the most impact in our community,” Bishop said.
For 2015, Proposition 1 is providing $120 million statewide to address transportation challenges,
said Mark Cross, public information officer at TxDOT.
It is unclear how much funding Proposition 1 will provide in years to come. Funding depends on
oil production and sales, as well as how much money is approved by legislators, but Vargas suspects
TxDOT will be receiving at least 75 percent of the Proposition 1 money they have now in 2016.