Bee Cave City Council will weigh a number of changes to its future transportation plans at its March 24 meeting.
The details
The revisions under consideration are part of the city’s Thoroughfare Plan, which outlines goals, plans and projects for future mobility improvements in the area. The city is working with the Texas Department of Transportation as well as engineers with Freese and Nichols on the plan.
According to city documents, the upcoming meeting will consider:
Settling on a final alignment for a Southwest Collector road that connects to Hamilton Pool RoadRemoving Shops Parkway as a primary collector since it is a private roadAdding two neighborhood collectors between Bee Cave Parkway and the Skaggs Drive extensionRealigning a connector and primary collector near the Field of Dreams Sports ComplexRealigning roads in the Village at Spanish Oaks to reflect recent development changesRemoving private connector roads from the plan, which are already required per the city’s Unified Development Code
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Diving in deeper
According to city documents, current traffic on Hwy. 71 and Hamilton Pool Road exceed capacity, and Bee Cave Parkway is approaching capacity. The creation of a Southwest Collector is intended to address mobility and safety in the area to improve traffic flow.
Four alternatives were initially proposed in October, but options have since been narrowed to three. All three traffic models assume Hamilton Pool Road is widened to four lanes in a typical section with a continuous two-way left-turn lane.
The option the city plans to review, Option 3, aligns to meet at the Bee Cave Elementary School driveway and includes one signalized intersection, rather than two nearby intersections. Option 1 was excluded because it crossed over into a floodplain, while Option 2 was removed for crossing into floodplains and potentially exacerbating local traffic issues.
“Across the scenarios, the exhibit shows that installing a traffic signal at the southern driveway and widening Hamilton Pool Road significantly reduces delays and shortens queues at both school entrances,” a report from TxDOT states.
Option 3 would create a signalized intersection to address traffic around Bee Cave Elementary School. (Courtesy city of Bee Cave)What’s next?
City Council will meet March 24 at 6 p.m. to discuss the issue at City Hall, located at 4000 Galleria Parkway, Bee Cave.
Citizens wishing to speak at the meeting do not need to sign up in advance, and sign-in sheets are available at the meeting, according to the city’s website.