US 290 expansion project receives pushback from Dripping Springs residents

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas - Traffic is projected to double in the next 20 years between Austin and Dripping Springs. TxDOT is planning to widen Highway 290, adding more construction to the busy corridor.

While TxDOT said the expansion is aimed at making improvements, many who attended the meeting said it is doing the direct opposite.

"I want to know what is an alternate way of doing this," says President of Patriots’ Hall Dripping Springs Kathryn Chandler.

Hundreds of residents showed up to meet with the Texas Department of Transportation at Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Event Center, with questions they want answered, and to learn more about the U.S. 290 expansion.

"This is exactly what we like to see. This is a community-driven project, and so we want to hear from the community. We want to hear the good, the bad and otherwise," says TxDOT spokesman Brad Wheelis.

Many are concerned about what this means for their homes and businesses after being informed that the design may impact 13 homes and 82 businesses.

"Under this proposal there are some property impacts. We have reached out to those potential impacts and the folks who own those properties so that they can get a handle on what we are proposing and why," said Wheelis.

"Our homes in particular is a little section called a polo club. They are taking 165 feet of our backyard. Our septic. There are two trees that they have got to remove that have been here since before Texas was a state. We currently have a nature sanctuary in our backyard butterfly preserve where monarchs come in. They are going to clean this all off," says William Kenefick, who is against the expansion.

Business owners were faced with the same challenge.

US 290 expansion project rendering.

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"The 4 acres of the 10 that they are attempting to take is going to kill our equine therapy. The project is going to take away the obstacle course, the outdoor ADA trails and out fishing pond," says Kathryn Chandler.

The proposed plan will turn the current four-lane road into a six-lane freeway, stretching 13 miles, through Travis and Hays Counties. It would link in with the Oak Hill Parkway, which is currently under construction at Interstate 71.

"I have four kids. They are going to have a 15-foot wall that is going to be a 50-degree slope. You can walk up and down it to a pedestrian overpass. I definitely don’t think that is an even trade. I don’t think that they are even considering the impact that it has, especially a small community like Dripping Springs, that has 2,800 people. Now they are putting in the ability to move thousands of people from Austin, have them make it a commuter route, 70 miles an hour with no type of barriers to protect cars from coming into our yard," says Kenefick.

The project is currently in stage 2 of 4, known as environmental study and schematic design.

"In this stage, we are still taking public feedback. We are looking at design, we are looking at the environmental impact that this would have. We will have another meeting in the summer, and then we will have a public hearing which will be kind of the final chance for folks to weigh in before we get to the point where we are moving toward a final design," says Wheelis.