Travis County neighborhood frustrated that 'Harold Green Extension' has yet to be built
AUSTIN, Texas - For residents of the Austin’s Colony HOA in East Travis County, getting out of their own neighborhood is a daily chore.
"Every morning at 8 a.m., there are school buses. There are parents trying to get their kids to schools, and traffic is backed up," said Jeff Makela, a resident of the neighborhood.
That’s because the neighborhood essentially has only one way out, from the north, with everyone funneling onto FM 969.
"It could be an hour getting through that intersection. If there's ever any kind of accident," said resident Richard Franklin.
In 2017, bond Proposition A was on the ballot, to build a southern exit from the neighborhood called the "Harold Green Extension". The proposed new road was described as a "two-lane roadway with bike lanes and sidewalks, from SH 130 to Austin’s Colony Boulevard." Prop A passed with 73% of the vote in November 2017.
"This is a brand-new road and land that's not being used by anybody. They can roll in there with all their machinery, knock down some trees, put the road in," said Makela.
But that didn’t happen. Where the road was supposed to head south from Austin’s Colony, there’s no sign of construction, seven years later.
"We don't see any progress at all. But we got a lot of promises," said Franklin. "We’re paying for a bond and everything, and they're not doing anything for it."
Here’s where it gets complicated.
In 2020, Tesla began building its Gigafactory. As part of those plans, Tesla signed an "economic performance agreement" with Travis County, in which, according to the county, "Tesla agreed to design and construct an alternative to the Harold Green Road project."
But that hasn’t happened either. What has happened is the existing Harold Green Road was widened by Tesla.
"Harold Green has been taken over by Tesla. It's called Tesla Road," said Franklin. "There was no vote. It just happened."
Two years after the Gigafactory opened, the extension part has yet to come to pass.
"You can do all these fantastic things, but yet this is taking four years just to design," said Franklin.
Residents FOX 7 spoke to say they’ve gotten little communication from Tesla, including exactly what the alternative Harold Green Extension will look like. Some are concerned it will either be re-routed in a way that isn’t helpful, or that there will be problems if Tesla Road, which is now a private road, is part of the extension.
Notably, when FOX 7’s photographer tried to get video of Tesla Road, he was kicked off.
"We're being assured that we will be allowed to use it. But our expectations are pretty low at this point," said Austin’s Colony resident Joey Krek.
In a statement, Travis County spokesperson Hector Nieto said:
"Travis County remains committed to completing the Harold Green Extension project as quickly as possible. We will continue to work with all interested and invested parties to make sure the community’s and county’s needs are met. We appreciate the community’s patience as we navigate current delays that are outside of our control."
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According to the county’s website, the design phase is 50% completed, and the overall project is just 25% done. The design is supposed to be done this year, but there’s no date set for completion.
"My hair's on fire all the time because of this nonsense. It really is," said Franklin.
In the meantime, residents say they’re worried about safety.
"If I need to go to the hospital, the first thing I have to do is drive away from the hospital," said Krek.
"While you’re waiting, people are dying," said Franklin.
As for the new road, they’ll believe it when they see it.
"Something to excite us. You see construction equipment. When we see some knocked down trees. But there's absolutely no progress," said Makela.
"All we're getting are excuses, and excuses don't get us a road," said Franklin.
Some of the residents FOX 7 spoke to say they are considering legal action.
FOX 7 reached out to Tesla multiple times for comment. As of Tuesday, Sept. 10, we have not heard back.