Residents continue to fight back against potential roadway expansion in eastern WilCo

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas - Williamson County has been working on a Long-Range Transportation Plan to map out a connection off I-35 to more eastern parts of the county.

It’s called Arterial K, formerly Corridor K, and it would extend CR 150 to the future Eastern Wilco Highway, running north to south of Walburg.

In May, the county proposed a draft to residents, and it was met with push back.

RELATED: Potential Corridor K could cut through farmland in east WilCo

A group called Preserve Wilco Now formed to fight the plan. Ideally, they say their goal is to eliminate any new major road projects in this area. 

After sharing their concerns with FOX 7 Austin, the county recently drew up another route plan B, but that unleashed a whole new set of problems.

On Thursday, residents near this second route took FOX 7 Austin out to Opossum Creek. That's where the county is eyeing land for its project.

"I love to listen to the water run," said Kimberly Keller, a nearby resident.

The area is still largely untouched by the county's growth. Tiny frogs and tadpoles swim playfully across the creek's banks.

"My son taught me how to catch these," said Keller as she held up a frog.

But the creek also has a special place in the hearts of nearby homeowners for another reason too.

"I have twins that walked up and down the river with fishing poles," said Mary Gaddy, a nearby resident.

Last year, Gaddy suddenly lost one of her boys at just 22.

"We don’t get to make new memories with him here," said Gaddy. "We just have the ones that we’ve got, and we’d hate to see them all destroyed."

That’s why she joined the Wilco Greenbelt Alliance, a group asking the county to rethink a major three-way road project to connect eastern and western Williamson County off I-35.

"This is the first spot that or nearby-right up in front of us here is the first spot that the bridge will come across," said Keller.

She stands in one of the spots where the project could cross.

"This is impacting the greenbelt," said Keller. "This is impacting a bigger portion of our ecological system, and who’s going to speak up for them?"

So they came up with another plan.

"We are asking the commissioners to make a little loop down to avoid the other neighbors," said Gaddy. "We don’t want to impact them and avoid this greenbelt, and they can bring it all the way back up the plan b again…Nobody wants this road going through the area, but in the name of progress, it has to come, we just don’t want it to destroy the greenbelt."

They're asking to be heard before all the noise of growth drowns their creek and voices out.

"I'm standing here hoping that’s what I can convince you, and I can convince other people to take notice," said Keller.

This roadway project has no funding right now, and it won't get any until a major development comes along.

The county just wants to have an alignment done so that if or when growth comes that way, it will be ready.

The county and Commissioner Russ Boles sent the following statement to FOX 7 Austin:

"Williamson County is conducting a right-of-way preservation study for the proposed Arterial K road improvement project, which is part of the Williamson County’s Long Range Transportation Plan that was adopted in 2009. Preservation of the right-of-way allows future construction of a roadway to be phased when needed due to growth to ensure safety, connectivity, and mobility.

The county is responsible for the safety and mobility of all residents, and this right-of-way preservation study is simply to plan to address future growth in the region. This arterial is being planned as a local road, utilizing existing sections of CR 150 and CR 329, to provide future east-west connectivity as growth occurs in this area of the county. Road planning is one of the few tools the county can use to address the unprecedented growth in the county.

The county continues to study the potential environmental, wildlife, and water quality impacts of the proposed roadway alignment. Commissioner Boles continues to meet in-person with property owners to identify a possible alignment and address individual property owner concerns for this future roadway.

The current proposed alignment is still in draft form and will continue to be adjusted and revised as the right-of-way preservation study continues. As a future proposed local road, this roadway will be constructed in phases based on growth in the area, and the county has not identified funding to build the roadway.

When the study is concluded, the right-of-way will be approved by the Williamson County Commissioners Court, and the study will be archived for future reference. The county will use the plan to work with property developers to ensure that future transportation needs can be preserved."