Confirmed at July 2 Travis County Commissioner Court meeting
By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News
Brigid Shea, Travis County Commissioner Precinct Two, at the July 2 meeting, an alternate road will be recommended due to the high cost of this route. Source: Travis County
Brigid Shea, Travis County Commissioner Precinct Two, indicated in an email on Wednesday that route F — which was to be a $7.2 million, permanent road out of Steiner Ranch connecting Flat Top Ranch Road to RM 620 — is now not going to be the recommended evacuation route for the community.
“I understand that staff will recommend an alternative to route F because of cost,” Shea stated in an email to Kevin Baker, a concerned Steiner resident who has been against the proposed route F.
“To my understanding, it says route F is not the recommended route anymore, and another route will be proposed on the July 9th meeting,” Baker stated in an email.
Shea did not share which route will be recommended.
“We’ll take up evacuation routes on July 9th as part of our county –wide transportation plan,” Shea stated.
The Commissioners Court meets July 9 at 700 Lavaca Street.
Baker along with a group of neighbors who live close to the proposed route F have had multiple meetings with county officials and emergency personnel. They have been against route F for a variety of reasons including safety, hike and bike trail displacement, property value declines, noise levels, and potential increase in crimes.
Members of the group invited various Travis County staffers to hike the trails where the proposed route F would go. A team from the county came out in early June.
“I think the walks with Brigid’s staff played an integral part in this decision, making them realize their $7 million cost was massively underfunded,” Baker stated.