The Round Rock City Council unanimously approved Oct. 12 an update of the Transportation Master Plan. The City hired Kimley Horn to assist in updating the most recent master plan that was adopted in 2017.
The Transportation Master Plan is a long-term planning document that will guide funding decisions as the City continues to experience growth and development over the next three decades, focusing on prioritizing high-priority intersections, safety enhancements and major roadway and trail projects designed to accommodate the City’s expected ultimate population of 250,000 people.
The updated Transportation Master Plan builds on the City’s strategic goals and past planning efforts, aligning transportation needs and recommendations with other City and regional planning efforts. It includes an ultimate roadway plan for the roadway network at build-out to serve the City and region, recommended street cross sections and right-of-way requirements for implementation in the Design and Construction Standards (DACS), and the identification of high priority projects for roadways, trails and intersections for the short term, along with collector street requirements recommendations.
The goals of the project were to integrate trails and transit into the plan, increase safety measures in transportation planning, provide direction on updated policies and design standards, improve bottlenecks in the City, preserve right-of-way for full network build-out, and plan for collectors and improved connectivity requirements.
The City’s project team analyzed existing conditions and conducted multiple public meetings to gather feedback from residents and stakeholders since the plan process began in fall 2022.
The Transportation Master Plan consists of two basic elements, a roadway element and a bicycle/pedestrian element, and is presented as an Ultimate Roadway Network and a Roadway Table, showing existing and planned arterials, which include bicycle facilities, for the ultimate growth of the City. It encompasses the transportation system within the city limits as well as the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), as the City also coordinates with its regional planning partners.
The 2023 Transportation Master Plan includes realignment with neighboring community’s roadway networks, urban development street standards, an updated safety analysis, specific corridor analysis for constrained areas and an updated list of priority projects for capital improvement planning. The new, updated plan includes 29 changes to the 2017 Ultimate Roadway Plan map and updated cost estimates totaling more than $1.9 billion in project cost to accommodate ultimate build-out of the network.
The planning process also included corridor studies for Sam Bass Road and McNeil Road. The studies indicated that Sam Bass Road should eventually become a three-lane roadway with a shared use path, while McNeil Road lanes will remain as existing with targeted intersection improvements at Oakridge Drive and County Road 172.
All the recommendations included in the TMP were developed in concert with the City’s policies and vision established in Round Rock 2030, the City’s comprehensive plan, ensuring a coherent and unified approach to addressing the transportation demands of population, employment, and economic growth.
The City of Round Rock remains committed to enhancing the quality of life for its residents through strategic planning and investment in transportation infrastructure, ensuring a sustainable and connected future for all.
