Long-stalled Williamson highway project gets past one federal hurdle – Austin American
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
GEORGETOWN — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a long-awaited biological opinion that county officials said was one hurdle in the way of the stalled Texas 195 improvement project in the northern part of the county, Williamson County commissioners said Tuesday.
“We’re not ready to break ground yet, but we’ve passed a big hurdle, and it’s a big day,” Commissioner Valerie Covey said.
The highway, which runs from Killeen to Interstate 35, has a reputation as a dangerous stretch of road, which was one reason for the project.
The federal report was a required step to ensure the roadwork could be done without any environmental implications.
The commissioners have often criticized what they say is federal red tape that has held back the county’s development. The federally protected status of two bug species that live in caves beneath Texas 195 has stalled the decade-old project for at least four years.
The Austin district engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation, Carlos Lopez, said the report approved the road project as long as two caves are protected. Because of that, the county and TxDOT are each planning to purchase one of the caves.
The report gives the county the green light to begin buying right-of-way land and utilities for the section where construction had been stalled.
The highway project is split into three portions. The northern third is already under construction. Lopez said bids will be taken next fall on the southern portion that connects to Interstate 35. Bids for the work on the middle section — the section that’s been awaiting clearance — will probably be taken in 2013.
After the right of way is purchased, there will be more studies. Lopez said archaeological studies will need to be done on the land, but those can be done while everything else is under way — at least unless and until the studies find anything of historical significance.
In the meantime, officials said it was a relief to have the Fish and Wildlife approval.
“This is a big milestone,” Covey said. “The whole project is over 10 years old, so it’s been a very long time coming.”
bwermund@statesman.com; 246-1150