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Round Rock Residents, Businesses To Move For Highway Improvements


Traffic congestion is a common at RM 620 just west of I-35, but relief is on the way.

The City of Round Rock is planning major improvements to the road between Deep Drive and I-35 in Round Rock. But the improvements come at a price, several homes and businesses will need to move.

Lisa Pace can see and hear the traffic from her home. "Sometimes the traffic is backed up so bad on 620, you can't even sit next to me and have a conversation without hollering at each other, so in that regard I think they need a solution," she says.

But she has mixed emotions about leaving, "I'm renting, so I know I'm going to have to move eventually but you never want to go on someone else's terms."

Round Rock Transportation Director Gary Hudder says the traffic congestion has been a major problem in Round Rock because of the railroad crossing that brings traffic to a stop.  The traffic back-up is known to spill over onto the I-35 frontage road and exit ramps as well.

Many expressed concern over the expense, an estimated $25 million for both phases because of two bridges that are part of the plan. One of the bridges would take traffic over the railroad tracks. Hudder says, "There's been a lot of talk about the expense and why can't we go overhead and why can't we just widen but we will never resolve the conflict unless we get a grade separation with the railroad."

Hudder says the problem will only get worse as the Round Rock grows.

No construction date has been set. The City of Round Rock, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation will have an open house to discuss plans to improve RM 620. It will be held on Jan. 23 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Allen R. Baca Center, 301 W. Bagdad Avenue, Building 2, in Round Rock.

By Lydia Pantazes