HSB agrees to share FM 2147 widening cost
Contributed
Horseshoe Bay Mayor Steve Jordan, left, presents a plaque at the Jan. 16 city council meeting in appreciation of many years of service to the community to Norm Long, right, accompanied by his wife, Dorothy. Long served as chairman of the Planning & Zoning Commission from its inception in 2009 until term limits required him to step down at the end of December. He also is a former member of the Parks Committee and a former member of the Llano County School Board.
By Lew K. Cohn
Managing Editor
The Highlander
The Horseshoe Bay City Council on Tuesday, Jan. 16, approved a final funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) regarding improvements to Ranch to Market Road 2147 and bids could b e let as soon as next spring.
The city will contribute $120,000 in matching funds toward the $2 million improvement project to widen the road and include turn lanes from Big Spur to Bay West Boulevard.
Last year, Mayor Steve Jordan announced the city and received notification of a committment from TxDOT to widen the thoroughfare through the heart of Horseshoe Bay to Llano County.
Former Texas House Speaker and current Texas Rep. Tom Craddick of Midland owns a home in Blue Lake Estates and reportedly was instrumental in convincing TxDOT to add the project to the priorities list.
Bids are expected to be let in the spring of 2019. Also, a stop light planned for the intersection of Texas 71 and RM 2147 is expected to move forward in 2019, council members heard Jan. 16.
Also at that meeting, public hearings were held regarding voluntary annexation of a 77-acre tract of land that will be the site of the new Phoenix Center campus near Baylor Scott & White Marble Falls.
No one spoke against annexation of the land, currently located in Horseshoe Bay extraterriotorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Final annexation is expected a the council's Feb. 20 meeting.
The council also gave formal authorization to move forward in the process of annexing a strip of land that would improve traffic safety in turning from Golden Nugget (near the reclamation center) to RM 2831.
