US 281

Connie Swinney
Staff Writer

To keep pace with growth and safety needs, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will require more rigorous assessment of how commercial and private development traffic patterns will impact the roadways.

Within the last decade more than half a dozen aggregate mining-related businesses have developed along the Texas 71 corridor in Burnet County. Along with commercial ventures, a number of private residential developments are carving out their places in amongst mining locations.

Knife River, Lhoist, Oldcastle expanding operations on US 281

By Lew K. Cohn and Connie Swinney
The Highlander

Connie Swinney/The Highlander

A $7.3 million road safety improvement project is under way along US 281 from the 2147 East intersection to the Texas 71 intersection. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the project is adding a continuous left-turn lane and widening shoulders. Officials said the project will take approximately 18 months to complete, starting from the time motorists could see preparations taking shape three months ago in the form of caution barrels and land clearing in the right-of-way.

. . . The Marble Falls City Council approved exemptions on Sept. 17 for an amended “No Thru Truck Traffic” ordinance as well as added streets to the list of restricted zones.

Officials began researching ways in 2018 to reduce the noise and road maintenance impact in areas including the Main Street shopping district. In December officials debated the pros and cons of adding routes to the list of truck restricted areas.

Connie Swinney/The Highlander

Back-to-back crashes within a mile of each other on US. 281 between Burnet and Marble Falls around noon Sept. 19 delayed traffic for at least two hours as crew cleared the scene. At least four people were transported to the emergency room. The Texas Department of Safety is investigation the collisions.

From staff reports

A 17-month-old child from Meadowlakes and a Dripping Springs man died Sept. 1 in a two-vehicle collision on US 281, according to the Department of Public Safety report.

The crash happened at 5:20 p.m. that evening within the city limits of Round Mountain.

The report stated that a 2017 Honda CRV (unit 1) – driven by Stephen Neill, 76, of Dripping Springs – was southbound in the left lane.

By Lew K. Cohn
Managing Editor

One of the most irregular intersections in Burnet County could soon see upgrades, including a new right turn lane and signal improvements, after the Texas Transportation Commission approved a 10-year state transportation plan last week.

By Lew K. Cohn

Managing Editor

The Highlander

A project to reconstruct the intersection of US 281 and Ranch to Market Road 1431 has been added to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) for 2019-2022, CAMPO officials said this week.

The traffic light at US 281 and Farm to Market Road 1855 north of Marble Falls is now fully operational, controlling stop and go traffic at the intersection.

The intersection is located right next to the Pottery Ranch at 6000 US 281. where employees say they had become accustomed to being just a little on edge, anticipating the next screech of tires.

“We are all just very happy to see this,” said Scott Kilpatrick, owner of the popular stop for locals and tourists. “Traffic moves by really fast on US 281. It has been a dangerous intersection.”

Passersby may have noticed the light, installed in February, as it began flashing this month. That is because the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) wants motorists to become aware of a new light, according to Diann Hodges of TxDOT's Austin District.

A full signal at FM 1855 and a flashing beacon scheduled for the intersection at Park Road 4 are being funded through the TxDOT safety program, Hodges said.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

An auto crash near Round Mountain on Monday, July 3, ended in the death of the two occupants of a car that failed to stop for Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers.

Traffic was back up for miles to be re-routed from US 281 over the hours it took to clear the wreckage shown in videos from the scene littering the highway.

The names of the deceased still hand not been released late Friday, pending notification of next of kin.

In the Blanco County event July 3 DPS Troopers had attempted to stop the Grey Honda passenger car as it sped northbound on US 281 in Blanco County at 11:30 a.m.