Travis County Commissioners Court
April 7, 2009,
Item 3
Now, we will take up -- we will take up 3 and 2 and my note says take them up in that order.and let me just indicate that after this one, we will call up the -- the number 9 dealing with the request for a memorial or memorials at woodman c plaza.
3.
consider and take appropriate action on two road construction agreements with trafalgar 1, l.p.
and anne b.
schryver et.
al., for the howard lane ii road project.
>> thank you judge and economics, I'm steve
>> [indiscernible] from t.n.r.
public works.
before we get started, I would like to go ahead and -- and get y'all into the right area of the county where this project is taking place.
howard lane ii extends from -- from cameron road and looking at this map, we are -- we are -- up in this area here.
sorry, let me put it this way.
>> there we go.
>> there we go.
now we have north -- extend from cameron road, right here, also known as harris branch parkway the farther south you go.
from cameron road across about one mile of the city of Austin, the last 3,000 feet is unincorporated Travis County extends to state highway 130, which is running north-south here.
there's an existing interchange at s.h.
130, which was one of the primary reasons why we wanted to get this road built.
included in this area, just to give you an idea of -- of putting other projects in the context, you got howard lane ii, howard lane I extends from dessau over to cameron, currently under construction.
just started in the last couple of weeks.
about a mile and a half to the north is pecan street project passing through Pflugerville, another mile to the north is gattis school road at the Williamson county line.
>> [one moment please for change in captioners] up on the project, nor did the property owners.
we decided to pursue funding through campo.
and we were successful in doing that.
and in 2007 we got approval to use rather than federal monies, state monies through campo.
it was actually concession monies from sh 130.
when this project is completed, it will complete a connection from sh 130 over past dessau all the way to -- across i-35 to loop 1 and then it becomes mcneil road all the way over to 183.
it's a huge, huge east-west project for us.
with that I'll move to the desk back there and go through some of the elements of the agreements.
>> let me say this is a real big deal.
and of course, we've had to go through a lot of hurdles, and this is basically -- some of that was basically in precinct 2 and also precinct 1.
when we started this thing there was a lot of ups and downs.
in fact, there's a bridge that even within that you discussed from harris branch from cameron to sh 130.
we're also talking about a bridge in there that crosses a creek.
so this connect that you have illustrated, I'm glad that you brought the map out.
i requested that you bring this map down here, let the public see exactly how hard Travis County has been working to make sure that we get some adequate road systems east-west connect especially.
and that's a real -- and it's not tolled.
thank goodness.
and that's a real good connection here that's going to benefit this community overall.
and I'd like to thank those folks that have been involved with this.
the city of Austin, number one, who is a major player.
the property owners, boy, it was just -- it was up and down battle.
we've talked with them and we met with them, had several meetings over the years.
and of course we sometimes don't have the proper headway that we need to reach to get things accomplished.
but perseverance, the bulldog attitude that you just don't turn loose, the snapping turtle cliche whereby you bite something in the morning, you don't turn it loose until late in the evening.
that's the snapping turtle claim.
that's one of those not turn it loose until late in the evening situations.
i thank the court, I thank the voters of Travis County because you have said that you wanted to fund this.
a lot of these projects have been bond supported.
so these type of initiatives are very critical and I'd like to thank the different players, the city of Austin, the private sector, and also txdot.
who has also participated in this -- a little more than 8400 linear foot of -- from harris branch at cameron all the way to sh 130 and the interchange, which is something that we did long time ago.
we agreed to go ahead and have the interchange at sh 130 whereby we were hoping that one day we would be able to make that connection.
and of course, this is the result of all of that and all the meetings we've had in the past with those particular different parties have come home to roost.
so I really appreciate staff, all of you guys' hard work, the court, everybody.
it's been a real tough haul, but that is a great -- this is a great project.
i'd like to thank you guys.
i'm going to move -- I'm going to applaud somebody, if I have to do it by myself.
>> [ applause ] that's great.
>> thank you, Commissioner.
>> move approval.
>> and campo as well.
>> and I'd like to invite pete winstead up.
he represented the property owners.
>> is pete here?
pete, how you doing, man?
>> Commissioner Davis, this snapping turtle is ready to turn this thing loose.
>> [ laughter ]
>> turn it loose.
>> my mother told me when it thunders, the snapping turtle let's go.
i'm here to thunder today.
>> okay.
what's presented before you today is actually three different agreements.
we have an advanced funding agreement with txdot where in they will provide us with six million dollars to complete this project.
and our responsibility is to complete the design, complete the construction, acquire the right-of-way and anything else necessary to complete the project.
we also have two road construction agreements with the two property owners that pete here was representing.
in exchange for their dedication of right-of-way and a cash contribution to the project, again, we will complete the full amount of the project.
what we're working on to continue today is an agreement with the city of Austin.
i mentioned that a part of this project passes through the city about a mile of it.
it's about an eight thousand foot long project, five thousand, a little bit over five thousand is in the city.
we are in a final draft stage with the city on that international agreement.
i expect we'll be able to bring that to you in a month.
i believe that they will take it to their city council first and then we'll bring it back to you all.
the city will be providing funds for their portion, but we will be agreeing to manage the entire project.
i believe that's a good thing to do for us.
we'll get councilmember alvarez of scale in that -- we'll get economies of scale in that fashion.
the property owners will be contributing cash and right of way.
we will be providing fencing along both sides of the roadway that crosses their property.
i understand they're running cattle on it, so it will be needing fencing.
they need provided with access to median breaks and driveways to get to the property, which is reasonable under the circumstances.
we have agreed to some time lines to try to get this project completed as expeditiously as possible.
we have until 2014 to get the project underway.
i believe we can do better than that, but as you know, with a lot of our projects we get hung up for issues that you just don't foresee right away.
but I'm hoping --
>> like utility relocation?
>> yes, ma'am.
because this is a new roadway, you don't have the problems like you do have like on a howard lane phase one with all the traffic and that sort of thing.
what I would ask you to do is approve the road construction agreements first and then the advanced funding agreement; however, there is a glitch that chris gillmore may want to expound upon as far as the sign documents that we've received from the property owners.
>> move approval of item 3.
>> there's a motion and a second to approve item 3.
what chris is about to say, is it regarding item 3?
>> yes.
>> the agreements initially were going to be signed by an agent with a power of attorney.
i believe we talked to the attorneys for the landowners and they've agreed to have them sign them individually rather than an agent sign.
>> what I would ask the court to do is hold off -- approve the agreements, but give the judge the authority to sign the documents once we receive a properly executed road construction agreement from mrs.
schryver, who is the property owner that we need it from.
>> so move.
>> once we get that and then I would ask that the advanced funding agreement be aproved after these two agreements are signed by the judge.
>> so we want to bring two back later?
>> I'd like to raise two right now in f.
we could.
>> any more discussion of the item number 3?
all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 2:03 PM