Planning the future roads of Wimberley
Hays County has prepared a draft Transportation Plan and is hosting a Virtual Open House to share the recommendations for community review and feedback. The Transportation Plan was originally completed in 2013 and last amended in 2016. It is being updated to identify safety improvements, improve regional connections and mobility and plan for expected growth and development.
While the map shows potential new roadways and expansions of roads, Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell said it was important to realize that not all of the lines drawn on the map will actually become roads. This is just one step in a long process.
“Public input is important,” Lon Shell, Hays County Commissioner Precinct 3, said. “These long term plans change every five years. The planners took a lot of roads off that were on the last one because, in my opinion, they were unfeasible. It remains to be seen if these other ones (currently on the draft plan map) are feasible. It is very long term planning… Whether it ever becomes a reality or not is a long time coming.” None of the plans in the Wimberley Valley were deemed shortterm plans, which is in the next 10 years. All were either listed as mid-term (20 years) or long-term plans (30 years).
The only new road in the Wimberley Valley on the draft plan is an extension of Jacob’s Well Road to Wayside Drive.
“I don’t know the feasibility of the Jacob’s Well extension,” Shell said. “It is an option the planners considered, but whether or not that remains on the plan will be determined by the public process. I doubt it is truly a reality, but they are on there and we have had preliminary discussions with the planners about it.”
The changes on the draft include plans to expand many of the major thoroughfares throughout the Wimberley Valley to four lanes, though largely not through the city limits. The plan shows a four-lane road from San Marcos to The Junction on Ranch Road 12, all along RM 3237, Winter’s Mill Parkway, Ranch Road 12 north of Winter’s Mill to Dripping Springs and RM 2325 from the edge of the Wimberley City Limits to the county line near Blanco. Shell said that while some areas may eventually need capacity expansions such as from the intersection of RM 3237 and RM 150 heading into Kyle, but that he wasn’t sure if it would be necessary for all the areas marked on the plan. Still, he thought it was prudent to have that discussion.
“We have to look at what roads we have now, and what the solutions would be on the existing roads,” Shell said. “If you don’t do anything to those existing roads then what is your plan to add capacity?”
The Virtual Open House materials, including a video presentation, plan map, list of project recommendations, and a survey, are on www.haystransportationplan.com and available through February 7, 2021.
This is the second time the project has been before the public. “We are very appreciative of the public feedback, which played an important role in shaping the draft plan,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Jones said. “The Hays County Transportation Plan will serve as a tool to help implement projects, preserve right-of-way, and collaborate with regional partners to guide the County’s future transportation landscape.”