TxDOT NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH R-CUT PROJECT AT 290-1155 INTERSECTION

  

TxDOT’s short-term proposal to modify the Highway 290-FM 1155 intersection in Chappell Hill while the agency explores long-term improvements appears to be put on hold.

Members of the commissioners court, public safety officials and other Chappell Hill community stakeholders met last Thursday with TxDOT to share concerns about the planned Restricted Crossing U-Turn (R-CUT) intersection, which would redirect traffic to turn or make U-turns at offset locations along Highway 290 instead of crossing through the intersection itself.

The project was slated to begin construction in May, but after last week’s two-hour meeting where an overwhelming majority of those in attendance showed that they were opposed to the redesign, TxDOT agreed to not proceed with the project, indicating it would not do so without community support.

A statement from TxDOT-Bryan District Public Information Officer Bob Colwell said that while updates had already been made to the design to address community feedback, the meeting “brought forward additional items to consider”. 

County Judge John Durrenberger, who facilitated the meeting along with Precinct 2 County Commissioner Candice Bullock, said in a statement that he applauds TxDOT leadership for its “commitment to listening to the community, and their goal to continue working with our county on other projects.”  He said TxDOT will implement minor public safety improvements in the Chappell Hill area, but the major R-CUT project “will not move forward.”

Bullock told KWHI that one of the main worries shared by the public was that the new intersection would not accommodate heavy farm equipment.  Other issues brought up previously included the impact to first responders and festival traffic, although Bullock noted that TxDOT did work to ease concerns about how the intersection would handle response times.  TxDOT’s project webpage states that the medians at the intersection would be mountable to allow emergency vehicles to go through. 

Bullock commended TxDOT for the existing improvements made at and around the intersection, which include rumble strips, caution lights warning drivers to slow down for the upcoming traffic signal, and revised timing for the signal itself.  She said TxDOT will evaluate if the caution lights can be moved further out, and the idea has been raised for a new study to potentially lower the speed limit.  She also said TxDOT plans to remove some of the unprotected cross-through points that are located close to the main intersection on both sides, where drivers can U-turn to shift from the eastbound to westbound lanes, or vice versa.

The R-CUT project was intended by TxDOT to be a short-term solution while it develops a larger-scale overhaul of the intersection, which would include an overpass that bridges over FM 1155 and widening Highway 290 from four lanes to six.  That project, however, has not been funded, so construction is not expected to begin before 2030.

Full release/statement from Washington County Judge John Durrenberger:

Washington County Judge John Durrenberger announced today that after extensive discussions with community leaders, public safety officials and Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) leadership, the proposed intersection improvements at the U.S. Hwy 290 and Farm Market Road 1155 in Chappell Hill have been put on hold indefinitely. “Over the past few months concerned citizens and public safety officials from the community of Chappell Hill have been expressing their concerns with the proposed R-Cut design proposed by the Texas Department of Transportation. The community has seen increased traffic along U.S. Hwy 290, and with the increased traffic during the town’s two key festivals, the local community expressed severe concerns with the impact this would have not only on traffic but the local manufacturing and agriculture industry. My office along with Precinct 2 County Commissioner Candice Bullock, facilitated a meeting with these concerned residents and TXDOT officials recently to review their proposal once more and it was determined that this R-Cut design was not feasible for Chappell Hill. I want to applaud the leadership of TXDOT for their commitment to listening to the community, and their goal to continue working with our county on other projects. TXDOT will implement a few minor public safety improvements in the Chappell Hill area over the coming months but the massive project implementing an R-Cut design will not move forward,” concluded Judge John Durrenberger.