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Drivers who battle rush-hour backups on U.S. 290 will have a chance this month to weigh in on a possible toll road extension through Elgin, a decision officials say could reshape one of the area’s busiest corridors.
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority has scheduled a community listening session in Elgin for Sept. 25, part of a required environmental and design study. The study covers about 15 miles of 290 between state highways 130 and 95, where congestion can add up to 17 minutes to daily commutes, according to officials.
The project under consideration includes extending tolled lanes alongside existing free lanes, upgrading intersections and traffic signals, and adding pedestrian or bicycle infrastructure where possible. Officials said no construction has been approved, and any future work would require separate funding and approval.
Commissioners agreed to the study in April at an expected cost of about $20 million, though Bastrop County will not contribute financially. According to the authority, delays along the corridor will only worsen as the local population continues to grow.
An online session will run from Sept. 9 through Oct. 10 at Mobilityauthority.com/projects. In-person meetings are set for Sept. 23 in Manor from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Manor Elementary Early Learning Center, and Sept. 25 in Elgin from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Austin Community College Elgin Campus, Building 1000. Each meeting will present the same material.
Officials said public input will shape the future of the project. Residents can ask questions, submit comments or sign up for updates online.
The idea of extending the 290 toll road has been debated for years — a stretch the Texas Department of Transportation identified as one of the Top 100 most congested corridors in the state.
Earlier efforts to push the project east faced strong community resistance, with many residents voicing frustration about paying tolls. At the same time, commuters and county officials have expressed concern about worsening traffic and the need for long-term solutions amid the county’s population boom.
“Texans should never be forced to pay tolls on roads they didn’t vote for,” state Rep. Stan Gerdes, R-Smithville, said in April after introducing House Bill 1589.
The measure, which would have required voter approval before any toll project could move forward in Texas, stalled in committee.
