Community voices shape 290 expansion plans

Drivers frustrated by heavy traffic on U.S. 290 could see relief as officials consider extending the toll road from Travis County through the city. 

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) hosted a listening session in Elgin last week to gather community feedback on a proposed 15-mile extension of the 290 Toll. The project would run from Texas 130 in Travis County east to Texas 95 in Bastrop County, a move authority leaders said could ease congestion and shape development along one of the region’s most clogged corridors. 

“The next two years are actually the most critical. The public input on the scene — this is that time,” CTRMA Director of Engineering Michael Sexton said. “Construction is easy. Design is easy. But making sure the community is heard, that’s what matters now.”