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TTC approves funding By Kurt Johnson The Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) approved $153 million in state funding for future roadways and roadway improvements in Williamson County in a meeting held Thursday in Corpus Christi. The state money will be steered to the county through a unique program known as pass-through tolling, in which the county will pay for the up-front costs and then be reimbursed by the state over a 14-year period based on how much traffic uses the roads. The state isn't funding 100 percent of the costs. The county will receive about 88 cents on the dollar for the money invested in the program. Precinct 4 Commissioner Frankie Limmer, who attended the meeting with County Judge John Doerfler, said TTC's decision “ranks way up there” with other high points of his tenure as commissioner. “The significance of TTC's decision for Williamson County is truly huge,” Limmer said. Limmer said he's especially proud of three local projects that will be financed through the TTC program: US 79 will be widened to a four-lane highway with left-turn lanes between Taylor and the county line east of Thrall at a cost of $71.8 million. Environmental work has already begun and construction will start in early 2007 with completion in late 2009. Beginning the east side of Hutto and moving east, a four-mile stretch of US 79 will be divided by a median and connect with the other improvements now being made on US 79 between Frame Switch and Taylor. The project will cost $32.1 million and will begin in January 2006 with a completion date in late 2007. FM 1660 will be realigned to bypass Hutto on the east. The specific route has yet to be determined as right-of-way is still being acquired. The 7.7 miles of construction - slated to begin in January 2007 and end in December 2008 - will cost $33.2 million. The three other projects funded through the TTC program in other parts of Williamson County total $53.1 million. According to Limmer, TTC's approval of pass-through tolling for these six projects moves Williamson County to the forefront of road building and roadway improvements in the state. Montgomery County has been approved for some projects, and other counties have applications on file. Williamson County leads in funding authorized by the TTC.
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