State of the City video online
HUTTO — Mayor Mike Snyder, Mayor Pro Tem Peter Gordon, Director of Economic Development Cheney Gamboa and City Manager James Earp sat down with Drew Hargrove, chairman of the board for the Hutto Area Chamber of Commerce, to answer questions sent in from the public. The result is a two-hour video forum available now on the city’s website. The informal panel discussion included the latest city data and highlighted achievements in public safety, leadership and city growth.
Progress made in staffing and funding the police department was a key topic, as well as challenges in road construction and the desire to keep Hutto’s small town personality in the face of exponential growth.
“I disagree that in order to have a small town feel you have to keep your populations at 10,000 people. I do think you can have a really big city and if you do it right, and you keep the bureaucracy down and you keep the human interaction, I think you can keep your small town,” Snyder responded to a question about making sure Hutto doesn’t become an extension of Austin.
“Any new business that comes to town, make sure you put a hippo outside,” he added.
Progress on East Wilco Highway
Williamson County has responded to public comment regarding what the community would like to see happen with the County Road 138 expansion being called the East Wilco Highway.
The EWH runs from Texas 79 to CR 137 and is a current work zone. Four million dollars of the improvements are funded by the 2023 Road Bond program. These funds are designated for safety enhancement and could include options such as a permanent traffic light, flexible traffic sticks and street lighting, according to the city.
The county conducted a traffic analysis evaluating lane assignments and additional traffic solutions in the area to help drivers safely enter and exit East Wilco Highway from the surrounding neighborhoods.
Some changes expected to affect drivers within the next few weeks include the removal of the continuous middle lane on CR 138 at Secretariat Ridge Lane being replaced with a left turn only lane and a temporary fourway stop at the intersection of East Wilco Highway and Derby Day Avenue/Little Lake Road. Drivers will no longer be able to make left turns out of Secretariat Ridge Lane to westbound CR 138.
