Leander and Liberty Hill continue to see transportation improvements as local, county and state agencies work to accommodate rapid growth.

The overview: Seven major road projects are underway or in development, ranging from roadway widenings to new highway connections and intersection upgrades. Active construction includes the Legacy Ranch Drive expansion near a future Liberty Hill ISD campus, the widening of Ronald Reagan Boulevard between FM 3405 and Hwy. 29, and the long-term reconstruction of RM 2243, or Hero Way, into a controlled-access highway from 183A Toll to Southwest Bypass.

Looking ahead: Additional projects moving toward construction include the reconstruction of Seward Junction North Loop, improvements to CR 279-Bagdad Road with new travel lanes and a shared-use path, the widening of CR 175 to improve regional connectivity, and the extension of CR 214 across the San Gabriel River. Combined, the projects represent hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation investments funded primarily through Williamson County road bonds and federal dollars, with construction timelines extending through 2030.

BSE Studio, a new luxury brows, skin and aesthetics salon, is now open in Leander along the Cedar Park border, owner Alyssa Woodward said.

The details: The team behind the salon is excited to bring high-end beauty and aesthetic services to the local community, Woodward said.
She outlined some of the services available at BSE Studio:

• Permanent makeup

• Customized facials and advanced skincare

• Brow services

• Lash services

• Full-body waxing

• Medical aesthetic services provided by a licensed nurse practitioner

“Our mission is to create a luxury, welcoming environment where clients can receive exceptional care from experienced professionals,” Woodward said.
Clients are asked to book appointments online in advance. The salon can accommodate same-day appointments for many services, Woodward said.

Check out the latest transportation projects across the Austin metro. 

Upcoming projects

I-35 at Inner Loop Interchange

Project: The project includes the design and construction of improvements to the interchange between SE Inner Loop and I-35 in Georgetown.

Update: All work for the project has been put on hold pending TxDOT advancing the design of I-35.

• Timeline: TBD

• Cost: TBD

• Funding source: Williamson County 2023 road bond

Ongoing projects

Oak Hill Parkway

Project: The Texas Department of Transportation is currently reconstructing Hwy. 290 in Oak Hill, transforming the existing four-lane, undivided roadway to a six-lane divided highway with new frontage roads and 14 miles of shared-use paths.

Update: As of July, drivers can now travel on newly opened mainlanes, frontage roads and ramps. Drivers can expect ongoing painting, landscaping, asphalt paving, striping and shared-use path improvements to cause lane closures.

• Timeline: 2022-26 (total project)

• Cost: $677 million allocated for the entire project

• Funding source: TxDOT

Texas is halting the approval of new data center projects until state regulators can audit all data centers seeking to connect to the power grid, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Aug. 3.

The overview: The governor directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to conduct “a comprehensive verification and audit” of all data center applicants “before any additional data centers are approved to move forward.” 

Data center regulation has emerged as a bipartisan issue in recent months, and the move comes amid both growing public criticism of Texas’ booming data center industry and recent political pressure for Abbott to respond.

Zooming in: Abbott asked the PUC and ERCOT to collect information about the tax exemptions each data center is collecting; details about each project's anticipated water and electricity usage; and how data center developers will work to limit noise, light pollution and other impacts on local communities.

Officials did not say how long the pause would last or when the audits would begin.