TxDOT takes first steps on Hwy. 71 median project in Bee Cave
In mid-August, TxDOT placed orange barricades along Hwy. 71 to mark locations for permanent raised medians which will be constructed as part of its Hwy. 71 Safety Improvement Project.
The overview: The orange barricades close the center lane along Hwy. 71 in Bee Cave, between Bee Creek Road and Hamilton Pool Road, and will later be replaced by permanent raised medians which restrict left turns along Hwy. 71.
The temporary barricades may shift location as work progresses, according to a city announcement shared by the city of Bee Cave on Facebook on Aug. 28.
Ten median breaks will be maintained along the stretch of highway, and an additional median break will be added at Caprock Summit Drive, according to plans shared by TxDOT.
The context: Planned medians are part of TxDOT’s Hwy. 71 Safety Improvement Project. The project, designed to improve road safety and reduce crashes, is expected to wrap up before summer 2026, according to the city’s announcement.
What to know about the Pecan Street Festival's return to Bee Cave
Producers with the Pecan Street Festival announced on Aug. 25 that the biannual celebration would return to the Hill Country Galleria this fall from Sept. 13-14. Here are a few details to know about the festival.
The overview: The festival was first relocated to the Hill Country Galleria in May as a solution to space constraints on Sixth Street, where it has historically taken place. At the fall festival, a full block of children’s carnival rides will be introduced, and the Central Plaza Lawn in front of the Bee Cave Library will offer art workshops for kids, as well as other activities.
What they're saying: “We had to move both because expenses in the city of Austin impacted the show financially, considerably, and second of all because the streets transformed and so we didn't have a way to actually activate the show,” Pecan Street Festival Executive Producer Luis Zapata said.
No decision has yet been made on where future festivals will take place.
City plans relocation of homeless services hub from South Austin's Sunrise Community Church
Austin's main homeless services hub could be moving away from its current South Austin location.
The details: For years, various homeless services have been offered from the Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center in South Austin. The location has proved controversial, drawing legal and legislative attempts to shut down operations there due to public nuisance and safety concerns. On Sept. 3, the city's Homeless Strategy Office announced plans to potentially acquire a new property off I-35 to serve as a replacement for Sunrise's services. It remains to be seen if Sunrise would also make the move across town, or if a new operator would be chosen.
No final decision about the new site has been made, and officials said resident input will inform whether the proposed relocation takes place. Depending on public sentiment, City Council could vote to move forward with the property acquisition in October ahead of the new center's opening next spring.
‘This will save lives’: New Texas laws require summer camps to remove cabins from floodplains
Two months after 25 campers and two counselors died in the historic July 4 flooding at Camp Mystic, Gov. Greg Abbott signed three new laws Sept. 5 that he said will “make youth camps safer” and ensure Texas communities are better prepared for future disasters. The flood victims' families attended the Sept. 5 bill signing ceremony in Austin.
The details: Under the two-pronged camp safety package, summer camps are required to remove existing cabins from floodplains by Jan. 1.
Camps must also develop and annually update comprehensive emergency plans, set up warning systems to notify campers if something is wrong and install ladders so campers can climb on cabin roofs during floods.
Looking ahead: Two other disaster preparedness bills, as well as legislation designed to regulate Texas’ multibillion-dollar THC industry, did not pass during the recent special legislative session, which ended around 1 a.m. Sept. 4.
When asked Sept. 5 if he planned to call a third legislative overtime to continue work on those policies, Abbott told reporters to "stay tuned."
