Two roadwork projects around the CedarView development in north Cedar Park will be completed by late August, a news release from the city states.

The details: Traffic signals at the intersection of New Hope Drive and Enchanted Rock Drive will be fully live July 30, the release states.

Work on the intersection of New Hope Drive and Main Street-Block House Drive is expected to be completed by the time Scheels opens Aug. 29.

The improvements are part of a larger project to expand New Hope Drive. Other traffic changes will continue along the roadway as crews work to expand it from four to six lanes.

Community members interested in appearing on the ballot for Round Rock ISD board of trustees places 3, 4, 5 and 6 can file their application through Aug. 17.

What you need to know: The filing period to appear on the ballot in the Nov. 3 election opened July 18 and will run through Aug. 17. The deadline to file for write-in candidacy is Aug. 21.

Places 3, 4, 5 and 6, currently occupied by trustees Amber Landrum, Alicia Markum, Amy Weir and Fabian Cuero. The latter was appointed to serve the remainder of the term for Place 6 following the departure of former trustee Tiffanie Harrison.

About the position: Those who win their seats in the regular election will serve a four-year term, representing the district at large. RRISD board seats are volunteer, unpaid positions.

Williamson County’s gross domestic product is up about $8 billion since 2022, making it the 90th largest global economy, officials said.

Dave Porter, executive director of the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership, presented an economic update and the organization’s five-year strategic plan to commissioners July 21.

By the numbers: This year, the county’s GDP reached $44.6 billion, up from $36 billion in 2022. Job growth rate stands at 2.5%, and the median household income is $111,340 for WilCo residents.

Looking ahead: The EDP’s newly finalized five-year strategic plan aims to encourage local employment with a “Live Here, Work Here” initiative. With a workforce of 435,000, over 202,000 residents currently commute outside the county for work daily, primarily to Travis County.

One more thing: Porter will retire as executive director at the end of December, and the EDP board of directors is now accepting applications for the position.

A Burlington in Kyle, a Fairfield Inn in Bastrop and an AutoZone in Austin are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Burlington ($16.5 million): A new Burlington store is coming to the Kyle Park mixed-use development.

2. Fairfield Inn Staybridge Suites ($10 million): A new 121-key hotel is coming to Bastrop, with construction set to conclude in summer 2028.

3. Slaughter Lane Signal Improvements ($1.2 million): This project includes the installation of accessible pedestrian push-buttons, pedestrian signal poles, and renovation of curb ramps and adjacent sidewalks at 11 traffic signals on the Slaughter Lane corridor.

4. AutoZone ($1.1 million): A new AutoZone location is planned for Austin. The 6,446 square-foot auto parts store is set to begin construction in April.

5. Jersey Mike's ($250,000): A new Jersey Mike's is planned for Cedar Park. The 1,457-square-foot sandwich shop is expected to be completed in October.

As more data centers are being built in Texas, the state’s water planning agency warns that limited information is available about the booming industry and its impact on water supplies.

The overview: The Texas Water Development Board adopted its initial 2027 State Water Plan on July 23, with a “more robust” version of the plan expected later this year. The plan consists of 3,000 water management projects and 6,700 strategies that experts say are needed to prepare for future severe droughts.

It will cost about $174 billion to complete the projects, according to the TWDB. However, if they are not implemented, a severe drought could cost the state $91 billion in economic damages as soon as 2030 and lead to $177 billion in annual losses by 2080.

The context: These projections do not account for the amount of water that data centers—which largely purchase their water from public systems—may use or how the large facilities could contribute to overall water availability. Right now, the board said it did not have enough information to do so.