Work is underway on several transportation projects in Bastrop.

Council approved a $462,400 pavement maintenance task order for Wilson Street on April 30. Council also approved two change orders for the Old Iron Bridge rehabilitation project, while the Texas Department of Transportation continues right-of-way acquisition and utility work for FM 812 enhancements.

FM 812 enhancements ($145 million): Work will widen 9.5 miles of FM 812 from two undivided lanes to four divided lanes, realign a 1.5-mile stretch between US 183 and FM 973 near William Cannon Drive to eliminate an S-curve, add a shared-use path and sidewalks, improve drainage and upgrade guardrail and barrier standards on five bridges.

Wilson Street pavement rehabilitation ($462,000): Work could include asphalt repair, milling, overlays, base repair and traffic control, with an optional tie-in at Wilson and Buttonwood streets.

Old Iron Bridge rehabilitation ($9.6 million): Rehabilitation includes adding stairs, a concrete deck, steel truss components, railing and decorative lights to the historic bridge. Eastbound traffic on Loop 150 adjacent to the bridge is open intermittently while work is underway.

Construction began April 6 on a second McDonald's restaurant in Bastrop.

A closer look: The 4,304-square-foot project has a listed construction cost of $1.5 million, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing.

The new McDonald’s will be located within Sendero—a 75-acre mixed-use development underway in Bastrop.

As previously reported by Community Impact, Sendero will feature a dual-branded Marriott hotel, retail shops, dining options, wellness services, multifamily housing and more.

What they offer: McDonald’s is known for its popular menu items, including the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder, and has an existing location at 496 SH 71 E., Bastrop.

• Opening by late 2026
• Sendero, 917 SH 71 W., Bastrop

From a new Target in Austin to elementary school construction in Leander ISD, here are five of the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Leander ISD Elementary School No. 32 ($65 million): The new elementary school will be 117,000 square feet. According to the district, the school is projected to open in 2028 and follow the same design used for recent elementary schools.

2. Paramount Theatre Restoration ($21.7 million): This project includes a partial renovation of the existing theater, and will be completed in the summer of 2027. 

3. Target ($19.3 million): A Target will anchor The Village at Dripping Springs shopping center. 

4. Lake Travis Fire Rescue ($8 million): This project involves the demolition of the existing fire station and construction of a new one.

5. Conner Tract Parking Addition ($2 million): This project involves an overflow parking addition for Liberty Hill ISD north of the existing Liberty Hill High School campus.

Roughly 76,000 fewer students were enrolled in Texas public schools this academic year than the year prior, according to May 11 report.

The overview: The 2025-26 school year marks the second recorded enrollment drop in recent history, according to Texas Education Agency data collected since the 1987-88 academic year. The first decline happened in the 2020-21 school year, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hispanic students accounted for 81% of the enrollment loss in the 2025-26 school year, the policy research group Texas 2036 found.

The local impact: School districts across Community Impact’s coverage areas are in the process of closing and consolidating campuses, citing enrollment declines and budget shortfalls. Statewide data shows that 130 campuses have been selected for closure in the past two years.

What they're saying: “This year, we are down students, and these [drops] are somewhat more accelerated than statewide demographic trends indicated,” TEA Commissioner Mike Morath told lawmakers May 11. “We cannot tell you the precise cause of this. We just know that it has occurred.”