Travis County commissioners approved $5.65 million Oct. 6 for repairs and legal costs at a closed county landfill beneath the Austin Country Flea Market at 9500 E. US 290.

What’s happening: The landfill has produced polluted liquid, called leachate, since it closed in 1982.

Most of the money will go toward repairs, according to a county memo, with the rest covering legal costs in the county’s effort to take the property.

Zooming in: The county is in three lawsuits over the site, according to a county court filing:

• The state sued the county in May 2025 over its care of the landfill.

• Landowner Moo Moo Meadows LLC and Graham Development Corp. sued the county in federal court in July 2025.

• The county sued Moo Moo Meadows in December 2025 to take the property through eminent domain.

Austin City Council approved the rezoning for a new multifamily housing development located on the west side of Loop 360 on Oct. 8.

The rezoning will allow for a denser, mixed-use development with potential for both commercial and residential space, yet residents from the nearby Lost Creek neighborhood expressed concerns surrounding traffic dangers.

The background: The proposed development would include 475 multifamily units, with an affordable housing component and potential for ground-level retail and commercial uses.

The issue: Several community members from the Lost Creek neighborhood expressed concerns surrounding the increase in traffic the proposed development may bring to Loop 360.

The entrances to the new development and the Lost Creek neighborhood are both along Loop 360.

The city previously stated that a traffic impact analysis was not required as the traffic expected from the proposal did not exceed the thresholds that trigger a traffic impact analysis under the city’s Land Development Code.

What else: The rezoning request passed with council member Marc Duchen voting in opposition.

Early voting in Travis County runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 30, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

What you need to know: Voters can use any of Travis County’s 45 early voting locations, County Clerk Dyana Limon-Mercado said.

Locations are open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. every day, including on weekends, according to the county’s schedule, except for one polling site that’s only open Oct. 30. Voters can find their closest polling site at communityimpact.com/voter-guide.

Voters should bring one of seven accepted forms of photo ID, such as a Texas driver license or U.S. passport, according to the Texas Association of County Election Officials.

On the ballot: The county has more than 700 ballot variations, Limon-Mercado said.

Austin voters will see two bond propositions and eight proposed city charter amendments, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

Council races are on the ballot in districts 1, 3, 5, 8 and 9, according to the city of Austin.

Check out the latest updates on upcoming or ongoing transportation projects across the Austin metro.

Upcoming projects

Freedom River Parkway East and West

Project: Construction of new east-west roadway connections from Hwy. 29 to RM 1869 and from Bagdad Road, or CR 279, to Hwy. 29, improving Liberty Hill bypass connectivity.

Update: Both projects remain in the design phase through 2026 as part of the Liberty Hill bypass connectivity network.

• Timeline: early 2027–early 2029

• Cost: $36.3 million (East); $61.5 million (West)

• Funding source: Williamson County 2023 road bond

Ongoing projects

MoKan Trail: Boggy Creek Bridge Segment

Project: The project is a 1.5-mile trail in Austin connecting the Pedernales Street bike path to the Southern Walnut Creek Trail.

Update: Phase 5, the bridge over Boggy Creek, is the trail's final piece and is expected to be complete by late 2026.

• Timeline: expected completion in late 2026

• Cost: $5.3 million–$5.8 million

• Funding source: 2020 mobility bond, Community Project Funding