Georgetown City Council gave the go-ahead to redesign the Austin Avenue pedestrian bridges at a Dec. 9 council work session due to cost increases associated with the original design.

What happened: The estimated cost of the project jumped from $14.6 million to $23.4 million during the final stages of design, Assistant City Manager Nick Woolery said. Design firm Freese and Nichols attributed the increase to an error in calculating the quantity of steel needed.

Because of the error, the design firm restructured the internal team working on the project, offered a partial refund of design fees and came up with three alternative bridge design options, Woolery said.

The outcome: Council members favored a durable concrete bridge due to its lower maintenance and cost compared to the original steel option.

It includes the original project requirements of a 12-foot pedestrian pathway, lighting and San Gabriel River overlooks as well as connections to the San Gabriel Trail and Blue Hole Park.

Construction on a new Hopdoddy Burger Bar is slated to begin in early January as part of the Gateway 29 development . Work is set to last until late June, according to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filing.

The burger restaurant has seven locations in the Austin area. This will be its first spot in either Leander or Georgetown.

What they offer: Hopdoddy Burger Bar offers specialty burgers, fries, milkshakes, salads, fried chicken and alcoholic beverages, according to its website.

Burgers include the Cadillac Wagyu, which includes a wagyu beef patty, Swiss cheese, bacon, fried onions, steak sauce, truffle aioli, roasted tomato and arugula.

• 19389 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Ste. 100, Leander

Williamson County’s Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors program will soon provide practical support to individuals and families affected by a suicide. The volunteer-run program aims to intervene in the immediate aftermath of the loss.

About the program: The LOSS program will send two trained volunteers, including at least one suicide loss survivor, to the scene of a suicide, helping connect families or individuals with community resources.

County officials are finalizing program details such as logistics, volunteer training requirements and procedures in order to integrate the program into local response protocols, a county news release states.

Get involved: Those interested in volunteering can email Senior Death Inquest Investigator Rubean Leal at [email protected]. Loss survivors and other community members are encouraged to inquire, the release states.

City officials signed off on an economic incentive framework to support an expansion of Southwest Airlines' operations at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The move comes as the airline is moving to lease a majority of new gates to be added at ABIA amid its multibillion-dollar expansion.

The gist: The framework would see Austin pay an estimated $5.5 million to Southwest for roughly 2,000 new local hires over a five-year term, while the city would benefit with nearly $12 million in new tax revenue. The airline would also take on $7.5 million in infrastructure development at the city-owned airport if it selects ABIA for its expansion.

What's next?: Southwest CEO Bob Jordan, Gov. Greg Abbott, City Manager T.C. Broadnax and ABIA CEO Ghizlane Badawi are scheduled to make an economic development announcement at the airport Dec. 12.

City officials highlighted the agreement's potential to bring high-paying union jobs, child care funding and other community benefits.