Here are five transportation updates from across the Lake Travis-Westlake area for December, according to Bee Cave, Lakeway and Texas Department of Transportation officials.

Ongoing projects: Hwy. 71 Safety Improvement Project
Project: implementing medians on Hwy. 71 from Bee Creek Road to Bee Cave Parkway
Update: finalizing construction of the medians and closing out the project

• Timeline: completion expected early 2026
• Cost: $2.8 million
• Funding source: federal funding

• Timeline: completion anticipated early 2026
• Cost: $692,449
• Funding source: city of Lakeway

• Timeline: October 2024-November 2025
• Cost: $2.2 million 
• Funding source: The Morgan Group

The first project under a new Austin Energy program promoting solar panels on commercial properties is now complete, while the city moves forward on a separate plan to install solar at dozens of public buildings.

AE's Solar Standard Offer program incentivizes businesses and property owners to install their own solar panels or lease rooftop space to solar developers. In exchange, they're compensated by the utility based on energy generated by the new panels.

The first solar array developed under that program was completed this fall at a Northeast Austin business park, and officials gathered Dec. 3 to mark the project and its public benefits.

That update came as Austin works to launch its own solar installations at dozens of city-owned sites around town. That project, proposed this spring by City Council, must move forward by next summer or risk losing federal tax credits needed to make it financially viable.

Central Texas Table of Grace, a Round Rock-based nonprofit, opened a new facility to serve local youth in November.

About the project: The facility, Lowe's Hometown Garage, helps teens and young adults supported by CTTG prepare for independent life by learning about automotive maintenance and business skills.

Renovation to the facility was funded by a Lowe's Hometown grant.

About the organization: CTTG was founded in 2014 by Stacy Johnson to support children in foster care and youth who have aged out of the foster care system. The CTTG Shelter serves children ages 5-17, and the Supervised Independent Living program, Grace365, serves ages 18-21.

Nine new medical cannabis dispensaries could soon open in Texas, the Department of Public Safety announced Dec. 1.

The overview: The nine companies were preliminarily approved to join three existing dispensaries that provide medical-grade, low-THC products to eligible patients through the Texas Compassionate Use Program. The program's expansion comes after state lawmakers passed House Bill 46 this spring.

Lawmakers also allowed dispensaries to store products in multiple locations, which advocates said would cut costs, and added more qualifying conditions to the program.

Zooming in: The nine providers given conditional licenses Dec. 1 are:

• Verano Texas LLC in West Texas
• Trulieve TX Inc. in the Panhandle
• Texas Patient Access LLC in North Texas
• Lonestar Compassionate Care Group LLC in North Texas
• Lone Star Bioscience Inc. in South Central Texas
• PC TX OPCO LLC, dba PharmaCann, in Southeast Texas
• Texa OP, dba TexaRx, in the Rio Grande Valley
• Story of Texas LLC in Southeast Texas
• Dilatso LLC in North Texas