The Texas Department of Transportation proposed a new traffic configuration for the intersection of Gattis School Road and SH 130 near the borders of Hutto, Round Rock and Pflugerville.

In a nutshell: TxDOT held virtual and in-person open houses in September detailing plans to add a diverging diamond designed to improve the intersection.

The proposal also includes new bypass lanes for SH 130 and reconstructing entrance and exit ramps for the toll road, according to project documents.

Per TxDOT, diverging diamond intersections are intended to eliminate left-turn conflicts and reduce traffic accidents.

What's next: TxDOT anticipates bidding the project out in mid-2027. Construction is expected to begin later that year.

A Water Wings Swim School is coming to Pflugerville. 

The gist: According to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the swim school will be located in Stone Hill Town Center. 

Water Wings offers small-group classes, swim meets and private lessons for children and adults year-round. 

The details: The swim school currently has locations across the country and opened a location in Cypress in September.

According to the filing, construction on the $950,000 project will begin in November and wrap up in March. 

• 1401 Town Center Drive, Pflugerville

A new gym in Kyle, a Rooms To Go in Leander and a Brakes Plus in Georgetown are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Project Longhorn ($366 million): This project includes constructing a new one-story data center building.

2. Texas Military Department Camp Mabry Building 8 ($36 million): This project involves constructing a 145,000-square-foot, two-story building.

3. EōS Fitness ($6.4 million): This project involves constructing a 42,556-square-foot structure, including a 2,558-square-foot outdoor exercise area, to be used as a health and fitness club.

4. Rooms To Go ($5.8 million): A Rooms To Go is coming to Leander, with construction set to wrap up next December.

5. Brakes Plus ($1.5 million): This project involves the construction of an auto service facility with associated site work.

6. Juanes Mexican Restaurant ($300,000): A new Mexican restaurant is coming to Round Rock, with construction set to wrap up in December.

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.

Texans interested in casting their midterm election ballots before Election Day can do so from Oct. 19-30, the state's early voting period.

The overview: Registered voters can visit any polling place in their county during early voting. They will receive a ballot with federal, state and local races—from the U.S. Senate and Texas governor to city and school district officials.

Dates to know

• Oct. 19: Early in-person voting begins

• Oct. 23: Deadline to apply to vote by mail

• Oct. 30: Early in-person voting ends

• Nov. 3: Election Day

Something to note: Local election officials are also working through a backlog of voter registrations after the Texas Department of Public Safety failed to send some registration records to counties, according to previous reporting. Texans who registered before the Oct. 5 deadline but do not appear on the rolls can still cast a provisional ballot, per the secretary of state.

More details: To check out candidate Q&As and review all races on local ballots, visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide.