Bastrop ISD is nearing completion of overhauling its 126-bus fleet with upgraded seat belts. District officials said the final four buses are slated for replacement this summer.

What you need to know: During a May 12 trustee meeting, BISD Director of Construction and Planning Lee Raspberry said the remaining buses will be replaced by Gold Star Transit before the 2026-27 school year. Once completed, Bastrop ISD’s fleet will meet Senate Bill 546 requirements ahead of the state’s 2029 deadline.

By the numbers: Passed during the 89th Texas Legislature, the bill requires Texas school buses to have at a minimum three-point, or lap-shoulder, seat belts for each passenger by Sept. 1, 2029.

Once complete, BISD Executive Director of Communications Evan Moilan said the district will have 126 buses total, including:

• 122 buses with four-point harnesses—lap and shoulder belts secured at four anchor points
• 4 buses with three-point harnesses—lap and shoulder belt secured at three anchor points

Bastrop's first Chuy's is now serving diners in Sendero—a 75-acre mixed-use development.

The gist: Austin-founded restaurant offers Tex-Mex menu items such as enchiladas, fajitas, flautas and house specialties like the Elvis Presley Memorial Combo, which includes beef, chicken and cheese enchiladas, a crispy taco, tostada chips and queso.

• Opened May 18
• Sendero, 909 SH 71 W., Bastrop

From a new apartment community in Austin to a trail in Cedar Park, here are five of the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Pflugerville Business Park ($37 million): This project involves the construction of the shell industrial buildings with speculative office space in each.

2. Oak Hill Highline Phase II ($26 million): Construction on a 129,306-square-foot apartment community will begin in September.

3. Buda Sportsplex Phase I ($15.2 million): A multifaceted expansion and enhancement of the Buda Sportsplex began last summer and will run through September.

4. Lakeline Park to WilCo trail connection and pedestrian bridge ($9.65 million): This project involves the construction of a one-mile trail connecting Lakeline Park to the Brushy Creek Regional Trail, including a pedestrian bridge crossing South Bell Boulevard.

5. Cedar Park Police Department dispatch renovation ($3 million): This project involves approximately 5,000 square feet of office space renovation for the communications center relocation. 

Austin officially surpassed 1 million residents for the first time in its history last year, making it the 12th-largest U.S. city.

The overview: The city's estimated 2025 population was 1,002,632 people, based on new census data. The addition of more than 4,000 residents from 2024 moved Austin past the 1 million mark.
Austin's expansion came during what the U.S. Census Bureau called a "widespread national slowdown" in population growth, and reported drop-offs in annual growth among large cities. Despite declining international migration, demographer Lila Valencia said Austin, Travis County and the wider metro area continue to maintain "steady growth" thanks to in-state and domestic migration.

Zooming out: While Austin remains one of the largest cities nationwide, it's still ranked fifth in Texas and isn't growing as rapidly as some smaller cities in the state.