Drivers near downtown Bastrop will see new stop signs on Carter Street by July 9 after Bastrop City Council approved traffic changes aimed at slowing vehicles near Piney Creek Bend.

The gist: The new signs will create four-way stops at Carter and Linden streets and Carter and Juniper streets, near the entrances and exits of the Piney Creek Bend subdivision.

Why now: Bastrop Police Chief Vicky Steffanic said a resident requested a traffic study in May and gathered signatures from nearby residents; however, the city had already completed a traffic study in March.

The study found a “significant portion” of drivers exceeded 35 mph on the 30 mph road, with some traveling faster than 50 mph.

What drivers should know: Bastrop Streets Director Lance Dodge said the signs are expected to be installed July 8-9. Steffanic said police typically allow drivers about 30 days to adjust after new signs are installed, during which officers usually issue warnings.

Learn more: Check out Page 8 in Bastrop-Cedar Creek’s June e-edition for more Bastrop-area transportation project updates.

Bastrop-area families can register through Aug. 1 for free school shoes from First Baptist Church of Bastrop. 

In a nutshell: FBCB Pastor Joshua Hebert said the congregation intends to provide at least 150 new pairs of shoes to Bastrop-area children. With the community's help, that number could climb.

How it works: Hebert told Community Impact that children will have the opportunity to pick from a variety of options; however, registration is required before the event.

"We also will be providing a free dinner for each family when they select their shoes," he added.

Why it matters: "During these difficult economic times, we want each child in our community to own a new pair of shoes for the upcoming school year," Hebert said. "It is our hope that meeting this need will let each one know that God loves and cares for them."

Get involved: Those interested in helping can donate online. Hebert noted that every $25 buys one new pair of shoes.

• Aug. 5, 5:30-8:30 p.m. (giveaway)

A YMCA renovation, road reconstruction and a Crunch Fitness are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Johnny Morris Road ($32.7 million): This project involves roadway reconstruction with improvements to curbs, sidewalks, shared-use paths, signal modifications, and signage and pavement markings.

2. Texas Children's Hospital Austin ($17.9 million): This project includes a shell infill on the existing 5th floor of the hospital to house 12 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU, beds and 12 Universal Care Pediatric Beds.

3. YMCA Four Points ($17 million): This project involves the single-story renovation of the existing YMCA facility and a new outdoor space with a pool house.

4. Blue Hole Nature Center ($4 million): A new 2,375-square-foot nature center is being built in Wimberley.

5. Crunch Fitness ($1.5 million): A new Crunch Fitness location is coming to Hutto, with construction set to begin this fall.

North Austin will soon be home to a major expansion of The University of Texas’ medical, academic and research systems with the planned opening of the UT Dell Medical Center in 2030. 

The details: The 27-acre medical complex, a collaboration with the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, will break ground this fall.

The center is expected to initially include a hospital tower, outpatient facilities and emergency department, with new facilities to be added in phases through 2032.

The medical complex is one piece of the recently announced 300-acre UT Dell Campus for Advanced Research off MoPac.

Some context: The facility was initially expected to rise downtown near Dell Seton Medical Center, and state lawmakers removed building restrictions on a university-owned property for the UT-MD Anderson project. However, the project’s scope led officials to select Northwest Austin instead.

What else? The university confirmed the medical center will feature 300-500 patient beds for specialized care, including potential cutting-edge clinical trials and therapies, to ensure patients won’t have to navigate multiple facilities or search outside Central Texas to address their needs.