Dripping Springs residents can expect to see several road improvement projects over the next few years.

Dripping Springs City Council approved the Five-Year Roadway Maintenance Plan (2027-2031) at a June 2 meeting.

The big picture: Over the next five years, the city will repair and complete preventative maintenance on major roads and neighborhood streets.

The plan outlines improvements by fiscal year. During FY 2026-17 through FY 2028-29, the majority of road projects will be mill-and-overlay, a process that removes old asphalt and replaces it. From FY 2029-30 onward, the city will focus on preventive maintenance measures, which are less costly than milling and overlay. The total estimated budget for the plan is approximately $3 million.

What they're saying: “That’s kind of the whole point of preventative maintenance, is to keep us out of this position,” Maintenance Director Riley Sublett said. “We were doing $4 [per] square yard, and if we wait five years, then we’re doing $40 [per] square yard for mill and overlay. So that is something to consider.”

Austin leaders took an initial step toward regulating disruptive dumpster collections that have been reported as a persistent nuisance by residents citywide.

Today, dumpster pickups aren't covered by local regulations that limit loud noises, and that activity can take place at all hours of the day. For residents who live near commercial areas with multiple dumpsters, collections can prove to be an annoyance, especially during late-night hours. Multiple council offices have received complaints about collection activities, leading officials to launch a process this spring aimed at banning dumpster pickups at "unreasonable hours" near homes and apartments.

Council member Mike Siegel, who sponsored the proposal, said he's fielded concerns about noisy trash pickups since coming into office and is seeking to provide residents some relief. The measure calls for city staff to consider "reasonable limits" for operating hours, including late-night and early-morning restrictions, and required minimum distances between dumpsters and residences.

New rules could be in place by the end of the year.

Check out some of the most-read stories from the Austin area June 1-4. 

1. The Peach Cobbler Factory now open in Round Rock

2. Liberty Hill annexes property on Hwy. 29 to become commercial development

3. Mountain Mike's opens first Williamson County location

4. Georgetown officials remove local alcohol permit fee

5. Austin raises senior, disabled homeowner property tax exemption by $12K

6. Bastrop's Texas Roadhouse sets late July opening

Texans are on track to use more electricity this summer than ever before, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas announced during a board meeting this week.

The details: ERCOT, which operates the power grid for the majority of Texas, is forecasting high temperatures and moderate rainfall this summer. Coupled with the proliferation of data centers and other large projects, demand on the grid could surpass 92 gigawatts, officials estimated June 2.

This would break ERCOT’s current demand record of 85.5 gigawatts, which was set during an August 2023 heat wave.

What it means: However, ERCOT officials said a grid emergency or blackout is unlikely this summer. State officials have said this is due to:

• The addition of nearly 11 gigawatts of power capacity to the grid in the last few months
• A state law authorizing ERCOT to require large facilities to reduce their energy use in tight times