ATX-SBK: Impact 2/10/2026

Good Morning, San Marcos, Buda & Kyle!

Top Story

San Marcos spends $1.68M for airport expansion

The U.S. General Services Administration, or GSA, announced the transfer of over 240 acres of land in San Marcos on Feb. 5. A portion of the land was sold to the city of San Marcos earlier this year for $1.68 million, removing it from the federal inventory.

At a glance: The mostly vacant land, located east of the San Marcos Regional Airport, is now owned by Texas State University and the city of San Marcos.

San Marcos purchased nearly 170 acres of the land for $1.68 million, planning to utilize it for an airport expansion.

The city hopes to support development on the land that will attract new businesses and create local jobs.

Zooming out: The GSA transferred 75 acres of the land to Texas State University in March 2025. The plot of land includes a cluster of 16 buildings near William Pettis Road.

The university will continue to use the acquired buildings to expand its Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center, according to the GSA.

Read the full story.

SPONSORED HEADLINES

Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority

Now open: New 183 express lanes ease Northwest Austin congestion

Coming Soon

Dollar General eyes southeast San Marcos for new store

Editor's note: This article is based on a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations filing. Community Impact will provide updates as we learn more.

A fifth Dollar General began construction on the southeast side of San Marcos on Jan. 15. The 10,640-square-foot general store’s construction is estimated to be completed by July 1.

What’s offered: Dollar General provides customers with products from a variety of categories, including:

Cleaning supplies
Food
Medicine
Storage
Household supplies
Decor
Pet supplies
Baby supplies

One more thing: The store’s construction is projected to cost $600,000.

149 Wheat Field Lane, San Marcos

Find out more.

On The Transportation Beat

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport marks 2025 as third busiest year

A total of about 21.67 million passengers departed and arrived at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 2025, marking the year as the third busiest for the airport.

The details: Passenger traffic marked 2024 as the airport’s second busiest year, following 2023 and 2022’s record-breaking totals.

The busiest airline for the airport was Southwest Airlines, with 8.9 million passengers, similar to 2024. Southwest Airlines officials recently announced plans to expand at ABIA, backed by a $5.5 million economic incentive deal between the airline and the city of Austin.

What else: The airport is currently undergoing a multiyear expansion program designed to upgrade facilities and increase capacity to address the record-breaking passenger traffic in recent years. The expansion program includes several projects, such as a new baggage handling system, facilities and passenger gates, various airfield upgrades, and the construction of new taxiways and a second terminal.

In 2025, officials broke ground on a new parking garage with 7,000 spaces opening in two phases, as well as broke ground on the Atrium Infill project.

Read now.

Transportation Tuesday

Bridges, paths, highways: 6 Austin metro transportation project updates

Check out six upcoming or ongoing transportation projects across the Austin metro.

Upcoming projects
Crystal Falls Parkway rail bridge
Project: Leander city officials are considering building a railroad bridge over Crystal Falls Parkway at US 183, removing the current ground-level rail crossing and allowing traffic to flow uninterrupted by passing trains.
Update: The city is actively seeking a $40 million grant from TxDOT. The design phase is expected to take around two and a half years, followed by roughly three years of construction.

Timeline: 2029-32
Cost: $103 million
Funding source: TBD

Ongoing projects
I-35 Capital Express Central project
Project: The project will add two nontolled high-occupancy vehicle lanes from Hwy. 290 to Hwy. 71, removing the upper decks and widening the corridor.
Update: The northbound I-35 Riverside Drive exit 233 and Holly Street entrance ramp exit 234A will be permanently closed as crews prepare for the reconstruction of Lady Bird Lake bridge.