Stimulus bill gives Hays, close counties money

By: Rachel Nelson
www.universitystar.com

San Marcos will receive money from the stimulus bill passed in congress last month for transportation projects the city is collaborating on with neighboring counties.

Mayor Susan Narvaiz said money for transportation is available in two pots.

She said the first sum of $1.2 billion is going directly to the state. The second, containing $30 million, will be divided among Travis, Williamson and Hays counties.

“We all have a lot of projects we would like to see on the list,” Narvaiz said.

Narvaiz, Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board member, said a meeting was called March 2 to discuss how to apply the funds.

Liz Sumter, Hays County Judge, said the money will primarily go toward road construction. Sumter said CAMPO must decide to either put the funds toward one project benefiting all three counties or divide the money among the counties.

“We’re a regional board, so we’re supposed to be thinking very regionally,” Sumter said. “We’re asking, ‘How can we best spend those dollars that would benefit the region as a whole?’”

Sumter said CAMPO must present a package that will be voted on by the court after the organization determines how the money will be best spent.

Narvaiz said projects being discussed for San Marcos include a railroad overpass on Aquarena Springs Drive near Bobcat Stadium, improving the Interstate 35 exit ramp for River Ridge Parkway and improvements to the intersection of I-35 and Highway 80.

Narvaiz said she wants a four-lane divided roadway at I-35 and Yarrington Road.

A downtown street-scape project has been proposed. Narviaz said it would benefit pedestrians and improve drainage.

“None of these have been finalized or selected yet,” Narviaz said. “We’re still in that process.”

Joe Cantalupo, executive director of CAMPO, said projects must meet conditions before funding is considered.

“What we’ll do is we’ll put them on a list and make sure they are eligible to receive federal funds,” he said.

Cantalupo said a project has to go toward a federal road, already exist in CAMPO’s long-term plan and be designed and ready for construction within a year to receive federal transportation funding.

“We will screen (the projects) to make sure we meet those conditions,” Cantalupo said.

He said social and economic impacts will be taken into account.

Narvaiz said one of the projects will cost an estimated $26 million, but the city has funding set aside.

“Any dollar we can receive that we can put for transportation will help us get projects done faster,” she said. “It will minimize the impact to local taxpayers. We just want to continue to ask for San Marcos’ fair share.”

Cantalupo said state funds have been allocated to the area while CAMPO is figuring out how to spend the money.

“The commission has already decided to put some money into the CAMPO region,” he said. “They’ve decided to put $10 million into the road 1460 in Williamson County.”

Canatlupo said $19 million has been designated for direct connectors between highways 183 and 290 in Travis County and $7 million will go toward construction of the Main Street bridge over I-35 in Buda. He said another $26 million has been provided for maintenance projects throughout the CAMPO region.

Law enforcement in San Marcos will receive benefits from the stimulus bill. According to a press release, the city will receive a Justice Assistance Grant of $80,041 from the package. $147.5 million is going toward agencies across Texas out of $2 billion in Recovery Act allocations for state and local law enforcement.

“The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts, such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment and justice information sharing initiatives,” the press release entails.