City of Georgetown Texas > Georgetown 2030 Plan > Articles by: theerin

Williams Drive Study projects considered for federal funding

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization will host a public meeting Tuesday, April 10, to seek public input on its Regional Arterials Plan and its 2019-22 Transportation Improvement Program, which includes a recommendation for $1.38 million of federal funding for access management improvements on Williams Drive in 2019.

The meeting will be from 4-7 p.m. in the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.

The projects proposed for federal funding came from the Williams Drive Study adopted by City Council in 2017.

Since the plan’s adoption, the City completed an update to the City’s traffic signal coordination system as well as installed flashing yellow arrows along Williams Drive, from I-35 to Jim Hogg Road to alleviate turning conflicts and improve light wait times.

Work will commence this summer on the Rivery Boulevard extension project and expected to be completed by mid-2019, creating additional connectivity to Northwest Boulevard and eventually over I-35. Recommendations resulting from the Williams Drive Study have been incorporated into the design of Rivery Boulevard. Following the completion of Rivery Boulevard in mid-2019, the City will begin constructing the Northwest Boulevard Bridge, which will provide a parallel route to Williams Drive from Austin Avenue to Lakeway Drive.

The City has begun work to incorporate the land use findings from the Centers Area of the Williams Drive Study as part of the update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan update, which will include additional outreach opportunities.

Visit campotexas.org for more information and to take the online survey. Comments can also be emailed to comments@campotexas.org. These opportunities will be available until Friday, May 11.

CENSUS: GEORGETOWN IS SIXTH FASTEST-GROWING CITY IN U.S.

Yesterday the U.S. Census Bureau released population estimates showing that Georgetown is ranked sixth on the list of fastest-growing cities in the country with a population of more than 50,000. Georgetown’s growth rate was 5.4 percent from July 1, 2016, through July 1, 2017, resulting in a population estimate of 70,685.

Georgetown was the fifth fastest-growing city in the U.S. on the list released last year by the Census for the period from July 1, 2015 through July 1, 2016. Georgetown was the fastest-growing city in the U.S. on the list released in 2016 and was the second fastest-growing city in the prior year.

Georgetown’s population was 47,400 in the 2010 decennial census. According to today’s estimate, Georgetown added 23,285 residents with a growth rate of 49 percent from 2010 to 2017.

The news release from the Census about the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. in 2016 to 2017 is at www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/estimates-cities.html.

Parks Master Plan

A Parks, Recreation and Trails Master Plan is exactly what its name indicates. Parks typically refer to land dedicated to outdoor areas programmed for Recreation which refers to both active and passive recreation activities including ball play, jogging, picnicking, etc. Trails refer to pathways used for jogging, biking, walking, etc. and usually follow along a linear corridor or loop within a park. Much of greenbelt corridors for trails are open space lands that can be dedicated for conservation and preservation due to its ecological value, wildlife habitat quality, cultural significance, and its functional role to assist with flood management, etc. Trail corridors also provide opportunities for bird watching and wildflower viewing, and contemplation. Strategically dedicating land as open space can contribute significantly to attaining and preserving a sense of rural character in a city environment.
The 2008 Parks, Recreation and Trails Master Plan aims to:

  • Point out opportunities and recommends alternatives for improving the park system.
  • Look at the potential growth of the City over the next five to ten years, and assess where additional facilities will be needed as the City grows, and what types of facilities are most needed.
  • Guide City staff in acquiring land to meet current and future park and open space needs.
  • Prioritize key recommendations of the Parks, Recreation and Trails Master Plan so that the most significant deficiencies are addressed as quickly as possible.
  • Guide City staff and City leaders in determining where and how parks funding should be allocated over the next five to ten years.
  • The final version of the Parks Master Plan was adopted in April 2009.

Parks Master Plan

Trails Master Plan