Lakeway City Council, residents look to make Flint Rock Road safer

Lakeway residents asked that the City Council improve safety on Flint Rock Road and showed their support for the potential annexation of the road from Travis County by the city at Monday's meeting.

The city manages 32.5% of Flint Rock Road, with Travis County managing the rest. Residents and Council Member Kelly Brynteson called for an annexation of the road by the city, due to safety concerns, including a multi-car fatal wreck on Flint Rock Road two weeks ago.

Residents spoke of slippery conditions in the rain and high speeds as some of the dangers on Flint Rock Road.

Brynteson called for the implementation of no-thru truck signs, reduced speed limits, the installation of additional stop signs, traffic calming measures, fixing road surface issues, vegetation maintenance and increased police enforcement as measures to ensure safety on the road.

The council approved Brynteson’s motion to move forward in contacting Travis County concerning the traffic mitigation measures that have been discussed, as well as annexation.

Council members Jennifer Szimanski and Christopher Folton mentioned that the annexation process could take months, at least, and that it would be wise to consider alternative plans of action. The council approved an amendment, offered by Fulton, to allow City Manager Joseph Molis to spend up to $150,000 on traffic mitigation — on the road’s entirety if approved by Travis County, or solely on the city’s portion if the county does not approve larger safety measures.

The council also heard from Molis on a separate traffic ordinance to improve safety at the RM 620 and Medical Parkway intersection just north of Lake Travis High School. The council approved an ordinance to extend the school zone from just south of Medical Parkway to north of the intersection in an attempt to slow cars and reduce wrecks.

In other action at Monday’s meeting, Jason Homan, general manager of Travis County Water District 17, told the council that recent rains have brought the Highland Lake Basin to just over 1,000,000 acre feet of storage.

Currently in Stage 2 of the Lower Colorado River Authority’s drought contingency plan, Lakeway residents are limited to one day of outdoor automated spray irrigation a week. Homan said recent rains will likely ensure that the city makes it through the summer without dropping to Stage 3 of the LCRA contingency plan, which prohibits all outdoor irrigation.

Homan said over 99% of customers are in full compliance of Stage 2 rules, with the LCRA turning off the water of only 14 noncompliers. He said continued commitment to conservation throughout the summer is critical.

The council also discussed the establishment of a teen court, as required by a state statute. The court will consist of a jury of teen volunteers that will sentence juvenile offenders to punishment including a combination of community service, service on future teen court panels and financial restitution. The city will seek 10th to 12th grade students from Lake Travis High to serve as volunteers on the court’s jury.

The council also appointed Member Gretchen Murphy as mayor pro tem, as Luis Mastrangelo reached his term limit. Incumbent council members Brynteson and Szimanski kept their seats on the council, while newly elected Council Member Matt Sherman was welcomed.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Lakeway City Council, residents look to make Flint Rock Road safer