Walker County Commissioners Court authorized staff to submit a Rural and Travel Assistance Pilot Program application Monday to pay for traffic engineering and planning in a southern portion of Precinct 4. County staff told the court they plan to request $1,700,000 to fund traffic studies, a feasibility and environmental-constraints analysis and community engagement work focused on evacuation, safety and congestion issues.

The presenter said the program allows awards up to $2.5 million and does not require any local match. The application period opened the day of the meeting and the county indicated it would request the full $1.7 million estimate developed by an engineering consultant, BGDE Inc.

Commissioners voted to authorize the application and staff to proceed. County officials said the work would help analyze evacuation routes and safety needs in the targeted southern area of Precinct 4 and attach priority studies to any future project programming.

If funded, the grant-funded work would include traffic engineering, environmental constraints review and a public outreach component; the county will return to commissioners with next steps as the application and consultant work proceeds.