Leander council declines to endorse toll feasibility study for Ronald Reagan; asks for more data

Leander City Council discussed a Williamson County request to refer a traffic-and-revenue feasibility study for converting the Ronald Reagan Boulevard corridor (segment A, 1431 to I‑35) into a tolled facility but did not approve the resolution on April 3, 2025.

The item before the council was narrowly focused: whether the city would support asking the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) to analyze a toll-road option and return data on traffic projections, fiscal feasibility and risk. City staff and county representatives stressed the vote would not authorize construction or convey right-of-way; it would only request technical analysis.

Council members and residents said they wanted more information before taking a formal position. After a lengthy presentation and more than a dozen speakers from the public — many of whom opposed tolling — the council declined to move the resolution forward and asked staff to gather additional technical, financial and planning details for later consideration.

City staff described the request as a way to obtain “data to make a data‑driven decision,” noting CTRMA can perform a traffic‑and‑revenue (T&R) study at no direct cost to the city and that the authority would share results with affected jurisdictions. The city presentation outlined a conceptual 8‑mile segment in Leander with four tolled mainlanes in the center, two non‑tolled service/frontage lanes to either side, and a series of grade separations at key intersections; an early schematic also showed multi‑use paths for pedestrians and bicyclists.

“It's really there to provide technical data back to the city so that you can make some database decisions,” City Manager (presenting staff) told council, emphasizing the resolution would not commit the city to construction or right‑of‑way transfers.

Williamson County Commissioner Cynthia Long, who spoke to the council, described the corridor as part of a countywide transportation plan and said federal policy increasingly favors user‑pay approaches. “If we had $500,000,000 to do this without tolling it, that would be awesome,” she said. “The reality is we don't.”

Public comment was strongly critical of tolling. Resident Chad Morris argued the city should exhaust lower‑cost, locally controlled alternatives — signal timing, grade separations and phased intersection improvements — before considering a toll road, saying: “This should be an absolute last resort because it's a very final decision.” Mike Sanders said the county had not sufficiently engaged Leander voters or residents before bringing the request and called the timing “impulsive.”

Other residents warned that a toll option could shift traffic to parallel, non‑tolled roads or add an ongoing cost burden for daily commuters. Commissioner James Oliver, who spoke in favor of studying the toll option, said a tolled design could generate revenue and accelerate construction: “Designating this a toll road would generate the necessary funds to complete the project probably in a timely manner.”

Council members sought detail on what a CTRMA study would include and how local priorities and access management would be protected. Staff said the T&R study would estimate future trips and revenue potential, include a risk assessment (for example, if traffic falls short of projections) and present recommendations; CTRMA would generally present findings to affected cities after the study is complete. Staff also noted that CTRMA is an independent legislative entity created by state statute and that the authority can make project decisions subject to its board processes.

After the public comment period and council discussion the body declined to advance the resolution and directed staff to compile further information for council — including (a) an updated assessment of local traffic‑management options already identified in the city’s corridor plan, (b) schedule and cost estimates for implementing those local improvements, (c) the expected scope and timeline of a CTRMA traffic‑and‑revenue study if requested, and (d) a shared schedule to coordinate interjurisdictional review and public outreach. Council members emphasized the city would not be relinquishing land or control by receiving study results, but several members said they wanted more time and detailed analysis before taking a formal position.

The discussion underscored the tension between local control and the scale of regional transportation funding: large corridor improvements require substantial capital, and residents and council members asked for clearer information about the likely community, economic and operational impacts before committing to the next step.