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Hays County outlines nearly $450 million road bond; Buda officials press for local priorities and clearer outreach
Summary
Hays County Commissioner Walt Smith presented a proposed 2024 transportation bond of about $450 million and answered council questions about local project priorities, discretionary funding and public outreach. Buda council members pressed for clarity on why some local intersections—most notably FM 1626/967 and East Main—were not fully funded.
Hays County Commissioner Walt Smith told the Buda City Council the county’s proposed 2024 transportation bond would primarily fund design work and right‑of‑way preservation on roughly 30 projects, with construction funding targeted to a smaller set of priorities. "If approved, the bond, it's almost $450,000,000 would increase property taxes by approximately 2¢ per $100 evaluation," Smith said during a detailed presentation to the council.
Smith framed the bond as a response to rapid regional growth and safety concerns, saying the money is aimed at improving mobility, preserving right‑of‑way and enabling partnerships with TxDOT and CAMPO to accelerate delivery. He described a mix of projects across precincts, including the Southwest SH‑45 extension, an Old San Antonio Road study (initiated at the city's request), right‑of‑way acquisition for an FM‑2001 realignment and full construction projects such as Windy Hill Road and several roundabouts.
Council members pressed Smith on process and local impacts, asking why high‑profile trouble spots around Buda—particularly the FM 1626/FM 967 intersection and East Main—were treated as lower priorities. Smith responded that most bond line items fund early work (design, ROW and utility planning) and that the county has discretionary pots and partnership commitments to accelerate specific intersections once state or CAMPO schematics are complete. He also noted prior public meetings for individual projects and a county master transportation planning process that identified many of the items on the bond.
The presentation prompted repeated questions about outreach and equity: one council member calculated that Buda represents roughly 6% of Hays County’s population but was allocated less than 2% of bond dollars on paper, a point councilors said they would highlight during the county’s public forums. Smith urged additional city‑county coordination and offered to follow up with commissioners and staff for project‑level details.
Next steps: Smith said the county would continue public outreach (several forums were planned) and provide educational materials; city staff and council members asked for direct follow‑up on schematic maps and specific cost estimates for key local projects.
