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Consultant tells Bastrop council roundabout is preferred fix for Reid/Blakey connection
Summary
Goodman Corporation traffic engineers presented conceptual roundabout designs for the planned Reid/Blakey connection, saying a roundabout will handle projected traffic growth and reduce severe crash types; council pressed staff on right‑of‑way costs and TxDOT coordination.
Jake Gutekens of the Goodman Corporation told the Bastrop City Council the firm’s traffic analysis shows “a little over 4,000 cars a day on Old Austin Highway” today and projected growth justifies a roundabout rather than a stop‑controlled connection.
Gutekens said the roundabout alternatives — from a single‑lane circle to a compact roundabout with bypass lanes — provide significantly greater capacity and safety, and that designs must accommodate large trucks. He described assumptions used for 10‑year planning (to 2035), explained the firm did traffic counts during school sessions, and emphasized the design is conceptual: “These are just concepts. Nothing is set in stone.”
Council members asked about land acquisition and constructability. Staff said land acquisition for the intersection would be “a little bit shy of $700,000.” Members also asked about coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation for ramp access from Highway 71; consultants said TxDOT buy‑in would be required for changes to the frontage road ramp and for any acceleration lane modifications.
The presentation also flagged a related congestion issue: school‑time queuing on Highway 71 that will not be solved solely by the roundabout and requires separate study. Consultants recommended the city pick a preferred concept and move toward design and drainage analysis before seeking construction funding.
