Please see Save Dripping Springs for workable bypass options in 2024 and 2025. Below is the first version of the article which shows bypass ideas that fail due to overcrowding, and why.

Save Dripping Springs!

April 2024

End Freeway 1/2 Mi Dripping Springs at Ranch Road 12 is the next 40 year Oak Hill traffic jam unless the freeway can end WEST of town.

Dripping Springs is under attack by land buyers and housing developers not from here. Housing is approved on all remaining spaces that should be used to improve traffic instead. Out of control housing with continued Grade F LOS transportation is destroying life, both literally in crashes and in time wasted daily in unnecessary traffic congestion.

The only hope to save Dripping Springs is to get transportation improvements ahead of more housing.

The proposed US 290 W expansion will stop all freeway traffic in downtown, making it the next Oak Hill but worse. US 290/RR12 is already Grade F LOS since it is the only intersection of the only through streets. The only way to save Dripping Springs is to offload through traffic onto working alternate through paths that do not exist. If the freeway itself cannot be moved out of town, then TxDOT in the next phase will be forced to expand the highway to ~321 feet through downtown, removing all structures within 150 feet of the current highway as is happening east of town.

I fear there are no laws or politicians that can stop developers and the destructive future they are causing. Nevertheless, I have asked Mayor, City Council, County Commissioner, Representative and Senator to reserve space for transportation better than Grade F before allowing more housing in the few remaining paths.

Common Sense Bypass Options?

Anyone can draw a line on a map, but no one did. No one planned any way to route through traffic around downtown. Instead:

At first glance, there appears to exist today two relatively clear paths for a US 290 freeway bypass around Dripping Springs to fix traffic safety and save downtown. Unfortunately, these last remaining paths will be covered with thousands of houses instead. This will force future freeway expansion through downtown, removing every structure within 150 feet of the current highway.

The most direct and best option is south near the water tower and west to RR 12 about 3800 feet south of current 290/12. The north option would cross RR12 near Ranch Park. Both would proceed West and connect back to US 290 on the west side of town past McGregor Ln, taking the clearest path possible to minimize eminent domain and property destruction. The south option would cost < 400 feet by 6 miles or < 300 acres.

Since there would be interchanges at the east and west ends and at RR12 and optionally Roger Hanks, frontage roads would be optional. Local access could instead be via existing local streets accessed from the original 290 as today. This would make the freeway only bypass as small as 120 feet wide, even with up to 3 lanes in each direction. 150 feet would allow shared use paths.

Bypass Conflicts

The south option conflicts with at least Village Grove and Carter Ranch developments. The north option conflicts with at least Double L Ranch and Wildridge developments.

In addition to housing conflicts, the north options conflict with several properties already in place and environmental conservation easements that prohibit development, even of needed roads. North is ruled out. No one can ever have any alternate route around on the north side.

The south shortcut/middle option conflicts with the flood plain. It is ruled out. The 6 mile south option could be pushed north of the river. But then it conflicts with Arrowhead and Bunker Ranch. South options are ruled out.

It is impossible to bypass town north or south. Freeway must go directly through downtown forever, destroying all businesses or keeping traffic worse than Grade F LOS.



Grade F Level of Service forever

A 2021 traffic study predicts 50,400 daily trips on US 290 in downtown by 2040. This is worsening grade F level of service even after all recommended improvements are implemented. It is due to forcing all traffic through 1 intersection with no alternates.

City Plan

Here’s the city plan. Dotted lines don’t exist. Notice only 1 continuous East/West through street and 1 North/South with 1 resulting intersection that is not an appropriately large interchange. Zero options for a truck to go around town. Zero options for a resident to avoid parking at US 290 / RR12.

Conclusion / What to Do?

Do the people of Dripping Springs really want it to be housing only with grade F transportation? You want only 1 intersection and no alternate options to get around? You want only 2 streets for all businesses? You want those businesses removed for highway widening?

If a reasonable bypass could be placed first, then businesses and even housing could build around it naturally and need no destructive widening in the future.

You might want to support any new highway or street projects and oppose housing that builds in those paths.

Please let TxDOT and your politicians know if you find a way to save Dripping Springs from its housing and traffic.

Tim Witham <twitham@sbcglobal.net>, April 2024