The Leander City Council declined to support a county-requested feasibility study for converting Ronald Reagan Boulevard into a toll road, putting the brakes on a potential transportation project that would dramatically alter one of Leander's key north-south corridors.
Why it matters
The decision reflects significant concerns from both residents and council members about potential impacts on neighborhoods and businesses along the corridor, while highlighting the city's struggle to address growing traffic issues with limited funding options.
The big picture
Williamson County requested Leander's support for a Traffic and Revenue (T&R) study by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) that would examine the possibility of adding four toll lanes down the center of Ronald Reagan Boulevard, while maintaining free frontage roads on either side.
| Critical context County Commissioner Cynthia Long emphasized this project is part of a larger regional transportation plan that would eventually connect from Highway 1431 to Interstate 35. The county lacks the estimated $532 million needed for the Leander segment alone.
By the numbers
$532 million: Estimated cost for the "Segment A" improvements in Leander
$83 million: Cost of the city's alternative traffic management plan for Ronald Reagan
30,000: Projected new homes to be built along the Reagan corridor
2 miles: Approximate distance between Reagan and the existing 183A toll road
Resident reaction
More than a dozen residents spoke against the toll road concept during public comments, raising concerns about:
Creating financial burden on residents who need to use the road daily
Having two parallel toll roads within miles of each other
Lack of public input in the planning process
"This is the only main artery through Leander, through the east side of Leander, that currently goes high speed without a significant number of traffic lights," said Mike Sanders, a local resident.
What's next
City staff will explore implementing recommendations from their existing corridor study while continuing to evaluate funding options for road improvements. The county could still request the feasibility study without city support.
The bottom line:
Council wants more data and public input before making decisions about Reagan Boulevard's future, but faces tough choices balancing growing traffic demands against limited funding sources.
