Thanksgiving is next week, which means 2017 is almost a wrap. “Holy shiitake mushrooms, how in the Howard Johnson’s did that happen!?”
It’s been another wild year of growth in the Lake Travis area with more on the horizon. Before we dig into turduckens and sweet potato pie, let’s take a look back at LT’s big business and development stories, and chat about what’s brewing in 2018.
Spoiler alert: Will our highway woes end? Will Lake Travis magically morph back into a small town with a Piggly Wiggly? Uhm, er … no.
It’s time for tryptophan and traffic, friends!
But first, the good news …
A bright spot in 2017 commercial real estate definitely included the opening of Hill Country Indoor, an amazing new indoor sports facility with state-of-the-art everything. HCI offers every kind of sports — and fitness — related opportunity you can imagine and works closely with its community partners to expand those offerings. Registration is currently open for winter sports.
Hill Country Galleria completed its multi-million dollar renovation and announced The Ginger Man is coming to town. HCG confirmed this dining news in April 2017, and now we’re just waiting for this popular Austin pub to open its doors in February 2018. No news yet on who’s moving into the old Iron Cactus spot.
Gateway to Falconhead and The Park at Bee Cave are two commercial construction projects we’ve been covering because LTers want to know what’s coming. Namely, which restaurants are opening and when. The big news from The Park at Bee Cave is a Schlotzsky’s concept restaurant called “Austin Eatery” is slated to open this winter.
TxDOT is working on road-maps to relieve traffic woes for Steiner Ranch and Lakeway residents with several proposed transportation plans for the Four Points area of RM 2222 and RM 620.
One project includes a bypass road that would allow motorists to avoid that busy intersection completely. The proposed plans are being debated. Some folks appreciate the safety benefits, while others call it a Band-Aid. If the project gets approval, bidding would start in 2019 with estimated completion in 2020.
A new traffic signal is in the works for Steiner Ranch Boulevard and RM 620 too.
Do you remember the good ole days when Lohmans Spur was a nifty shortcut and Flint Rock was CRAZY? Well, the roadways near Baylor Scott & White and Flintrock have changed dramatically. The once roller coaster-y Flint Rock Road is gone.
In other roadwork news, TxDOT is hoping to widen the most dangerous area of Highway 71 to five lanes — think Pedernales River to the Travis County line.
Plus, remember the rumor about a secondary road that would connect Lohmans Crossing to 620? The one behind The Oaks at Lohmans Spur. Well, plans for building that road are still on the table.
Are you curious about a commercial development project in the area? Is there an intersection in Lake Travis that needs some TLC? Let us know in the comments section on our Facebook page.
