The City of Kyle is advancing with its ambitious Bunton Creek Road Project, a key initiative aimed at alleviating traffic congestion and enhancing infrastructure, financed through the significant 2022 Road Bond. This project promises to transform the currently congested two-lane road into a four-lane thoroughfare, complete with a dedicated center turn lane to mitigate severe traffic delays, particularly during peak hours when families are dropping off or picking up children from school.
Residents have long expressed frustration over the bottlenecks they experience on Bunton Creek Road. Local resident David Barr Kirtley described the road as “really bad for traffic,” while fellow resident Jennell Rayos highlighted the lengthy wait times during school drop-off periods, stating, “you’re sitting in traffic from 45 minutes to an hour, and that’s just to get out of Kyle.” The project aims to address these issues head-on.
In addition to widening the road, the project will also enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety with the introduction of significant infrastructure improvements. A 10-foot-wide sidewalk will be constructed along Bunton Creek Road from Lehman Road to Porter Cove, and a 12-foot-wide Vybe Trail will be added along Center Street, connecting Old Stagecoach Road to Veterans Drive. These developments have been a long-standing request from residents concerned about student safety, particularly for those walking to nearby Lehman High School. Kirtley noted, “A lot of the kids in the neighborhood have to walk from their houses to Lehman High School, and the current route is not safe.” Holly Wilson, another local resident, pointed out the challenges students face during inclement weather, saying, “when it rains, they’re walking in mud.”
The Bunton Creek Road Project is part of Proposition A, a $294 million road bond that received voter approval in November 2022, marking the largest infrastructure investment in the city’s history. This initiative encompasses eight major projects, including upgrades to intersections at South Goforth Road. However, the project’s costs have escalated significantly, rising from an initial estimate of $28.6 million to $39.8 million. City officials are currently exploring potential design changes that could yield savings of up to $3.73 million, though some community members are concerned that cost-cutting measures might compromise safety and long-term utility. Wilson cautioned against insufficient design, stating, “Having to redo the project over again because they realized it was not wide enough for people to use safely” would ultimately be a greater expense for taxpayers.
As the city evaluates the addition of new pedestrian paths, City Council members have raised concerns regarding how these changes might affect local school bus routes. Under Texas law, school districts receive state funding for transportation to students living within a two-mile radius only if the route is considered “hazardous,” which typically applies to roads without sidewalks. Hays CISD has acknowledged that the introduction of sidewalks could impact these designations but is committed to adapting to infrastructure changes in the rapidly growing district, which may include measures such as adding crossing guards and enhancing street markings.
Construction for the Bunton Creek Road Project was originally slated to commence this fall; however, the timeline is currently under review as the city conducts an intersection improvement analysis. Key components of the project, including the proposed roundabout and plans for underground utility relocation, are temporarily paused for reassessment and will be presented to the City Council for further discussion soon.
