Drawdown notice reminder continues for lake residents

(Seguin) – Area lake residents are reminded to take advantage of this weekend by preparing their properties for the drawdown of a pair of waterways that is just around the corner. They are being asked to remove all recreational and personal property.

GBRA has secured the necessary permits to begin construction on Lake McQueeney and say that lowering of the spillgates is the next step in preparing for construction to begin.

While construction on both Lake McQueeney and Lake Placid is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2023, they say the drawdown needs to be completed well in advance to allow the lakebed to dry out enough to accommodate construction activities.

With the spillgates on Nolte Dam in need of replacement to remain in operation, a drawdown will also take place at Meadow Lake.

GBRA officials say each lake will be lowered over a two-day period, beginning at Meadow Lake on Monday, March 27.

All activity on Lake McQueeney, Lake Placid, and Meadow Lake should be suspended during the drawdown period.

Once the lowering of the spillgates at both lakes is completed, they say access or activities on the water may resume. They are warning, however, that folks should allow for a safe distance from the dams.

Traffic, continued.

SH 130 Concession Co. last year recorded more than 11.42 million transactions on SH 130 between Austin and San Antonio.

Despite the increase in traffic, they said the number of crashes decreased to only 30 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) – the best safety report on SH 130 since 2018 and lower than the statewide averages for similar roadways.

“This region has become a hub of manufacturing investment and economic development, with SH 130 serving as a critical transportation artery,” said SH 130 Concession Co. President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Billows. “Yet despite the continued, rapid growth, SH 130 remains congestion-free and one of the safest highways in Texas.”

Overall traffic along the roadway increased 47 percent since 2019, fueled by population growth and development, both directly along the SH 130 corridor and in the Austin and San Antonio metro areas.

Heavy truck traffic increased significantly during this period, surging 68 percent during the last four years, including a 26 percent gain in 2022 alone.

Company officials say the increase in heavy traffic is partially due to a sharp uptick in industrial and manufacturing development all along the SH 130 corridor since 2020, including mega projects such as the $1 billion Tesla Gigafactory that opened last year, and the $17 billion Samsung semiconductor plant now under construction in the Austin suburb of Taylor just east of SH 130.

Tesla, which already employs 10,000 workers at its Gigafactory, recently filed plans with the State of Texas to invest more than $700 million to expand its operations in the area.

While mega industrial projects have so far developed along the northern sections of the toll road that are operated and maintained by the

Texas Department of Transportation, officials say development has also increased directly along the more rural, privately operated southern section of SH 130. They say this includes the communities of Lockhart and Seguin, which have recently attracted millions of dollars in investment for new or expanding manufacturing facilities and distribution centers, in addition to significantly more residential development.

The SH 130 Concession Co. operates and maintains Segments 5 & 6 of SH 130 from Mustang Ridge to Seguin, Texas. The 41-mile section of the toll road immediately south of Austin offers a speed limit of 85 MPH. The road is owned by the State of Texas, which has leased the facility to SH 130 Concession Co. until 2062.