Published: March 10, 2009 10:31 am      

Hwy. 80 to get improvements assistance from stimulus program

Money rolling in from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will make it an easier ride along a well-traveled roadway.

The office of Congressman Lloyd Doggett on Friday announced more than $6 million has been secured to improve Hwy. 80 from near the Hays/Caldwell line to near Fentress.

TxDOT has recommended that $6,000,012 million from the economic recovery package be used to resurface the roadway of State Highway 80, from just west of the Hays-Caldwell County Line proceeding east to the intersection with FM 20 (State Farm Road in Fentress).

“Increasingly, this area around the airport can drive economic development in Hays County,” Doggett said. “San Marcos drivers headed southeast will face some construction delays later this year but a better ride over the long term.”

“The jobs created by this much needed maintenance will take us another step along on the road to economic recovery,” he added.

“This money will be used to refill and resurface Hwy. 80, which our drivers know can feel like a roller coaster in some areas,” Caldwell County Commissioner Nieto Madrigal said. 

“I have received numerous complaints about this stretch of road.”

“Our country faces the greatest economic challenge of my lifetime,” Doggett said, “but all over America there are projects like these that involve hard work for those willing to do work that will upgrade our transportation system. We left the decision of specifically where to spend to the Texas Department of Transportation so long as certain conditions were met. I voted to provide them the resources that will be spent here in Hays and Caldwell Counties to meet a legitimate local need.” 

Because the project is considered “shovel ready,” the path to construction will be short. TxDOT says the “let” date is in April.

Doggett is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Budget Committee.