News and Announcements

Lisa Birkman
Williamson County Commissioner
Precinct One

1801 East Old Settlers Blvd. #110

Round Rock, TX 78664

(512) 244-8610
FAX: (512) 244-8616

By Williamson County Commissioner Lisa Birkman

All of us here in Williamson County are aware of the need for additional roads due to our growing population. Over the past year or so, quite a bit has been written about the way we finance roads, especially at the state and federal level, especially with the new toll roads that have built in our area. You have probably heard a lot about the federal gasoline tax, which we currently pay, and how it does not generate enough funds to cover our growing need for new infrastructure. Today, the average vehicle gets approximately 20 miles to the gallon. Of course, there is a wide range to get to that average. This example comes from Craig Westover of Twincities.com in Minnesota, “A Toyota Prius has an EPA combined mileage of 55 miles per gallon….A Chevy Suburban logs about 12 miles a gallon. A 1,000 mile trip in the Suburban produces about $16.67 in tax revenue compared to around $3.64 for the Prius.” Some people think that making those with less fuel efficient vehicles pay more is appropriate. Others do not. There has been discussion of raising the amount of the gasoline tax for years, but this is very unpopular with many segments of our country, especially when we all recently experienced $4 a gallon gasoline prices. Another issue is that everyone who buys gas pays the tax, but then it goes to the federal government and is sent back to states. Some states, such as ours, pay in more than we receive back, which makes it really difficult to consider raising the tax.

So, other ideas for funding have been proposed and one of them is called the Vehicle Miles Traveled tax, or VMT. It is basically a tax on how many miles you travel on certain roads. When I first heard about this idea, I immediately had a lot of questions come to mind such as how would this tax would be collected. Several pilot studies have been done. Currently, the University of Iowa Public Policy Institute is conducting a study on VMT in several areas of the country including Austin. More information is available at http://www.roaduserstudy.org. Drivers are needed to participate and are paid a small fee to do so. Basically, all of the methods of determining VMT involve having some sort of computerized device, or GPS, attached to vehicles to track your mileage and then have the info downloaded so you can pay the tax. Of course, the problem with this is that then “the government” would have a lot of information about your movements and this could be an invasion of your privacy. On the other hand, both a Prius and a Suburban would pay the same amount of tax for the same amount of driving, which some people like. Another issue is what would happen to the gasoline tax. Would the VMT tax replace it or be in addition to it?

I would be interested in hearing from you about what you think about a VMT tax or any other county issue. You can contact me at lbirkman@wilco.org or 733-5380.

Why does it take so long to build roads? - Friday, March 05, 2010

Why does it take so long to build roads?
By Williamson County Commissioner Lisa Birkman

            Before I was in office, I would often wonder why it seems to take forever to build a needed road.   The answer is a combination of many factors, but often the longest part of the process is gaining environmental clearance from state and federal governmental agencies. Environmental clearance can take as long as three to five years, and sometimes much longer.
            Several state and federal agencies are mandated to review road construction project’s environmental documents: including the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW), the Texas Historic Commission (THC) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).   Having many different agencies all review a project causes red tape that can delay a project interminably.   Another problem is the process itself.   For example, it is not uncommon for one reviewer to send back comments on the environmental document that must be addressed. After that is done, the document is sent back to the agency.    Often, a different reviewer will look it over and bring up additional comments that were not mentioned the first time, causing those to also be addressed.   Currently, state law does not limit the amount of time TxDOT has to review projects.
            A case in point is the extension of O’Connor Road from RM 620 to SH 45.   This approximately 1.4 mile extension has been planned since 1999. It was approved by the voters of Williamson County in 2000 for inclusion as a project funded by road bonds. The road would cross ranchland with very few homes nearby and would relieve traffic on one of the most congested roads in the county, RM 620.   Yet, for ten years, we have not been able to get environmental clearance to build the road because the area in which the road would be constructed contains caves that are home to several blind bugs that are listed by the federal government as being endangered.
            To try to address the environmental impacts of the county’s explosive growth and development, Williamson County worked for over five years to obtain a federally permitted plan to protect these and other species by setting aside land as preserves where these species could live.   I have served as president of the Williamson County Conservation Foundation, and led this effort.   However, officials with the federal government informed us after we obtained the permit, that it could not be used for any federal road projects, only for local ones, which is difficult to understand since the plan actually achieves the purpose of the Endangered Species Act which is to preserve the species.
            These delays in building roads are having a detrimental effect on our county. They cost the taxpayers as much as 20 to 30% more than it costs to build a local road.   Plus, the delays add to the traffic congestion in areas where our phenomenal population growth have already made the roadways more and more unsafe due to many more vehicles being on roads built for less usage.
            Williamson County officials and staff have met with a variety of state and federal officials to try to streamline this process. In December, I was told by top TxDOT officials that they are working to streamline the process. The state senate is studying this problem during the time the legislature is not in session. US Congressman John Carter and State Senator Steve Ogden are also engaged in trying to improve the situation.   Additionally, the other members of the commissioners court and I will continue to work to expedite the process, while building roads that meet or exceed all environmental regulations.

Celebrate the Holidays in Williamson County - Monday, December 01, 2008

Celebrate the official start of the holiday shopping season on the day after Thanksgiving at the annual Lighting of the Square event in Georgetown on Friday, November 28th. The event will be held on the east steps of the historic Williamson County Courthouse, 710 S. Main Street in downtown Georgetown. The festivities include entertainment from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., which will be provided by the Austin Carolers. The official lighting of the Courthouse and grounds will be at 6 p.m. Stores will be open until 8 p.m. Refreshments will be available. For more information, visit www.VisitGeorgetown.com or call 943-3545.

Additionally, that evening, Williamson County Brown Santa will offer pictures with Santa in the historic Courthouse from 5 to 8 p.m. Enter the courthouse on the south side. Photos are for a $5 donation. Brown Santa also will be collecting toys for their annual toy drive. Brown Santa provides assistance to families living outside the geographical city limits of any town or city within Williamson County that does not provide a similar program. Monetary donations to Brown Santa are utilized to purchase toys, books and other items needed to make the holiday brighter for children in families living at or below the U.S. poverty level guidelines.

The Williamson County Brown Santa program also will offer photos with Santa at Wolf RanchTown Center, IH-35 and SH 29 in Georgetown, on Saturdays and Sundays. Santa will arrive in style astride a motorcycle accompanied not by his elves, but by the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, on Saturday, November 22, at 2 p.m. Photos with Santa will be available that day from 2 to 5:30 p.m. and from 7 to 8 p.m. Photos with Santa will continue on weekends starting November 29 until Christmas, excluding December 13. Santa will be there on Saturdays from 12 to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Photos are for a $5 donation. The donations benefit the Williamson County Brown Santa program and the Simon Youth Foundation.

For more information on this or any other county issue, please contact me at lbirkman@wilco.org, 733-5380, or visit our website, www.wilco.org.

5th Annual Open House - Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Commissioner Lisa Birkman and her staff celebrated their 5^th annual Open House on Thursday, September 25^th, from 5 p.m. -7 p.m. This was an opportunity for constituents to meet with Commissioner Birkman and her staff in an informal setting. Pictured above from left to right, Connie Watson, Commissioner Birkman & Sheriff Wilson

RM 620 RIBBON CUTTING - Monday, October 06, 2008

September 29, 2008 (Williamson County, TX) – Commissioner Lisa Birkman hosted a ribbon cutting on Monday, September 29, 2008 to mark the completion of phase I improvements to RM 620. Constructed on the project began in June 2008. The road improvements will increase safety and mobility on RM 620, which handles between 35,000 and 38,000 cars on average per day. Right turn lanes on RM 620 have been added at the intersections with Wyoming Springs, Oaklands and Deepwood.

In addition, pedestrian crossings have been improved to enhance safety and increase ADA accessibility at the intersections of O’Connor and Luckenwald, Liberty Walk and Manheim. Those projects were completed prior to the beginning of the school year with some additional signage to be added.

“This project is the first phase of several planned improvements to improve safety and mobility on RM 620, which is one of the most congested roads in precinct one,” stated Williamson County Commissioner Lisa Birkman, Precinct 1.

Halff Associates is the engineer for the project and Aaron Concrete is the contractor. The road improvements will cost approximately $780,000 and are paid for by 2006 voter approved road bonds.

For updates on this and other county road projects, visit http://wilcogov.org/Bonds/Road/.