Transportation and Infrastructure:
Project Name: RM 2243 Resiliency Project
Project Location: RM 2243/Hero Way, Leander, TX, 78641
Project Recipient: Williamson County, Texas, 710 S. Main Street, Georgetown, Texas 78626
Requested Amount: $10M
Purpose: The funding is designated for phased improvements to Hero Way/RM 2243 between 183A and Southwest Bypass. The project will modernize and replace dilapidated infrastructure by constructing a new roadway built to modern safety and design standards. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars and is anticipated to have the following benefits:
- Connect intermodal facilities in the City of Leander and City of Georgetown.
- Provide drainage improvements which meet current FEMA floodplain and alleviate flooding conditions.
- Protect sensitive habitats through water quality measures to reduce runoff.
- Connect users of all abilities by providing space to construct a future shared-use path within the project limits.
- Improvements will ultimately also provide safe access to nearby high-quality technology and light industrial jobs
Member's Signed Certification Letter.
Transportation and Infrastructure:
Project Name: FM 3349/US 79 Railroad Grade Separation Project
Project Location: FM 3349 and US 79, Hutto and Taylor, TX, 78634 and 76574
Project Recipient: Williamson County, Texas, 710 S. Main Street, Georgetown, Texas 78626
Requested Amount: $10M
Purpose: The funding designated for construction of an improved interchange with grade separated travel over the Union Pacific Railroad between FM 3349 and US 79. This project is a segment of a larger Williamson County transportation corridor, connecting SH 130 with US 79 to IH 35, which is identified in the Williamson County Long-Range Transportation Plan and the Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization 2045 Regional Transportation Plan. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars and is anticipated to have the following benefits:
- The railroad grade separation will improve safety, as well as enhance economic growth and development in eastern Williamson County by providing improved access between state roadways and multimodal economic generators and by increasing connectivity between housing and employment centers.
- The project also allows freight traffic, Williamson County residents and communters to bypass US 79 within the City of Hutto, where severe traffic congestion and delays occur up to 20 times daily due to passing freight trains.
Member's Signed Certification Letter.
Labor, Health and Human Services and Education:
Project Recipient: City of Round Rock, TX Community Risk Reduction/Mobile Outreach Team
Project Recipient Address: 203 Commerce Blvd. Round Rock, TX 78664
Requested Amount: $1M
Purpose: Round Rock currently encounters approximately 2,000 behavioral health related calls for help each year that divert resources from local law enforcement, EMS/Fire and hospital staff. A Mobile Outreach Team made up of behavioral health specialists and paramedics who act as “mental health first responders,” responding to calls for help could intervene and direct these calls for help to the appropriate assistance. Support for this request would be a wise use of federal funds as the efforts of a Mobile Outreach Team would promote the treatment of mental health disorders via outreach and support services.
Member's Signed Certification Letter.
Labor, Health and Human Services and Education:
Project Recipient: Texas State University: Round Rock
Project Recipient Address: 1555 University Blvd, Round Rock, TX 78665
Requested Amount: $1M
Purpose: The Round Rock STEM-for-All Partnership will combine a workforce research initiative with STEM engagement and educator professional development opportunities. Activities will include summer engineering camps for elementary students, STEM Internship Programs for secondary students, monthly STEM nights at area schools, summer engineering institutes for pre-service teachers from the Texas State Round Rock campus, Saturday teacher professional development sessions for K-12 teachers, a speaker series for the community, and STEM exhibits and interactive activities at area community events. These activities would create a STEM-rich community environment, which has been shown to have a powerful role in an individual’s success in educational environments and will contribute to the high tech sector workforce in the greater Austin area that has grown by over 60% in the past decade and created over $33 billion for the American economy in 2019.
Member's Signed Certification Letter
Commerce, Justice, Science:
Project Recipient: City of Belton, TX
Project Recipient Address: 333 Water Street, Belton, TX 76513
Requested Amount: $374,000
Purpose: The request is for the City of Belton, TX Police Department for public safety equipment related to communications, crime prevention and community outreach, officer safety and critical incident response, as well as accountability and training. Taxpayer support for this request would be a wise use of JAG funds which may be used to provide additional personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice.
Member's Signed Certification Letter
Commerce, Justice, Science:
Project Recipient: Bell County Sheriff's Department 2021 Equipment Modernization Plan
Project Recipient Address: 101 E. Central Ave, Suite 210, Belton, TX 76513
Requested Amount: $1,562,680
Purpose: Funding would provide much needed equipment beyond the scope of routinely budgeted items. This equipment would allow the Bell County Sheriff's Department to keep pace with the service demands of the signifcant jail population growth by enhancing operational safety and efficiency.
Member's Signed Certification Letter
Defense:
Project Recipient: Texas A&M University-Central Texas: Killeen, TX
Project Recipeint Address: 1001 Leadership Place, Killeen, TX 76549
Requested Amount: $2,990,000
Purpose: The funding would extend and expand the development of new methodologies to verify the integrity of physical systems, cyber-physical systems (CPS), and Internet of Things (IoT) devices via artificial intelligence (AI), cryptographic and encryption algorithms, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds as the planned project will study ways to limit hardware and software vulnerabilities to cyberattacks in areas critical to the Department of Defense mission and will foster additional research, education, and development activities at Texas A&M University-Central Texas to enhance the security of cyber hardware and software.
Member's Signed Certification Letter
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies:
Project Name: Veterans Memorial Blvd – Phase II
Project Recipient: City of Temple, TX
Project Recipient Address: 2 N Main St, Temple, TX 76501
Requested Amount: $15M
Purpose: Funding is designated for construction of roadway and pedestrian improvements servicing the Olin E. Teague Veterans Medical Center. The proposed infrastructure improvement is a multi-fold project, which will add a landscaped median dividing the current roadway into separate north and south lanes, turn lanes and shared-use pathway facilities along Veterans Memorial Boulevard, improved stormwater facilities to address on/off-site flooding issues, and bus shelters with improved access.
The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars and is anticipated to have the following benefits:
- A landscaped median will divide the roadway and allow for dedicated turn lanes, increasing vehicle to vehicle safety and alleviating bottlenecks. The median will also provide safe refuge for those crossing the street, increasing vehicle to pedestrian safety.
- Many Veterans arrive at the VA complex on foot or by using assisted mobility technology like powered wheelchairs and motorized scooters. The addition of marked crosswalks will improve ease of access for those with decreased mobility due to age or injuries incurred during their military service.
- Enhanced pedestrian connectivity to bus shelters will encourage greater use of bus routes operated by the Hill Country Transit District.
Member's Signed Certification Letter
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies:
Project Name: Temple Outer Loop
Intended Recipient: City of Temple, TX
Full Street Address of the Intended Recipient: 2 N Main St, Temple, TX 76501
Requested Amount: $4M
Purpose: I request $4 million for infrastructure enhancements to the Temple Outer Loop West project. In addition to reducing congestion on IH-35, this project would be a wise use of federal resources as it would connect regional employment centers to neighborhoods and interstate commerce. From the Outer Loop, drivers benefit from a short trip to the Draughon-Miller Airport and direct connectivity to the proposed 750-lot Westfield mixed-use development and the 300+ acre Crossroads Park, a new city park with trails, open space and two sports field complexes.
Member's Signed Certification Letter
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies:
Proposed Recipient: Texas A&M-Central Texas
Address of Recipient: 1001 Leadership Place, Killeen, TX 76549
Requested Amount: $990,000
Purpose: The funding would support strategic planning for the development of a University Research Park in Killeen, Texas, and its future expansion into the Central Texas Innovation District. In addition to expanding the research and innovation capacity of Texas A&M University - Central Texas, this research park/innovation district will attract businesses to the region, support research efforts at the largest Army installation in the U.S., and provide job opportunities for the region.
Member's Signed Certification Letter
Homeland Security:
Proposed Recipient: City of Georgetown Utility Emergency Operations Center
Address of Recipient: 808 Martin Luther King, Georgetown, TX 78626
Requested Amount: $1 Million
Purpose: During winter storm Uri, which devastated parts of Texas with multiple days of freezing cold weather and power outages, the City lost its communications and connection to many electric and water assets, which jeopardized the ability to provide reliable electric and water services. It is the goal of the City to create a Utility Emergency Operations Center that will provide Human-Machine Interface (HMI)/Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems capable of monitoring and controlling electric distribution systems, water, reclaimed water and wastewater distribution systems and facilities.
Member's Signed Certification Letter
Homeland Security:
Proposed Recipient: City of Cedar Park, Cedar Park Ranchettes Sections 2 and 3 Phase II Stormwater Project
Recipient Address: 450 Cypress Creek Road, Building One Cedar Park, TX 78613
Requested Amount: $750,000
Purpose: This project is to continue drainage improvements in the Cedar Park Ranchettes Sections 2 and 3 Subdivision. This project is a high priority project in the City’s Stormwater Master Plan and will benefit many citizens who currently suffer from inadequate drainage facilities that were built with the subdivision in the 1970s prior to the incorporation of the City and the implementation of drainage criteria. The project includes installation of Stormwater drainage infrastructure to capture and convey the flow of water downstream to Cluck Creek. The project also includes resurfacing the existing roadway with a ribbon curb on both sides, which will reduce flooding in the area.
Member's Signed Certification Letter
