Council gets first official look at traffic pattern shift

Jacob Holt, Parker County Precinct 2 Commissioner, updates the Hudson Oaks City Council on upcoming transportation projects slated to begin in February at the Jan. 22 meeting at City Hall.

Melissa Winn

Jacob Holt, Parker County Precinct 2 Commissioner, explained to council on Jan. 22 that the first phase of the project will begin on either Feb. 9 or Feb. 16 with converting Oakridge to three lanes of concrete.

This is expected to take about 10 to 12 months and one of the anticipated issues is that traffic will be down to one lane, one-way with only the ability to travel northbound up to Red Eagle Trail from 180.

"[Southbound traffic] will have to use White Settlement or loop around,” Holt said. 

Mayor Tom Fitzpatrick asked if the community had been made aware this was happening and expressed some concern over the impact to the neighborhood of Silverstone and people using it as a pass-through. 

"People will use the fastest way and what can be done to prevent cutting through there?” he asked. 

Holt said it would be up to law enforcement to mitigate that part but that it wouldn't be without its "growing pains” and frustrations. 

After the first 10 months, Holt added, the second phase will commence and provide relief to drivers with both phases being completed in 20 months, barring any delays. 

The project is being funded by the $130 million Parker County Bond Program, which was voted on and passed for by taxpayers in 2023. 

"[We are] looking forward to this even though it will be painful,” Fitzpatrick said. "[The community] voted for this.”

Other projects allocated to be done using bond funds are in various stages of being designed and executed in coordination with TxDOT, local municipalities, and the North Central Texas Council of Governments. 

Also at the meeting, council approved:

• A change in the deposit amount required for fire hydrant construction meters from $750 to $3,000 per hydrant to accommodate for changes in labor, materials, and replacement costs. 
• Two Conditional Use Permits (CUPs), one for a Rossini Nail Bar and one for a Christian Brothers Automotive. The CUPs are required as stated in the City's ordinance to ensure the uses are compliant.
• Approved a resolution for the May 2 election for Mayor and places 1 & 3, if needed. A conditional contract was then entered into with the Parker County Elections Administration for that election. If there are no races that are contested, the contract and the election will be canceled at the February meeting. 

The council next meets next on Feb. 19.