Red Bud Lane expansion leaves Round Rock resident fearful for safety

ROUND ROCK, Texas - A voter-approved road expansion in Williamson County aims to ease traffic congestion, but for at least one local homeowner, the upcoming project brings growing anxiety over safety, property damage, and displacement.

The Red Bud Lane Widening Project, funded through a road bond passed by voters in 2023, will transform the existing two-lane roadway into a five-lane corridor. 

Past collisions, rising safety concerns for resident

Local perspective:

While county officials view the expansion as a vital infrastructure upgrade, long-time resident Esther Ortiz says moving traffic closer to her front door puts her family in direct danger.

Ortiz, who has lived on Red Bud Lane for 16 years, already knows the risks of living along the roadway. Located near a curve, her home and personal vehicles have previously been struck by out-of-control drivers.

"A car lost control, ran into my SUV, and pushed it 30 feet," Ortiz recalled. "The fireman was like, 'I hate to say this, but I’m glad your SUV was there because if not, it would have been through that front window'—which is where my son sleeps."

With surveyors already marking land for the upcoming project, Ortiz fears her remaining buffer will disappear alongside mature trees on her lot.

"They already tagged the tree, my beautiful oak tree," Ortiz said. "It’s just going to destroy my property. They’re going to take the oak tree possibly."

Financial, personal toll

By the numbers:

Though Ortiz owns her home outright, the safety risks forced her to temporarily relocate her family to a rental home. She also operates her business, Beautiful Landscapes and Irrigation, out of her residence, requiring her to pay extra storage fees to house equipment and work vehicles off-site.

• Monthly Rental Expense: $2,200/month to lease a safe residence
• Operational Costs: Hundreds spent on external storage for work trailers and trucks
• Paid-Off Property: Living away from a home with no mortgage to avoid crash risks

"I’m not only relocating my family now, I’m having to pay for storage for my trailers, for my trucks," Ortiz explained. "It’s so inconvenient and it’s so expensive because this home is paid for, but now I’m paying $2,200 to live somewhere else just to be safe."

Ortiz has urged Williamson County to consider buyouts for impacted homes along the curve.

"I can’t go to sleep comfortably knowing that a car could run into my home, and the county’s just not... they’re not budging," she added.

Williamson County's position, timeline

The other side:

Williamson County officials maintain that the primary goal of the expansion is to improve overall safety and accommodate growth across the region.

According to county representatives, the inclusion of dedicated turn lanes and added concrete curbs will help prevent vehicles from straying off the roadway onto private property. 

Furthermore, officials stated there are no plans to purchase Ortiz’s property because the expansion work will take place entirely within the county's existing right-of-way.

1. Design Phase (Ongoing): Target completion was summer 2026
2. Construction Phase: Early 2028 start
3. Project Completion: Target 2029