Spicewood Springs Road Construction Notice: QA for Neighborhood Associations
June 19, 2015
Q. What is the left turn lane and where will it be located?
A. The left turn lane will help improve traffic on Spicewood Springs Road and will be installed entirely on the ABoR (north) side of the road.
Q. How will the turn lane benefit traffic?
A. When the Austin Board of REALTORS® was building our new home last fall, we made a promise to our new neighbors to alleviate increased traffic on Spicewood Springs Road by installing a left turn lane into the ABoR building. Those turning left into the ABoR building will have a dedicated center lane to cue into prior to turning without obstructing traffic flow. The turn lane will also benefit those turning left into the offices and residences on the south side of Spicewood Springs Road.
Q. When will construction of the turn lane begin?
A. Pre-construction work is scheduled to begin during the last two weeks in June.
R. When will construction of the turn lane end?
B. The new lane is planned to open in approximately two months, with the goal of opening before the new school year begins.
Q. What is ABoR doing to ease construction impact?
A. ABoR has budgeted over $275,000 for the construction of this turn lane, and we will be working closely with the City throughout the construction process.
Q. How will road traffic be affected by the construction?
A. ABoR and the City of Austin are doing everything possible to limit the impact of the lane’s construction on our neighbors. At certain times during this project, Spicewood Springs Road will be reduced to one lane. The construction company will strive to limit this activity to non-peak hours and days, when feasible. ABoR will provide as much notice as we can to inform you of when these lane closures will occur.
Q. Will the turn lane impact area landscape?
For safety and visibility reasons, the installation of the turn lane requires the removal of some of the trees along Spicewood Springs Road in front of ABoR’s building (see attached chart). To offset this loss, we are making an investment in more robust landscaping and new trees to the frontage adjacent Spicewood Springs Road.
Q. How else is ABoR being a good neighbor?
ABoR’s new home was built to meet the rigorous environmental standards set forth by the LEED Silver and Austin Energy’s Green Business Leader designations. This includes solar array panels, energy efficient heating, cooling, and lighting, and the use of locally sourced, recycled building materials. All of these elements minimize the building’s energy usage and in many ways, make the local environment more sustainable than before.
Since opening in January, ABoR’s solar array system alone has offset more than 45 tons of carbon, the equivalent of more than 1,800 trees cleaning the air for one year.
Q. Who can I contact if I have additional questions?
A. As always, ABoR is committed to being a good neighbor on Spicewood Springs Road and to its community. We welcome the opportunity to participate in upcoming local neighborhood association meetings to further communicate with residents about the new turn lane. Please let us know when your next association meeting will be held and we would be happy to attend. In the meantime, we hope you’ll take advantage of the paths and open spaces on our property. Please address inquiries to Emily Chenevert, Director of ABoR Operations, at .
1 | Page