Marble Falls approves $5 million contract for Nature Heights Extension
This is a rendering of the proposed route for the Nature Heights Extension Project, which will cut through undeveloped land between U.S. 281 and Mormon Mill Road, connecting the Marble Falls thoroughfares. City of Marble Falls image
A $5 million construction contract for a reliable connection between U.S. 281 and Mormon Mill Road on the north end of Marble Falls was recently approved by City Council. Work should begin on the Nature Heights Extension Project in January and be completed before the end of 2026.
City Council selected the lowest of six bids on Tuesday, Dec. 2, submitted for the project, coming in at $5,043,314 from Packsaddle Management.
The plans include extending Nature Heights Drive about 3,700 linear feet through undeveloped land and connecting it to the intersection of Mormon Mill Road and Park Ridge Drive. A roundabout will be installed at the new juncture. Currently, Nature Heights Drive is just a small feeder road across the highway from Walmart.
According to Marble Falls City Engineer Jeff Prato, construction should begin in January 2026 and be completed within 325 calendar days. Packsaddle’s bid came in well under the city’s predicted price estimate of $7-8 million.
The Nature Heights Extension Project is decades in the making and should improve traffic flow between U.S. 281 and Mormon Mill Road.
“The city doesn’t have a lot of connections between Mormon Mill and (U.S.) 281,” Prato told DailyTrib when the project first went out for bid. “We’re hoping that, by constructing this road, we can alleviate traffic elsewhere.”
While the whole council was in support of the project overall, Place 1 Councilor Griff Morris opposed one aspect of the plan presented on Tuesday.
“I’m not a fan of roundabouts,” he said.
The vote passed 4-1 with Morris as the sole opposer. Councilors Richard Westerman and Karlee Hubble were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.
Prato addressed Morris’ concerns.
“From a traffic engineering perspective…(a roundabout) reduces conflicts,” he said.
Prato explained that “conflicts” simply referred to the crossings of theoretical lines of traffic, which tend to increase with four-way intersections. The roundabout is also designed to allow for emergency vehicle travel, including fire trucks, and to allow for more efficient traffic flow without the need for a full stop, as is necessary at a four-way intersection.
“I’m not a huge fan of roundabouts, but I think this is a good case for one,” Mayor John Packer said prior to the council’s vote.