Construction of the new Avenue N bridge in Marble Falls is on schedule, but that still means a fall 2026 completion date and the continued use of alternate routes in and out of Meadowlakes. The street is a primary thoroughfare for residents of the gated city, which is sharing the project’s cost with Marble Falls.
Work began in April on a new, flood-proof bridge to replace Avenue N’s current low-water crossing. The project is in response to the October 2018 flood, when Backbone Creek overtopped the crossing and cut off access to and from Meadowlakes for residents and first responders.
The new bridge will have an elevated structure that is engineered to withstand a 100-year storm, a flood with a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year.
Since construction began, progress has been steady, according to Marble Falls officials. Contractors are currently drilling and pouring piers for the bridge’s bent columns. Upcoming phases include installation of abutments, beams, wall panels, decking, and other structural components. The final stages will involve paving with asphalt, applying lane striping, and installing signs.
To minimize disruption to nearby neighborhoods, construction is generally scheduled Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additionally, crews are working to limit dust and noise by compacting soil and saturating the ground with water as needed.
Until work is completed, commutes in and out of Meadowlakes will be more challenging. Currently, traffic exiting the city is rerouted through Johnson Street, then Avenue S, and onto Second Street.
Despite these temporary inconveniences, Meadowlakes City Manager William De Roos acknowledged the broader benefit to the community.
“Right now, the project can make commutes to and from Meadowlakes a bit less convenient. In the long run, it will ensure that the main way in and out of Meadowlakes is always an option, regardless of the weather,” De Roos told DailyTrib.com.
Similarly, Marble Falls Mayor John Packer emphasized the importance of this long-term investment in public safety and infrastructure.
“We understand the Avenue N bridge project has created challenges for residents, especially those in Meadowlakes, but this investment is about long-term safety and reliability for the entire community,” he said. “Once complete, the new bridge will provide dependable access across Backbone Creek, improve emergency response times, and ensure that this critical connection is no longer cut off during flood events.”
The scope of the project includes approximately 614 linear feet of new bridge, 275 feet of roadway improvements, and a realignment of the Backbone Trail to accommodate pedestrian access. The majority of funding comes from the Texas Department of Emergency Management’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, with costs shared between Marble Falls and Meadowlakes.
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Burnet County has awarded a contract for the restoration of the County Road 341 bridge and CR 340 water crossing, which were both heavily damaged in the Fourth of July weekend flood. Officials hope work can begin by mid-October and completed by the end of the year.
The CR 341 bridge, which spans Hamilton Creek northeast of Marble Falls, is currently impassable, making commutes longer for nearby residents. The CR 340 low-water crossing is passable but needs significant repairs to be back at 100 percent.
The Burnet County Commissioners Court on Sept. 23 approved a $594,000 contract with Bertram-based Gage & Cade Construction for the project. Before work can begin, the Federal Emergency Management Agency needs to inspect both sites to determine if the county is eligible for a 75-percent reimbursement of the cost.
The inspections are expected to be completed by Oct. 6.
“This project can’t start until at least after (Oct. 6) so that we can make sure it is within the FEMA plan,” Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson explained during Tuesday’s meeting.
If FEMA approves a reimbursement, the county’s portion of the $594,000 total would be $148,000. Wilson said it could be over a year before a reimbursement decision is made; however, work will move forward as soon as possible.
“It was told to (Gage & Cade Construction) that time is of the essence,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Chad Collier told DailyTrib.com. “I’m hoping to get it started by mid-October.”
He said work possibly could be done before the end of the year, but the project’s timeline will be clearer after a pre-construction meeting following the FEMA inspections.
“We’ll be rocking and rolling after (the inspections),” Collier said. “The sooner we can get this done, the better.”
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The city of Cottonwood Shores is trying to bring its Dark Sky Lighting ordinance into full alignment with DarkSky International guidelines, four years after the ordinance was adopted in 2021 to cut down on light pollution and enhance the night sky.
While the ordinance remains active and enforceable, Cottonwood Shores has not yet received official DarkSky recognition because the city’s regulations do not fully meet standards. Only seven communities in Texas are official Dark Sky Communities, including Cottonwood Shores’ neighbor, Horseshoe Bay, which received the honor in 2015.
A Dark Sky Community is a town or city recognized for minimizing light pollution through responsible lighting and public education to protect the night sky. The main way to become compliant is by adopting and enforcing outdoor lighting ordinances that require fully shielded, low-brightness, and energy-efficient lights to reduce unnecessary nighttime lighting.
City Secretary Bobby Herrin said Cottonwood Shores is working closely with DarkSky International to make improvements to the outdoor lighting ordinance, but the process takes time and careful coordination.
“All in all, people are complying (with regulations),” Herrin told DailyTrib.com.
He noted that residents have largely responded positively to the changes.
Recent updates suggested by DarkSky International, formerly the International Dark-Sky Association, are “minor,” according to Herrin, including corrections to diagrams and about five pages of revised criteria. The city is reviewing these changes as it prepares another round of updates to the ordinance, which will be voted on during the City Council’s Oct. 2 meeting.
A decision was postponed during the council’s last meeting on Sept. 18.
“It was mostly little grammatical items (DarkSky) added in, and in some places they added in ‘Dark Sky.’ That was all they had,” City Manager J.C. Hughes said at the meeting. “It was very minor.”
While the changes are a step in the right direction to becoming an official Dark Sky Community, the designation is not guaranteed. It will likely take several more adjustments and a sponsorship from a current member of DarkSky International to receive the title.
Cottonwood Shores introduced its Dark Sky Lighting ordinance in response to complaints from residents that excessive outdoor lighting obstructed nighttime views. Many voiced frustration that they could no longer “see the stars,” especially after a new water tower equipped with bright lights was built. To address the concerns, city officials began drafting a more comprehensive policy aimed at reducing light pollution.
The current ordinance sets specific guidelines for outdoor lighting, particularly for new construction, which is required to immediately comply. Existing residential properties were “grandfathered in” at the time of 2021 adoption, allowing for a phased-in compliance timeline—five years for general cases and up to 10 years for certain fixtures that met specific requirements.
Under Cottonwood Shores’ Dark Sky ordinance, outdoor lighting must be fully shielded and directed downward and should not emit light above the horizontal plane. High-wattage fixtures and lights aimed upward or outward are discouraged or prohibited. The city also requires commercial and nonresidential properties to submit lighting plans and comply with reduced lighting output after business hours.
Enforcement is handled by the city’s department of public safety. Violations can result in a $500 fine per offense, with each day of non-compliance treated as a separate violation. Residents found in violation may be referred to code enforcement for further action.
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Ark of Highland Lakes recently received a $400,000 donation from the Capital Area Housing Finance Corp. to help with ongoing flood recovery efforts in the Highland Lakes. It has been over two months since the Fourth of July weekend disaster, but costly work, estimated at around $4 million, still needs to be done, according to Ark leaders.
The major donation came from the CAHFC’s Disaster Fund, which was created in 2011 to help with recovery from the Bastrop County wildfires. Board members from Burnet, Caldwell, Bastrop, and Blanco counties each successfully applied for $100,000 to help fund Ark’s plans to repair and replace the homes of flood-impacted Burnet County residents.
This is the largest donation the CAHFC has ever made. The organization, founded in 1981, addresses workforce and housing needs in Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, and Williamson counties along with the city of San Marcos.
“The devastation the July 2025 floods brought to Burnet County is slowly beginning to heal,” reads a media release from the CAHFC. “But, thanks to significant donations from the (CAHFC), those individuals that experienced damage to their homes from the flooding may soon be getting some relief.”
According to the latest count from Ark of Highland Lakes, more than 450 homes in Burnet County were damaged by the July flood, with the impact ranging from minor dings to complete destruction.
“We are just super grateful, and super blessed,” Ark Executive Director Kevin Naumann told DailyTrib.com. “Those funds are going to go toward helping these families.”
Naumann said about 500 families were affected by the flood and that Ark is working on around 130 open cases, which include replacing fences, RVs, and mobile homes and cleaning up properties.
While the $400,000 donation is sizable, Naumann said around $4 million worth of work remains, which could take years to complete.
“It’s going to be a long-term project,” he said.
Ark of Highland Lakes was founded after the October 2018 flooding of the Colorado and Llano rivers that devastated the Highland Lakes. Originally called the Highland Lakes Crisis Network, the organization is a coalition of local churches and nonprofits that assists the community in the aftermath of disasters such as floods, wildfires, and pandemics.
Hundreds of Ark volunteers donated thousands of hours during the July flood, handing out hot meals, cleaning up homes, and assisting first responders. The organization was designated the official fiduciary agent of Burnet County for long-term disaster recovery in the aftermath of the flood.
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Overnight road work begins Oct. 1 on about 1.59 miles of Bay West Boulevard in Horseshoe Bay. Crews will be out from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. from then until around Oct. 8, weather permitting.
The project involves seal coating, a preventative maintenance measure designed to extend the life of a roadway surface. Work will be completed in sections overnight to minimize daytime disruption. Seal coating takes time to cure and dry before it can be driven on.
MAP: See where and when the work will take place on the city of Horseshoe Bay website.
The city recommends that children and pets remain indoors or under supervision and that sprinklers be turned off while work is underway.
No overnight parking: Vehicles parked on Bay West Boulevard overnight during the work period are subject to towing.
Limited access: Residents in Horseshoe Bay West should expect restricted access during work hours and plan accordingly.
Traffic control: Signs and barriers will be in place for everyone’s safety. Obey all posted signage and flaggers.
Alternate routes: Residents and visitors are encouraged to use alternate routes, which will be outlined on an official city map.
Irrigation restrictions: Do not irrigate during the work period on scheduled days for each section of the boulevard, as water can interfere with the seal coating process.
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The Horseshoe Bay City Council adopted the 2025-26 fiscal year budget and tax rate during its Sept. 16 meeting. While the tax rate is unchanged, more money is coming in due to rising property values and new construction, and city spending increased significantly over the 2024-25 fiscal year.
TAX RATE
Horseshoe Bay’s property tax rate for 2025-26, which starts Oct. 1, is $0.26775 per $100 property valuation, the same as the past two fiscal years. However, the new rate will raise about 5.25 percent more in revenue, or $563,153, than last year due to a rise in assessed property values and new construction in the city.
According to the 2025-26 budget, the rate will bring in about $11.75 million in property tax revenue. From that, $8.3 million will go into the general fund and $3.1 million will go toward debt service payments.
Property taxes only make up a portion of the city’s projected $43.02 million in revenue, which includes $3.48 million in sales-tax revenue, $13.36 million in utilities revenue, $4.02 million in transfers from other funds, $8.44 million from “other sources,” along with several smaller items.
BUDGET
The 2025-26 budget sees considerable increases to spending in the general fund at $19.28 million, about 29 percent more than last year’s $14.9 million. The general fund pays for most city operations, including administration, police and fire services, and street work.
Some of the biggest increases are for personnel costs, overall operating expenses, capital expenses, and transfers to other funds to help cover capital improvements and vehicle replacements.
“Operational budgets for general fund and utilities have slightly increased due to inflation and higher projected cost due to tariffs and the addition of two new positions (fire and public works),” reads a statement from City Manager Jeff Koska to DailyTrib.com.
Koska also explained that some utility rates also would see increases. Water rates will go up 9 percent from last year and garbage pickup rates will rise 3 percent. Sewer rates will remain the same.
For the upcoming fiscal year, Horseshoe Bay is prioritizing the completion of several multi-year capital projects. These include:
construction of the new city center and adjoining park facility;
completion of a second fire station in west Horseshoe Bay;
installation of a 16-inch transmission water line to connect and expand capacity between the west and east sides of the city;
final renovations to the city’s central water plant and its storage facility;
and expansion planning for the westside water plant.
Public safety continues to be a top funding priority. The general fund allocates $3.4 million to the Horseshoe Bay police and fire departments.
DEBT
Horseshoe Bay carries a total $33.635 million in outstanding debt obligations. This consists of several principal and interest payments on loans accrued by the city to fund various projects since 2014.
About $3.1 million in payments will go toward the debt total in the 2025-26 budget.
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Agendas for Highland Lakes governments are posted 72 hours before a meeting so are not always ready by the time this story is published. Check the links for more information.
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The Flatrock Crossing outdoor shopping center planned for south Marble Falls won’t be finished by its previously predicted completion date of spring/summer 2026. Several hiccups have delayed the project, but developers are confident things will get back on track.
News of the 350,000-square-foot plaza first came to light in April 2024, including plans for dozens of businesses and large-scale residential developments on the same 350-acre tract.
“Things are happening outside of our control, but things are still looking good,” Russel Roper, one of the project’s primary partners, recently told DailyTrib.com. “We’re still going to make it happen.”
Roper and his family, under the Ellison Roper Land Corp., are major players in Flatrock Crossing and residential projects on their land, which lies near the intersection of U.S. 281 and FM 2147 south of Marble Falls, near the 7-Eleven gas station and Flatrock Creek.
According to Roper, the delay is due to several things.
A planned bridge had to be redesigned and a new location found due to flooding concerns.
Large swathes of the construction site had to be lifted out of the floodplain to meet Federal Emergency Management Agency standards.
A planned road crossing over Flatrock Creek had to be redesigned.
The site of a water tower to service the development had to be moved.
One of the biggest roadblocks is securing financing, which can’t happen until the development has an approved public improvement district (PID) agreement with the city of Marble Falls. Plans for a PID have been in place since 2022, but because of project delays, those plans are scheduled to be altered in the near future.
The Marble Falls City Council will potentially see the dissolution of the originally proposed Roper Ranch PID during its Oct. 7 meeting and then hear a proposal for a new PID with updated details to reflect the development’s current state.
A PID is a financing mechanism used to pay back developers for the investments they make into public infrastructure. The developers install the needed improvements and utilities to get the project online. They are then paid back by a lender, who, in turn, is reimbursed by residents and other users of the utilities through payments that will be collected by the city over time.
Roper said that once the PID is secured, financing can be secured, allowing the project to move forward. Once construction begins, he estimates it would take about 14-16 months to complete the first phase of the development, which would include about 80 percent of the shopping center.
“We’re signing leases for (tenants of the shopping center),” he said. “We feel this is going to happen.”
Planned tenants for Flatrock Crossing include the sporting goods store Academy as well as Hobby Lobby, Ulta Beauty, T.J. Maxx, Boot Barn, Famous Footwear, Chipotle and several other restaurants, and yet-to-be-named businesses.
Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Chirstian Fletcher gave some insight on the momentum behind the project.
“(Flatrock Crossing) will happen,” he said. “There is too much interest from the retailers themselves.”
Fletcher explained that retailers have been eyeing Marble Falls for years, far before Flatrock Crossing plans came to be, but no major moves were made because there was not a suitable location to set up shop.
“Until we have a project like Flatrock Crossing, we have nowhere for these retailers to go,” he said. “It will have a huge economic impact on the city.”
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The city of Granite Shoals implemented a burn ban Wednesday, Sept. 17, following a Burnet County burn ban issued Tuesday.
Under the Granite Shoals ban, outdoor burning is prohibited, including burn barrels and brush burning. Grilling and enclosed fire pits are allowed with caution. The city’s ban will be in effect until further notice.
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