Hwy 29 re-alignment

Here is the article from the Austin American Statesman regarding the realignment of SH 29.

Williamson offers Texas 29 expansion plans
Residents speak up on various route options in first of two meetings.
By Melissa MixonAMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Tuesday, May 13, 2008

LIBERTY HILL — Liberty Hill residents got their first look Monday at possible routes for a major Williamson County road expansion that could affect hundreds of property owners.
Engineers hired by the county have been studying ways to expand almost 19 miles of Texas 29, a heavily traveled east-west thoroughfare in the county that serves as a gateway from Georgetown to Liberty Hill.
Engineers presented about a dozen alternate routes to Liberty Hill residents during a town hall meeting Monday night. Another meeting will be tonight in Georgetown.
No cost estimates were attached to the routes. The county has already agreed to pay the engineers as much as $4 million for their work on the plans.
County officials said they started the study last year because they wanted to avoid congestion on Texas 29 that's already bogged down similar roads in the county, such as RM 620 in Round Rock.
With 20,000 new homes already platted near Texas 29, 50,000 to 60,000 more people are expected to use the four-lane road in coming years, County Commissioner Cynthia Long said.
Some of the proposed routes call for expansions along the current road; others would bypass the road.
The proposals are being broken into two sections, one closer to Georgetown and one closer to Liberty Hill:
The Georgetown section is a seven-mile portion that runs west of the city, from D.B. Wood Road to Ronald Reagan Boulevard. The four alternatives proposed for that section all would widen the existing road, either on the north or south side or a combination of the two, said Justin Word, the deputy project manager for the expansion study.
The second section is almost 12 miles from Reagan Boulevard to the Burnet County line. That section runs through Liberty Hill. Some proposed routes call for expanding the road; several others call for a north or south bypass. Three of the proposed northern bypasses would run through mostly residential areas.
Word, who works for the engineering firm Chiang, Patel & Yerby Inc., said his firm does not yet have a preference for a particular route but will likely present one to the county over the summer. Cost estimates will be included in the recommendation, as will feedback from Monday's and tonight's meetings, he said.
The effects on the environment, residents and businesses were all considered in the route proposals, county officials said.
Residents and property owners along Texas 29 like Irene Hieber raised concerns Monday about some of the proposed routes.
Some also questioned the need to expand the road at all.
"We don't want them to do this, nobody in Liberty Hill does, but they'll do what they want to do," said Hieber, who owns an animal boarding kennel with her daughter, Laura Collins, on Texas 29.
Under one of the options, a portion of the road would cut into their property. They said they would prefer that over a route that bypasses the city because they don't want Liberty Hill to become a "ghost town."
Clyde Davis, a real estate broker in Liberty Hill who owns land on Texas 29, questioned how the county, which is strapped for road funding, would pay for the project.
"They have no money," he said.
To pay for parts of the right-of-way acquisition, said Long, the county commissioner, the county will use money from a $228 million road bond package that voters approved in 2006. She said other costs might have to be paid for through a future bond referendum.
mmixon@statesman.com; 246-0043
The county's second open house about a proposed expansion of Texas 29 is tonight in Georgetown. The meeting is from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Georgetown Church of Christ, 1525 W. University Ave.
For more information, contact Kathy Grimes in Commissioner Cynthia Long's office at kgrimes@wilco.org or (512) 260-4280

Banana Pudding

I received this recipe from a past client and friend, and since it sounds so good, I wanted to pass it along. She recieved it from a lady in her church. I will be making it in a few days, so I can't wait to pass along how good it tastes!

Banana Pudding

1 small box instant vanilla or french vanilla pudding (french is a bit sweeter – which is what I always use.)

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

8 oz sour cream

8 oz cool whip

1 tsp vanilla

3 bananas

1 box vanilla wafers

Mix pudding and milk with mixer just until smooth.

Add one at a time, mixing after each; condensed milk, sour cream, cool whip and vanilla.

Layer a 9 x 13 inch pan with vanilla wafers, 1 1/2 sliced bananas and pudding mixture. Repeat once.

Lightly sprinkle top with crumbs from vanilla wafers (She just uses the crushed ones from the bottom of the box) for decoration. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. (She usually makes it the morning of the event and it's always good, as long as it can sit in the fridge for a few hours I think is key.)

Marketing Material's available to you

In this day and age, there are numerous marketing options available when selling your property. Virtual tours, open houses, Realtor tours, fliers, and especially an amazing web presence are just a few of the things that it takes to sell a home. Not to mention - the home has to be priced right. In this market, an over priced listings, even by just a bit, can leave it sitting there for months. Now I must say that not everything in that short list is the right marketing aspect for every listing. Take for example, a listing on a barely traveled road would not be an ideal candidate for an open house. It takes an experienced Realtor to know what it will take to properly market your property when selling. I have many fliers and pamphlets available that can help you when preparing to sell your home. If you are interested in seeing a list of what we have available, please e-mail me at Candice@ShinOakRealty.com and I will be happy to get those to you.

New Listings galore!

Man, this has been a busy month. We, here at Shin Oak Realty, have taken several new listings - and let me tell you, they are some great ones! I know, I know. We are hearing all this hype about the Real Estate market and this so-called recession. But I have to tell you - if the property is priced right - it is selling. Now, what we are not seeing, is the over priced listings getting much action. But if they are priced to sell, they are selling! Anyway - if you are interested in seeing a list or previewing any of our new listings, or anything else in the area, please do not hesitate to e-mail me at candice@shinoakrealty.com or call me at 512-635-0404. Until next time....