Williamson County adjusts road neighbors worry could lead to eminent domain fights

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Williamson County leaders amended the county's Long Range Transportation Plan Tuesday, voting to adjust the alignment of Arterial K. The proposed roadway is at the center of what residents in the eastern part of the county worry could eventually become a fight over their land which is needed to build the project.

KXAN previously highlighted Arterial K as part of an investigation into the growing number of eminent domain cases in Williamson County.

In that investigation, Connie Odom, director of communications for Williamson County, said Arterial K was under a Right-Of-Way preservation study to further determine the road's alignment.

If built, Arterial K would connect Interstate 35 at State Highway 195 to a future segment of the East Wilco Highway, parts of which are already complete or under construction.

Tuesday afternoon, Odom confirmed the new preferred alignment that study laid out for Arterial K were approved by the Williamson County Commissioner's Court at a meeting that morning.

She said there is still no funding for the construction of the project.

Mounting opposition to Arterial K

Two groups of eastern Williamson County neighbors have formed with the intention of spreading awareness and speaking out against Arterial K.

Preserve Wilco Now, led by Angela Wetuski, and the Wilco Greenbelt Alliance, led by Jodi Bole, are both grassroots groups of residents that would be impacted or displaced by the road's construction.

In our investigation, Wetuski shared that if the road continued as previously proposed it could put the property her family's lived on for decades in jeopardy.

“I think that what we’re looking at right now is what do we do about this,” Wetuski said.

We have reached out to both Wetuski and Bole for a comment about Tuesday's vote and will update this article if we receive a response.