Chisholm Trail Road closure for trail project begins in July

Construction related to the Heritage Trail West project will necessitate a months-long closure of Chisholm Trail Road between Sunset Drive and Round Rock Ave./RM 620 starting July 17.

The closure will begin just south of the Sunset Drive intersection and end north of RM 620, in order to maintain entrances into businesses located in the area. The closure is expected to last approximately 90 days.

The Heritage Trail West project will complete an approximately 1-mile section of trail from just west of Chisholm Trail Road to Mays Street. The closure will allow crews to work on underground utilities and construction to support a future pedestrian bridge as part of the project.

Round Rock City Council approved a contract on Feb. 9 to restart construction

Round Rock City Council approved a contract on Feb. 9 to restart construction of the major trail segment that was left on pause following the previous contractor’s abandonment of the project. 

Construction began on Heritage Trail West, an approximately 1-mile section of trail from just west of Chisholm Trail Road to Mays Street, in October 2020. During this time, the contractor began construction and demolition work in Chisholm Trail Park and Memorial Park. In September 2021, the contractor abandoned the job, causing both parks to remain closed due to safety concerns.  

After that time, the City of Round Rock worked to collect damages from the contractor’s surety or have the surety complete the work on behalf of the City. In fall 2022, the City opted to rebid the project to find another contractor and seek later reimbursement.  

The Heritage Trail project will include a 10-foot-wide trail detailing the history of Round Rock as a timeline. The project spans from the Bathing Beach at Chisholm Trail Road to Mays Street and include improvements at Bathing Beach Park, Chisholm Trail Crossing Park and Memorial Park.  Programmatic elements of the project will include historical, arts and cultural, educational, and other park elements.  

The contract was awarded to Patin Construction for a total cost of $19.5 million. Approximately $5.3 million remained on the City’s original construction contract and the project was insured for just over $7.2 million, which will be reimbursed. Additional funding for the project will come from GO bond funds issued in 2017, and cash from the City’s General Self-Financed Construction fund.