Photos by Stewart Dale Spencer
Coupland residents and others who travel on CR 458 are relieved that the large potholes are now fixed. Before Coupland incorporated as a city, Williamson County was responsible for maintaining CR 458. Once Coupland city limits included the road, the county was not responsible. Before incorporation, Coupland residents were left with the understanding that the county would continue to help with maintenance on this road, because the new city would not yet have the resources for road work. However, after incorporation, it turned out that the county would not help.
As Mayor Jack Piper reported, “We were all disappointed to find out that Williamson County would not ‘take back’ CR 458 unless the City gave them 1000 feet of land on either side of the road. When asked whether we could execute an Inter-local Agreement to do road repair, the response was that anything was possible but not probable. Thus, the City must take the responsibility to repair and maintain City roads and streets as best we can.”
The Coupland City Council voted to select the bid of $4,750 from Naivar Construction of Taylor to repair the potholes on CR 458. Naivar Construction also repaired the potholes at the intersection of Hoxie and Commerce in downtown Coupland.
The Travis County side of this well-traveled road has its problems but at least it has no significant potholes and is clearly marked. The Williamson County side is very dangerous to drive at night, without even warning signs on two significant curves.
James Naivar, owner of Naivar Construction, reported that as he and his crew were working on CR 458 several drivers stopped to tell him how glad they were that these potholes were being repaired. So the first major project and expenditure of our new city has been a welcomed success.
[Publisher’s Note: Susan and Buz Garry would never toot their own horn so I’ll do it for them. They provided the wood and the supplies to create the warning signs. They put them up . . . and then put one up again after a wind storm blew it down. After the repairs were done, they picked them up and are saving them in case they are needed again. They asked for nothing in exchange and didn’t even ask for reimbursement for their costs. This is community spirit in action! Williamson County would do well to emulate their example.]