Starting Feb. 1, The City of West Lake Hills started a construction project that will shut down a part of Camp Craft Road from the Armstrong Music School to Eanes School Road. The traffic surrounding Westlake will increase, leading to longer commutes. Students, teachers and parents may need to change their routes and allow more time to get to school.

“City of Westlake voters approved a measure in 2021 to authorize improvements to Camp Craft, replacing the low water crossing with a higher crossing structure,” City of West Lake Hills administrator Trey Fletcher said. “The city has started the construction of the project and will be closing Camp Craft starting February 1 through July 31.”

The project aims to improve the road, which often floods at the low water crossing in heavy rain. Flooding causes Camp Craft to shut down for 1-2 days at a time. The improvements include the repaving of Camp Craft Road, the replacement of Eanes Creek crossings and raising Camp Craft Road by 9 feet and Eanes School Road by 2 feet. 

“Originally we were going to complete the project within the summertime, between the spring and fall semesters of school, but that time period was too short to achieve the scope of work,’” Fletcher said. “In coordination with Eanes ISD, we decided it would be best to start in the spring and complete in the summer.”

Traffic before school is projected to increase due to the construction. Students, teachers and parents need to find a new route to school, and the construction will also affect those who take the other routes. The district is making an effort to make everyone aware of the changes so people are not delayed arriving at school.

“I already live pretty far from the school, and I have to deal with morning traffic normally,” junior Ana Elmburg said. “With the road being closed, it’s going to add more traffic to my mornings, so I’m planning to leave at 7:50 instead of 8:10 to give myself 20 extra minutes.”

The increase in traffic in the mornings raises concerns with students regarding tardiness. Due to the administration’s consistent reminders to students and staff, teachers will still be permitted to count tardies as normal. 

“I’m worried about arriving at school late with the new amount of traffic,” junior Addie Ledbetter said. “I will need to start my day much earlier, which I don’t want to do, to make sure I get to school on time.”

The temporary shutdown of the road will impact the traffic after school as well. There will be more traffic out of the PAC, stadium and Chap Court parking lots because everyone leaving is being forced out in the same direction. The traffic will only increase, which leaves students and faculty to get home later than usual. 

“It’s going to create a lot more traffic, and I teach class eighth period, so after school it will make me arrive home much later,” U.S history teacher Patrick Mound said. “I won’t get to see my wife or kid until later than usual, and that is upsetting.”

The district is asking for patience and planning from drivers with all of the traffic from the stadium, Chap Court and PAC parking lots. The bus routes have been changed and students, teachers and parents will need to take Westbank Drive or 360 to enter the school.