Residents Fuming Over Dusty Loop 230 Road Construction

By Kristen Meriwether, Publisher

Updated at 5 p.m. on Nov. 4, 2025 with an update from Rep. Stan Gerdes. We are awaiting a statement from the City of Smithville.

Updated at 11a.m. on Nov. 4, 2025 with TXDOT comment.

After two weeks, the construction crews, signs and cones have left Loop 230 in Smithville. But with all the dust, loose gravel, and a road that’s noticeably worse off than before the construction, residents are fuming.

“This is very unfortunate for those that have allergies and respiratory issues,” resident Ginger Redden wrote on Nextdoor on Friday. Smithville city council member Jimmy Jenkins replied to that post saying he was sending an email to TxDOT asking that the issue be fixed.

Smithville city council member Brandon Dunham reached out to Texas state Rep. Stan Gerdes over the weekend after learning the current conditions may be the finished product.

On Monday, Gerdes said he met with TxDOT Bastrop engineer Diane Schulze and Austin district engineer Tucker Ferguson to discuss the conditions of the road.

“All agreed that the current conditions are not acceptable,” Gerdes said in a Facebook post. “I have requested an expedited update and timeline from TxDOT regarding the next steps to address this, and will share as soon as I have it.”

Smithville Texas News reached out to TxDOT to ask about the construction process and got a response at 11 a.m. on Nov. 4:

"TxDOT is actively addressing the conditions on SL 230 in Smithville. This is part of a routine paving project with clean up nearing completion. We have crews sweeping and vacuuming up the rock and will continue to do so until all the loose rock is picked up. To help reduce dust, crews are also applying water to the surface. Additionally, our Area Office will continue to monitor the roadway moving forward."

Update from Rep. Stan Gerdes at 3:46 p.m. on Nov. 4, 2025 on his X feed:

"This morning, City leaders and I met with Texas Department of Transportation to confront the ongoing disaster along Loop 230. Even TxDOT’s own engineers admitted the obvious — the gravel mix they used didn’t lock in properly, and the type and amount of rock they spread has created a choking cloud of dust blanketing our town.Let’s be clear: this is not just a nuisance. It’s damaging windshields, coating homes and businesses in filth, making our neighbors sick, and hurting the local economy — all during one of the biggest tourism weekends of the year.I’ve demanded immediate action, not more talk. TxDOT has committed to:

*Aggressively watering down and cleaning up the dust and loose rock through this week and weekend;

*Reapplying washed rock and emulsion early next week to stabilize the surface;

*And finishing with a fog seal to bind the road and stop this from happening again.

I’ve also made it clear that this “fix” must come with a permanent solution so we end up with a decent road again.Smithville deserves better than excuses. I’ll keep the pressure on TxDOT until this project is done right — no shortcuts, no delays, no BS."