Patriot Way and Rockride Lane—New Names for Roads

Five roads in Georgetown got new names at the city council meeting on Tuesday. Sam Houston Avenue, Patriot Way, Rockride Lane, Bell Gin Road, and JM Page Lane are the new street names approved by the council that drivers will soon see on the southeast and south sides of the city. (Click on the map below to see a larger version.)

Three of the new road names—Patriot Way, Rockride Lane, and Bell Gin Road—are for segments of county roads that are now in the Georgetown city limits as a result of a new road currently under construction on the southeast side of the city. The new 2.9-mile road known as Southeast Arterial 1, or SE 1, also got a new name from the council on Tuesday.

SE 1 will be called Sam Houston Avenue when it is completed later this year. The new east-west road will connect with Maple Street on the west and the County Road 104 exit for the 130 Toll Road on the east. Sam Houston Avenue is one segment of a planned Texas 29 bypass in the city’s 30-year transportation plan. Sam Houston, a name suggested by City staff, was the first president of the Republic of Texas.

Since Sam Houston Avenue intersects both County Road 110 and County Road 104, sections of those county roads will be within Georgetown’s city limits. The City’s street naming policy directs that a county road be renamed when a segment is within city limits. In the case of the three renamed county roads, the City polled property owners in those road segments on options for the new name.

Rockride Lane is the new name for a 1-mile section of County Road 110 between SE Inner Loop Road and Sam Houston Avenue. Rockride got the highest number of votes after two rounds of ballots. The name refers to the Ride On Center for Kids, a nonprofit known as the ROCK that provides therapeutic horseback riding. The center and Mitchell Elementary School are located on the renamed segment.

Patriot Way is the new name chosen for a 1.3-mile section of County Road 104 between Sam Houston Avenue and a bend in CR 104 about 0.75 miles northeast of the 130 Toll Road. Patriot Way, a name suggested by property owners on the road, was the name that got the highest number of votes after two rounds of balloting. The name refers to the mascot for nearby East View High School.

An additional 1-mile section of CR 110 south of Sam Houston Avenue is outside Georgetown city limits and may be renamed Rockride Lane pending action by the Williamson County Commissioners. The same could happen for an additional 1.25-mile section of CR 104 next to East View High School, since that is outside Georgetown city limits.

Bell Gin Road is the name that won the most votes for a new 0.25-mile road that will connect a section of CR 104 to Sam Houston Avenue. Another section of CR 104 between Sam Houston Avenue and County Road 105 that is outside the city could be renamed Bell Gin Road pending action by the commissioners. Bell Gin is the name of a cotton gin that was located at the corner of CR 104 and CR 105 in the past.

A fifth road that got a new name is a little street near the intersection of Interstate 35 and Leander Road. The 606-foot-long road that was known as Southfork Road became JM Page Lane. Southfork Road previously connected to Leander Road at a point near the I-35 northbound access road. That connection was removed, but JM Page Lane now has a short 90-degree bend that connects it to the I-35 access road.

In this case, the new name was the result of a request from the owners of the Page House, an event center that is the only business or residence located on the street. JM Page Lane is named for Joseph M. Page, who settled in Georgetown in the 1850s and built the Page House in 1903.

The new sign for JM Page Lane was posted today by the City’s street department. Jane Best, owner of the Page House, is pictured in the photo.

Signs for the other newly-named streets will be posted in the coming weeks and property owners will be notified of the new names.