What's Open, Closed In Austin, WilCo Amid Arctic Blast

AUSTIN, TX — Icy road conditions across the region prompted a growing list of school districts to cancel classes outright or turn to all-virtual classes on Friday. Amid the winter surge, local governments also opted to close while altering the schedule of some municipal services.

Among the most dramatic closures prompted by cold weather was that of Highway 183 between Cameron Road and the Cedar Park city limits. Police made the decision to shut down the portion of the highway stretch after several crashes on the key artery's icy road surface. Police also urged drivers to avoid overpasses in all other areas while avoiding travel unless it was necessary.

As the evening progressed, a growing list of schools announced cancellations and postponements spurred by the frigid surge. Austin ISD canceled all after-school activities on Thursday while scheduling 100 percent virtual instruction on Friday.

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Earlier, area school districts in Burnet and Llano counties canceled classes because of ice accumulation on local roads that yielded treacherous travel conditions.

Schools alter schedules due to weather

As the Arctic blast battered down across the region, a growing list of school districts started scheduling in-person classes, canceling after-school activities, and opting for virtual instruction already prevalent amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Leander ISD released students at their usual times on Thursday but opted to conduct virtual classes on Friday, officials wrote in an advisory. Moreover, the board of trustees meeting that had been scheduled on Thursday was canceled for later rescheduling, according to the Leander ISD notice.

On Twitter, Leander ISD alerted to the cancellation of after-school activities as a result of inclement weather.

Leander officials also noted there would be no meal services for students on Friday given the planned all-virtual class instruction.

Round Rock ISD also opted to cancel classes on Friday as the weather is expected to deteriorate further in the coming days. "Due to inclement weather conditions, all Round Rock ISD campuses will be closed tomorrow and all classes will take place 100% virtually," district officials wrote on Twitter. "Students and staff WILL NOT report to campus tomorrow."

Despite dangers posed by inclement weather, the school district in Georgetown, the county seat of neighboring Williamson County, opted to resume regular operations. "Following a coordinated call with local officials, GISD made the decision to continue on a normal schedule today," officials wrote on Twitter. "Temps are predicted to warm up above freezing & we believe our students & staff are safest to remain on campus until road conditions improve. operations as normal."

Austin ISD moved to cancel all after-school activities in light of the weather, opted to resume remote learning on Friday, and postponed coronavirus testing for another day.

By late Thursday evening, Austin Community College District officials decided to close all of its campuses and centers until next Friday as a result of the weather. In addition, all in-person and on-campus classes and events scheduled during that week span are canceled, officials added. Online classes and remote work will continue as scheduled, district officials said.

The college continues to monitor winter weather, officials wrote in an advisory. Updates will be posted to the college’s homepage and on Facebook and Twitter.

Check road conditions at www.drivetexas.org

Government offices close, city services altered

Despite the decision to proceed with a normal class schedule at Georgetown ISD, Williamon County officials opted to close local government offices largely centered in the county seat of Georgetown at noon as the Arctic blast fortified in earnest with attendant freezing rain.

By early evening, officials said the closure would extend through Friday — ahead of a three-day weekend already secured by virtue of Presidents Day on Monday. Despite the closure, officials noted that "essential personnel will still report for duty."

With local government temporarily shuttered, residents were encouraged to use the county’s online services offered by various departments. To access the latest information from each department, residents were directed to visit www.wilco.org.

The county's Office of Emergency Management encouraged residents not to travel unless absolutely necessary. "If you must drive, watch for slick road conditions on elevated surfaces, slow down and keep plenty of distance between you and other vehicles," officials pleaded. "In addition, please take care of people, pets, plants, and pipes and protect them from the cold."

Officials added: "Williamson County OEM will continue to monitor this winter weather event through the weekend. County officials are in close contact with our partners, including the school districts, the National Weather Service, and cities, regarding current conditions. Each entity is making decisions based on many factors with safety being the top consideration. Please check with each entity for changes in their operations and hours."

The inclement weather also prompted Family Hospital Systems to postpone coronavirus vaccination appointments until Monday at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. Those who had scheduled appointments on Friday were urged to check their email for further instructions. In a related development, the County’s Vaccine Registration Technical Assistance (VRTA) center in the Sun City ballroom — already slated to close on Presidents Day Monday — will not be open on Friday, officials said.

Williamson County parks will be operating under severe weather restrictions through Monday, officials added. Residents needing more details can visit www.wilco.org/parks. County officials provided a parks breakdown:

Berry Springs Park & Preserve

• Park will remain open to the public for day access only.
• Public restrooms and water fountains closed for winterization.
• No pavilion rentals.
• No overnight camping.

Champion Park

• Park will remain open to the public for day access only.
• Public restrooms and water fountains closed for winterization.
• No pavilion rentals.

SW Williamson County Park

• Park will remain open to the public for day access only.
• Public restrooms and water fountains closed for winterization.
• No pavilion rentals.
• All sports fields and disc golf courses are closed.

Brushy Creek Regional Trail

• The trail remains open to the public.
• Public restrooms and water fountains closed for winterization.

For more updates and information, follow @PreparingWilco on Twitter and Facebook. For information on road conditions, visit www.drivetexas.org.

The frigid weather also prompted Austin officials to close all city parks and recreational facilities by early afternoon on Thursday. "Due to inclement winter weather, the Austin Parks & Recreation Department (PARD) will be closing year-round city pools, tennis centers, and City of Austin golf courses starting at 1 p.m. today, February 11, 2021," officials wrote in an advisory.

Friday schedules are contingent on weather conditions, parks and rec officials added. Patrons were urged to visit austintexas.gov/parks to check facility schedules. For more information on facility closures, visit austintexas.gov/parkclosures.

Also in Austin, curbside collection services were halted at midday Thursday. Austin Resource Recovery officials said all services — including street sweeping, recycling, composting, trash, yard trimmings, bulk item, large brush, and animal carcass collections — were canceled for the remainder of the day.

Customers who normally have a Thursday collection day were asked to leave any uncollected items at the curb to allow collection crews to catch up. Austin Resource Recovery added that customers with a Friday, Monday, or Tuesday, collection day should set carts or other items for collection out as usual, "...but to be aware that services may be delayed if severe weather persists."

In light of the sudden, weather-spurred cancellations: "Austin Code has confirmed there will be no citations issued for carts or items left at the curb for collection while delays persist," officials noted. Customers are encouraged to download the Austin Recycles app or sign up for reminders to get important service alerts by visiting the My Collections Schedule portal.