What is going on with the construction at Lake Travis High School? What is being built, why is it necessary, and why is it taking so long? These are the questions most of the student body is asking.
The construction came as a surprise to most people in the area, with the loud disruptions of the construction equipment, the resulting longer traffic routes, and the loss of 355 parking spaces. However, the construction also offers many benefits to the community. “The fine arts addition and the Stadium renovation are based on needing to meet our current student demand.” said Mason Whitfield, an assistant principal at LTHS. He added that the construction’s main purpose is to expand the school and the amenities offered to students. “The science addition will provide us with more science classrooms. [It] will also be able to provide our tennis team with a location that supports locker room access, as well as coaching offices.”
All construction started three weeks after the class of 2025 graduated, but each project has à different estimated date for when it will be completed. “The Fine Arts addition will actually be a two-year project that won’t be completed until two summers from now. The football stadium project, which has just started, should be finished by October of next year,” said Whitfield. These projections may sound like a long time for the LTHS community to wait, but the finished products are sure to improve the school.
The biggest complaint among students about the construction is the lack of parking spaces. Although drivers in the senior class were assured a parking sticker, LTHS had to enact a lottery system to assign parking spaces to the junior class. “Our goal is to be able to maximize the space that we have to allow our staff, students and community to have parking spaces on campus,” said Whitfield. He continued to share that it’s important for students to remember their parking stickers are a privilege, not guaranteed. “We do our best to try to support all of our students and staff with parking spots that are in proximity to the campus. However, construction has had an impact on that and we’re trying to navigate how to best support our students, staff and community.”
Although the lack of parking spaces can be frustrating for a student body of nearly 4,000, these changes are enacted to ensure the safety of all students while construction takes place. That’s right – student safety is being emphasized more than ever this year, made necessary by construction requiring anywhere from 75 to 200 outside workers on campus everyday. For this reason, it is especially important that all doors to the building remain closed and secure throughout the day.
As Whitfield said, “The main goal of the construction is to improve Lake Travis high school and benefit the students. It might be a bit of a wait, but in the end it will be worth it.”
