KVUE — As the fast-paced growth in Austin and Central Texas continues, the big problems of bumper-to-bumper traffic and expensive housing might get worse before they get better.
The Austin area has been the fastest-growing region of the country for four years. "What we're beginning to realize down at City Hall, is that maybe we don't want to be the fastest growing city in the country year after year after year," said Austin City Demographer Ryan Robinson.
The five-county area (Williamson, Travis, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop) gains about 60,000 new residents a year. In the metropolitan region, the population is 2,020,452.
"We're experiencing a collapse of affordability in this city," Robinson said. Competition for housing is driving prices up and driving people out of the city. That's why all five nearby counties are growing, why traffic is also getting worse, and why so many transportation experts say building more roads isn't enough.
The total estimated population for the five-county area in 2030 is 3 million people. The city demographer estimates the Austin region passed the 2 million mark in July or August.
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