The federal money is a rural business enterprise development grant from the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program. Such programs are available in rural areas and incorporated towns or cities with a population less than 50,000.

The street will provide access to US Highway 183 on the west side of the 43-acre industrial park, Sandra Mauldin, Lockhart's ecnomic development director, tells GlobeSt.com. "This will get it opened up," she says. "We can't sell it unless there's access."

Highway 183 runs along the edge of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, about 25 miles from Lockhart.The park is situated between Highway 183 and FM 1322. Work on the road, which includes installation of water and wastewater and utilities, should begin early next year.Lockhart is about 30 miles southeast of Austin and has a population of more than 13,000. The home of Kreuz Market and Black's Barbecue, the city bills itself as the barbecue capital of the world.