Here are the latest updates for transportation and trail projects throughout Northwest Austin.





1. North Lamar Boulevard sidewalks
Work continues to add new sidewalks along North Lamar Boulevard from US 183 to Braker Lane. The project is funded through a Texas Department of Transportation grant and the city of Austin.

Timeline: June 2017-late 2018
Cost: $1.5 million
Funding sources: city of Austin, TxDOT





2. Northern Walnut Creek Trail Phase 2
Design of the trail extension from Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park to I-35 will be completed next spring.

Timeline: fall 2018-fall 2019
Cost: $4 million
Funding source: city of Austin








3. Spicewood Springs Road upgrades
Staffers are continuing to review public comments to use community input to identify solutions for improving the two-lane roadway from west of Mesa Drive to Loop 360. The 2016 bond provided $17 million for improvements.

Timeline: fall 2019-2020
Cost: $17 million
Funding source: 2016 mobility bond





4. Northern Walnut Creek Trail Phase 1A
Austin City Council is scheduled to vote Feb. 1 on a construction contract to complete the last segment of Phase 1 of the trail from under MoPac through Balcones District Park. Construction should begin shortly after approval of the contract, and the project should take about six months to complete.

Timeline: early to mid-2018
Cost: $847,000
Funding source: city of Austin bonds








5. Improvements on I-35
Construction is slated to break ground in January on improvements to I-35 from Rundberg Lane to Hwy. 290. Projects include adding three flyover or direct connector ramps between I-35 and US 183; improving the existing flyover from northbound I-35 to northbound US 183; rebuilding the bridge at St. Johns Avenue with U-turns; and extending entrance and exit ramps.

Timeline: early 2018-mid-2021
Cost: $124 million
Funding source: TxDOT








6. US 183 North toll project
How the toll project will move forward depends on a decision from the Texas Transportation Commission, the governing body for the Texas Department of Transportation. The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is proposing to build four tolled lanes on US 183 from Toll 183A to MoPac. In November, TxDOT pulled funding for the fourth continuous nontolled lane after Gov. Greg Abbott announced he did not support TxDOT funding projects with tolled elements. The commission needs to weigh in on how that view will affect an agreement it already approved with the Mobility Authority for the project.

Timeline: 2019-22
Cost: $380 million
Funding sources: toll revenue bonds








7. Anderson Mill Road improvements
The city is working on preliminary engineering for improvements to Anderson Mill Road from Spicewood Parkway to US 183. Staffers aim to review the proposed recommendations over the holidays. The city plans to host an open house on the draft preliminary recommendations in early 2018.

Timeline: 2020-21
Cost: $7.26 million
Funding source: 2016 mobility bond








8. Repaving RM 620
TxDOT plans to repave RM 620 from the Mansfield Dam to RM 2222 and from Anderson Mill Road to SH 45 N at US 183. The project could begin by early summer and would take four months to complete.

Timeline: mid-2018
Cost: $1.79 million
Funding source: TxDOT





9. MetroRail urban trail
The city of Austin hosted a public meeting Dec. 13 to provide information to residents about the planned Red Line Trail that would run along the MetroRail line from the Northern Walnut Creek Trail to Braker Lane. Staffers plan to finalize design of the trail and begin the permitting process next spring.

Timeline: construction to begin by early 2020
Cost: $4.3 million
Funding source: 2016 mobility bond