Those who regularly commute down MoPac into Austin should plan for additional time, with southbound entrance now closed at Steck Avenue and ongoing construction causing a two-lane bottleneck along the major thoroughfare just north of US 183.
Explained
The entrance ramp closure announced in April is expected through the end of 2025, while the exit ramp closure announced in February is expected to only remain closed for three months, according to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, the agency in charge of the project. Closures are due to progress on the 183 North Mobility Project.
The $612 million roadway initiative aims to relieve congestion along 183 North—the 9-mile section of road between MoPac and SH 45—by adding two toll lanes in each direction that will connect to the existing tolls on MoPac and 183A in Cedar Park.
The project also added a fourth non-tolled northbound and southbound lane, which opened last year, and is working to improve shared-use paths along the corridor for bikes and pedestrians.
The 183 North Mobility Project is in its third year of construction and ahead of a targeted completion date of 2026. However, the initiative for roadway expansion and extension was first launched in 2013 by the CTRMA and Texas Department of Transportation.
The why
Without the project, average peak travel times could reach nearly an hour in each direction by 2035, according to data from the project’s environmental study.
A review of statewide highway congestion found the 183 North causing an annual congestion cost of $31 million, per the TxDOT 2024 report.
Staying up to date
There are also other ongoing lane closures occurring as a part of this project. Upcoming temporary lane closures and additional information about the project can be found on the 183 North Mobility Project website.
