The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority held a virtual groundbreaking ceremony Jan. 26 with a ceremonial tree planting. The tree was dedicated to five Round Rock ISD educators whose schools are located along the project's corridor, according to a Mobility Authority release.
“We’re excited to be breaking ground on the 183 North Mobility Project in this way," Mobility Authority Executive Director James Bass said in the release. "Less congestion on 183 North means less time in traffic for our educators, improving quality of life for them and all the lives they touch."
The 183 North project aims to improve mobility, reduce congestion and provide reliable travel times for transit and emergency vehicles, according to the Mobility Authority. The project will span US 183 from MoPac to SH 45/RM 620.
The 9-mile project will add two express lanes in each direction and an additional general-purpose lane, where needed, for a total of four nontolled lanes in each direction. Express lanes will also be built connected to MoPac South.
The project will also add new shared-use path connections, new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks, and cross street connections for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Construction that impacts traffic will be limited to off-peak times when possible, according to the project website. Though construction may occur 24/7, the contractor will face financial penalties if construction causes a lane closure outside approved time frames, according to the Mobility Authority. Additional construction information is available online.
The Mobility Authority expects the project to be complete in 2026. The project is funded through toll revenue bonds and the Texas Department of Transportation. The construction contract was awarded in early 2021.
