A half-mile northward extension of Rivery Boulevard in Georgetown will pave the way for a future I-35 overpass bridge and add a new option for cross-city travel.

The city hosts a ground-breaking ceremony Tuesday for the Rivery Boulevard extension. Construction will extend Rivery Boulevard from its north terminus at Williams Drive to a new intersection with Northwest Boulevard. The new roadway segment will include four lanes with a divided median as well as a traffic circle at the intersection of Park Lane, according to the city.

The $5.1 million project is funded through bond sales as part of a transportation bond package approved by Georgetown voters in 2015.

The extended roadway will eventually connect to a future Northwest Boulevard bridge over I-35, a separate project that should start in 2019, according to the city.

Both projects are designed to give drivers a new option for cross-city travel that avoids Williams Drive, which is one of Georgetown’s busiest roadways.

The projects are among several improvements to transportation and infrastructure planned or underway in Georgetown.

Joe Bland Construction is the contractor on the Rivery Boulevard extension. Design engineering is handled by KPA.