The project, developed by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, is currently in a public feedback period and has received some negative feedback from neighboring city Rollingwood following its most recent design update, referred to as “Alternative 2C.”
The design includes two express ways added in each direction on MoPac and an elevated overpass near Rollingwood. Several council members in Rollingwood, including Mayor Gavin Massingill, said the plan would cause traffic disruptions for both Rollingwood residents and commuters from West Austin, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.
The overview
Prior to West Lake Hills’ Dec. 11 meeting, Mayor James Vaughan worked with CAMPO representative Amy Pattillo on drafting a letter to the Mobility Authority expressing the city’s discontent with plans for the expansion—specifically pointing out a lack of consideration for east/west traffic, Vaughan said.
According to the Mobility Authority's design plans, drivers approaching MoPac from West Lake Hills or from Loop 360 would not have access to expressways upon entering the highway for a considerable amount of time, Vaughan said. In order to access the expressways, drivers would have to detour to Cesar Chavez or further south to Southwest Parkway, as the current Enfield loop entrance would be removed.
Rollingwood has publicly addressed the problem of delayed express lane access as well, with City Administrator Ashley Wayman saying that a lack of access to express lanes would be the design’s biggest impact on their city.
What else?
Apart from the delayed express lane access, Vaughan cited a number of concerns regarding the expansion’s design. One problem Vaughan brought attention to was "criss-cross traffic" that would likely occur between express lane exit points and regular lane entry points.
“From Bee Cave Road, when you’re trying to go north on the regular lanes, the express lane exit overlaps with your regular entrance,” Vaughan said. “You have to criss-cross with the people trying to get off to Cesar Chavez as you’re trying to get on to MoPac.”
Vaughan pointed out that southbound traffic near Bee Caves road would face similar issues.
“You have two criss-crosses, you’re doing a traffic joust, just in the regular lanes,” Vaughan said. “So it not only eliminates [Loop] 360 and Bee Cave access to the northbound MoPac expressway, it puts Bee Cave Road users in criss-cross action both going north and south, just to get to the regular lanes.”
Additionally, Vaughan pointed out that the highest point of elevation of these new lanes is directly above Bee Cave Road and MoPac, leading to a tiered highway similar to I-35 developing near Rollingwood.
Outside of concerns raised by West Lake Hills and Rollingwood, Austin High School has also expressed discontent with design plans, considering that drivers from West Lake Hills or Loop 360 will most likely loop around their campus in order to access MoPac express lanes, Vaughan said.
What’s next
Council voted to approve Vaughan’s letter on behalf of West Lake Hills to the Mobility Authority, which will request a redesign of the section between 360 and Cesar Chavez in consideration of east/west commuters.
Vaughan will also attend the Mobility Authority's meeting Dec. 18, speaking on behalf of West Lake Hills City Council.
