Southwest Austin Trasportation updates

1.FM 1626 reconstruction in Travis County
The environmental study is complete, and the design phase was more than 90 percent complete as of September, Project Manager Tony Valdez said. The project will rebuild FM 1626 from Brodie Lane to Manchaca Road, widening it from a two-lane road to a four-lane highway with a continuous center left-turn lane and shoulders, curbs, gutters and sidewalks. Next steps will include putting out a call for construction bids.
Timeline: August 2012-summer 2019
Cost: $12 million
Funding sources: Travis County, Texas Department of Transportation

2.Slaughter Creek overpass construction
TxDOT began work May 2 on a yearlong project to replace the Slaughter Creek overpass at I-35 and build a new southbound-to-northbound U-turn bridge.
Contractor Capital Excavation is working on the overpass and bridge, according to TxDOT. The project—the first of many on I-35 as part of the Mobility 35 initiative—also includes adding safety lighting from Slaughter Lane to Onion Creek Parkway and widening the southbound I-35 frontage road to two lanes through the intersection at Slaughter Creek, according to TxDOT.
All drill shafts are in place and most of the columns were installed by September. The contractor is drilling foundations for the high mast illumination, and no major detours will occur until the contractor is ready to pour the bridge slab, many months down the line.
Timeline: May 2016-May 2017
Cost: $9.2 million
Funding sources: Texas Proposition 1

3.Oak Hill Parkway environmental study
As of press time Sept. 15, TxDOT and the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority had not scheduled any new public events regarding the project. A team is still refining two build alternatives as potential solutions for long-term traffic relief at the intersection of Hwy. 71 and Hwy. 290. A no-build alternative is also under consideration.
Timeline: environmental study expected to be complete in 2017
Cost: about $650 million
Funding sources: TBD


4.Hazard Elimination project on Fitzhugh Road
Signage, delineation and guardrails will be added along Fitzhugh Road from Hwy. 290 to the Hays County line. The project is slated to go out for contractor bids in 2017.
Timeline: August 2017-fall/winter 2017
Cost: Approximately $104,500
Funding sources: TxDOT federal funds, Travis County

5.Manchaca Road and Slaughter Lane upgrades
At the intersection of Slaughter Lane and Manchaca Road, the city of Austin Transportation Department plans to add raised medians, turn lanes and other safety improvements. Staff is working on design, which is expected to be complete this fall.
Timeline: October 2015-fall 2016 (design), TBD (construction)
Cost: $1.5 million
Funding sources: city of Austin


6.Bicycle/pedestrian bridge on Loop 1 over greenbelt
Construction is in progress on a bicycle and pedestrian bridge. Partnering with the city of Austin, TxDOT is adding the shared-use path along northbound Loop 1 lanes over the Barton Creek Greenbelt between Southwest Parkway and Loop 360. Remaining work includes building one bridge span and completing the sidewalk tie-ins on either side of the project. Weather has delayed the original completion goal of summer to winter.
Timeline: February 2014-winter 2017
Cost: $7.7 million
Funding sources: TxDOT, city of Austin