In a nutshell
The $3.8 million mobility project, part of the city’s broader corridor improvement program, is roughly 80% complete, according to a Sept. 3 update from the city. This marks a slight delay from earlier projections, as a city update at the start of the year had anticipated completion in May.
Substantial completion is currently estimated for mid-October, though this date may shift depending on weather and other factors, the news release states.
Zooming in
Crews are currently building the shared-use path on the south side of Bruning Avenue, from Middle Fiskville Road, near the railroad tracks, to Airport Boulevard. Workers are also installing wiring for the new pedestrian signal at Airport and 55th Street. The only remaining work is in the bike lane on the east side of Airport Boulevard.
Next, crews will complete the shared-use path between Bruning Avenue and 51st Street. Once crews are cleared to begin the next phase of work near the rail tracks, traffic on Bruning Avenue between Airport Boulevard and Middle Fiskville Road will shift to one-way for a short period. This change will allow crews to repave Bruning Avenue between Airport Boulevard and Middle Fiskville Road, which is expected to take about a week and a half.
Mountable curbs are expected to be installed at Lamme’s Candy, 5330 Airport Blvd., along the edge of the shared-use path, as well as a new bus stop in coming weeks at the southwest corner of Airport Boulevard and Bruning Avenue.
Zooming out
The project, which began construction in October 2024, incorporates mobility and safety enhancements that align with the city's vision for “urban corridors,” according to city documents. Safety improvements are intended to make Airport Boulevard more pedestrian-friendly, the documents state.
Once complete, the stretch of Airport Boulevard from 45th to 55th Street will see new shared-use paths, upgraded traffic signals and additional pedestrian crossing safety improvements at 55th Street, Bruning Avenue and 51st Street, as well as enhanced sidewalk connectivity and functionality on the west side of the roadway near Hwy. 290.
Some context
After a series of community forums, Austin City Council members adopted a $1.5 billion Corridor Construction Program back in 2018 to improve nine major corridors across the metro.
An estimated $482 million in total has been allocated from a voter-approved 2016 Mobility Bond toward Airport Boulevard corridor improvements, which span in its entirety from North Lamar Boulevard down to US 183 in South Austin.
