Work on northbound I-35 from Grand Avenue Parkway to SH 45 N in Round Rock is now underway.
The changes will reverse the northbound I-35 entrance and exit ramps at the SH 45 N intersection to alleviate traffic congestion, according to an Aug. 4 Texas Department of Transportation news release. The project kicked off Aug. 2.
“I-35 at SH 45 North is a key intersection that connects the surrounding communities of Cedar Park, Pflugerville and Round Rock to Austin,” TxDOT Austin District Engineer Tucker Ferguson said in the Aug. 4 release.
The project’s cost is estimated at $8.2 million, with funding provided by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and TxDOT. State planners anticipate a mid-2021 completion date.
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City pushing to wrap work before Austin FC stadium opener
Austin construction crews will work to finish improvements at the intersection of Burnet Road and Braker Lane in North Austin before Major League Soccer franchise Austin FC plays its first game in the upcoming stadium at McKalla Place, according to new city documents.
The city of Austin Corridor Program Office in early August published the summary report of its public hearing for upcoming Burnet Road corridor improvements.
According to the report, city crews before the end of 2020 will break ground to begin improvements at the intersection of Burnet and Braker.
“Our goal is to have construction of the improvements done prior to the planned Austin FC home opener,” said Dea Crichton, public information and communications manager for the corridor program office, in an email to Community Impact Newspaper.
Improvement work at the Burnet and Braker intersection could be underway as soon as October, Crichton said. That would leave crews about a six-month window to finish work if Austin FC plays its inaugural home match in March 2021.
The first phase of construction will add shared-use sidewalks and further include traffic signal upgrades, installations of raised medians at all approaches to the intersection, pavement work and drainage upgrades.
Capital Metro’s most recent Project Connect plans show the regional transit agency will build a new MetroRail station at McKalla Place. Crichton said building that station is not included in the current corridor improvement plans.
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ONGOING PROJECTS
Parmer Lane diverging diamondNew lanes on the Parmer Lane bridge are currently being constructed. In late August, state crews will begin reconstructing the southbound I-35 frontage road near Parmer.
Timeline: July 2019-mid-2021
RM 620 at RM 2222 bypass
TxDOT construction crews in August will finish paving the right-turn lane from westbound RM 2222 to McNeil Drive and the right turn lanes on McNeil and River Place Boulevard onto westbound RM 2222.
Timeline: fall 2018-late 2021
