Express lanes, flood risk: 5 Northwest Austin transportation projects

Project: includes updated traffic signals, improved crossings, bus stop improvements, trail connections, curb extensions, drainage improvements, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant shared-use paths, raised medians and more on Burnet Road from White Horse Trail to US 183 (C2), Bright Verde Way to MoPac (C3) and US 183 to Bright Verde Way (C4).

Update: work to begin in mid-January at Burnet Road and Koenig Lane and continue north to approximately 500 feet south of US 183 (C2)

• Timeline: construction on C3 is expected to begin in summer 2026, and C4 in spring 2026
• Cost: $13.8 million (C2), $23 million (C3), $16 million (C4)
• Funding source: 2016 Mobility Bond

Project: decommissioning the storm drain pipe currently located on private property and installing a larger one underneath January Drive to allow for easier maintenance and flood risk; also includes restoring native plants along the banks of Walnut Creek to prevent erosion

Update: new storm drain pipe has been installed; remaining work includes video inspection of the new pipe, decommissioning some of the existing system, repaving, restoring native plants

• Timeline: completion expected in spring 2026
• Cost: $2.1 million
• Funding source: 2018 drainage bonds

Project: reducing the risk of flooding along Little Walnut Creek and diverting floodwaters from the creek to underground culverts, expanding a stormwater detention pond, replacing and upgrading water and wastewater lines, and adding a shared-use path

Update: Phase 4 completed in December, including completion of stormwater and wastewater infrastructure in the road and paving the project; contractor is working on cleanup and restoration of the park staging area and detention pond at Quail Creek Neighborhood Park

• Timeline: completion expected in spring
• Cost: $28.8 million
• Funding source: drainage charge, 2018 drainage bonds and Austin Water

Project: extends West Rundberg Lane from Burnet Road to Metric Boulevard with an expansion of the roadway from two lanes to four lanes with a raised median, an 8-foot shared-use path on both sides, and storm sewer, water and wastewater improvements

Update: project is currently in the design stage

• Timeline: completion expected in fall 2028
• Cost: $10 million
• Funding source: Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization funding and city of Austin bond

183 North Mobility Project northbound express lane

Project: the construction of two express lanes in each direction on US 183, a general-purpose lane to bring the number of non-tolled lanes to four in each direction, new shared use path connections, new sidewalks and cross-street connections for bicycles and pedestrians

Update: northbound express lanes opened Jan. 2; northbound connector from the MoPac express lane and US 183 express lane is slated to open next, followed by the southbound express lanes and southbound connectors in the coming months

• Timeline: total project completion expected in 2026
• Cost: $612 million
• Funding source: federal funding, sale of roll revenue bonds, Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act funds