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Check out six upcoming, ongoing or completed transportation projects around the Austin metro, from work along I-35 to Bastrop, Hays and Williamson County projects.
Upcoming projects
Austin Avenue pedestrian bridges
Project: Two pedestrian and bicycle bridges will be constructed crossing the San Gabriel River in Georgetown, adjacent to the existing Austin Avenue bridges.
Update: A redesign for the project was approved at a Dec. 9 council work session due to cost increases associated with the original design.
Project: The project will upgrade FM 812 from US 183 in Travis County to Hwy. 21 in Bastrop County to improve safety and mobility and reduce congestion.
Update: According to Texas Department of Transportation, design plans are expected to be finalized in the spring.
Ongoing projects
I-35 Capital Express Central project
Project: TxDOT's multibillion I-35 overhaul, which broke ground last October, will add two nontolled HOV lanes along the roughly 8-mile stretch from Hwy. 290 to Hwy. 71. The project also includes removing upper decks, sinking sections of the roadway about 25 feet, and widening the corridor to 17-22 lanes.
Update: According to TxDOT, entrance and exit ramps, along with several frontage roads, remain closed. The northbound I-35 frontage road between 11th Street and 12th Street has its right lane closed through early 2026. The northbound I-35 Cesar Chavez entrance ramp will also remain closed through early 2026, and drivers on the northbound frontage road will instead use the entrance ramp between Eighth and 11th streets. In addition, the east side Levander Loop pedestrian trail—from just north of the Montopolis Bridge to just south of East Cesar Chavez Street—will be closed through 2028. The southbound I-35 frontage road at River Street will be closed through mid-2028, with drivers detouring to East Avenue and River Street to reach the southbound frontage road. Eastbound and westbound River Street will also be reduced to one lane in each direction at I-35.
Project: Plans for the stretch of highway include adding two high-occupancy-vehicle, or HOV, lanes in each direction between Hwy. 71 and SH 45 Southeast. The project will also include a southbound I-35 bypass lane that will allow traffic to bypass Stassney Lane and William Cannon Drive.
Update: According to a December update from TxDOT, crews have completed 61 of the needed 98 columns to support the planned elevated managed lanes. Additionally, the northbound Boggy Creek frontage road bridge was reopened to two-lane traffic, a new Onion Creek bridge was completed including the installation of new bat houses for the local bat population.
Project: Lehman Road will be extended into a four-lane roadway from Bunton Creek Road to Dacy Lane, and Kyle Parkway will connect with the new segment.
Update: Per the city of Kyle, the project is at 95% design phase.
Completed projects
Project: The city of Austin completed several street lighting projects designed to enhance nighttime traffic safety, including new or upgraded lighting at 13 major intersections with a high number of crashes.
Update: Per the city of Austin, all lighting projects are complete, marking the conclusion of Vision Zero’s 2018 Bond program, including at the intersections of Escarpment Boulevard and William Cannon Drive and Brodie Lane and William Cannon Drive.