Several road and pedestrian improvement projects are currently underway or recently completed in the Austin and Dripping Springs areas, affecting traffic patterns and enhancing safety and accessibility for drivers and pedestrians.

Ongoing

Slaughter Lane corridor multimodal improvements

Project: Slaughter Lane corridor improvements include about $74 million in projects to add sidewalks, bike lanes and traffic upgrades aimed at reducing delays and improving safety and transit access between FM 1826 and Bluff Springs Road.

Update: Daytime construction to install a new pedestrian hybrid beacon at Slaughter Lane and Briar Ridge Drive will cause intermittent single-lane closures from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, with traffic control in place and access to homes and businesses maintained. No closures will be placed along Briar Ridge Drive.Oak Hill Parkway


Project: The 7-mile stretch of highway has been undergoing a $677 million facelift since 2021. The Texas Department of Transportation is currently reconstructing Hwy. 290 in Oak Hill, transforming the existing four-lane, undivided roadway to a six-lane divided highway with new frontage roads and 14 miles of shared-use paths.

Update: Several road closures are expected over the next several months as TxDOT works to wrap up the Oak Hill Parkway improvements. The intersections of Monterey Oaks Boulevard, William Cannon Drive and Convict Hill Road will see reduced lanes and construction crews working on a new raised highway and connectors to MoPac.

Additionally, drivers in Oak Hill will begin using a new intersection alignment at Hwy. 290 and SH 71, replacing the old “Y” intersection. During this phase, the William Cannon Drive bypass bridge is closed as crews connect it to the new main lanes and flyovers. Eastbound drivers are being detoured to the Hwy. 290 frontage road; the bridge will reopen for westbound traffic once construction wraps up in 2026.
  • Timeline: intersection closures expected through late 2025; William Cannon bridge access closed until 2026
  • Cost: $677 million allocated for the entire project
  • Funding source: TxDOT Texas Clear Lanes
I-35 near Riverside

Project: TxDOT’s $4.5 billion I-35 Capital Express Central project, which broke ground in October 2024, will add two nontolled high-occupancy vehicle, or HOV, lanes stretching roughly eight miles from Hwy. 290 to the north down to Hwy. 71 to the south.


Update: Long-term closure of the southbound exit ramp for Woodland Avenue and Oltorf Street. Traffic is currently detoured along the frontage road.Completed

Oak Hill Parkway bridge work

Project: The 7-mile stretch of highway has been undergoing a $677 million facelift since 2021. TxDOT is currently reconstructing Hwy. 290 in Oak Hill, transforming the existing four-lane, undivided roadway to a six-lane divided highway with new frontage roads and 14 miles of shared-use paths.

Update: Crews have completed a concrete deck pour for one of the two future connector bridges linking eastbound SH 71 to eastbound Hwy. 290 as a part of improvements slated for the Y intersection connecting Austin to Dripping Springs.
  • Timeline: 2021-2025
  • Cost: $677 million allocated for the entire project
  • Funding source: TxDOT Texas Clear Lanes
Mercer Street sidewalk


Project: A part of the city’s plan to create a safe and walkable community, the city of Dripping Springs has partnered with TxDOT since 2016 to fund a series of sidewalk projects.

Update: The Mercer Street sidewalk opened for public use Sept. 15. The pathway stretches from North Rob Shelton Boulevard along Hwy. 290 through downtown Dripping Springs to Mercer Street and RR 12, and includes a raised crosswalk and two pedestrian beacons, with temporary barricades in place until handrails are installed next month.
  • Timeline: April 2025-September 2025
  • Cost: roughly $600,000
  • Funding source: city of Dripping Springs, TxDOT Transportation Alternatives Grant