Photo by Rendering courtesy Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and its partners want to install an express lane in each direction to ease traffic congestion on MoPac.

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is scheduled to select the design-build firm for the MoPac Improvement Project during its Feb. 27 meeting, with construction expected to start in mid-2013.

"We anticipate bringing before the board at next month's meeting our best value proposer," HNTB Vice President Heather Reavey said during the Mobility Authority's Jan. 30 board meeting. "We will have a public hearing for the public to review and comment on the contract, and after that process finalize and submit it to TxDOT and [the Federal Highway Administration] for approval."

HNTB is a general engineering consultant for the Mobility Authority.

The project will add an express toll lane in each direction on MoPac from Parmer Lane to Lady Bird Lake. It will cost about $200 million and is expected to be complete in 2015. Depending on time of day and heaviness of traffic, the toll will range from 25 cents to $4 and up.

Reavey said that before construction begins, the Mobility Authority will undertake a public awareness campaign to inform drivers of what they can expect in terms of lane closures and activity.

"We're really not going to see major initiatives out there until late summer or early fall," she said. "Once construction does start, there are going to be disruptions. A significant amount of work will be taking place during the day as well as at nighttime."

The design-build firm, made up of design and construction professionals, will be restricted from closing lanes from 5 a.m.–9 p.m. on weekdays, on Friday nights, Saturdays, and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on Sundays, as well as during major city and University of Texas events and holidays.

The Mobility Authority also received its first quarterly disbursement payment for $16.5 million from the Texas Department of Transportation to cover the cost of design, construction and oversight of the project.

MoPac South project

Wes Buford, director of engineering for the Mobility Authority, said the organization has also received Rider 42 funding for the MoPac South project that aims to improve mobility between Lady Bird Lake and Slaughter Lane. Rider 42 funds are state funds from Proposition 12 set aside to alleviate the most congested roadways.

The Mobility Authority has hired Jacobs, a preliminary engineering and environmental services consulting firm, that is reviewing the scope of the project to establish the consultant's fee. Buford said the process will be similar to the MoPac Improvement Project and expects the environmental study process to start in March and wrap up in 2015.

"We'll procure the final design consultant before the environmental study is completed so we can hit the ground running," he said.

The final design process will take a year to complete, and Buford said the project will be ready for construction to begin by the end of 2016. Possible improvements include adding a lane or lanes in each direction and putting in bike and/or pedestrian facilities.

"We do anticipate a very complex project with lots of environmental concerns on the south end, recharge features, endangered species, all kinds of good things south of the river. The adventure begins here pretty quick."

US 183 environmental study

Just on the heels of the MoPac South project is the environmental study for US 183 from MoPac to RM 620 that will look at adding a lane or lanes in the grassy median. Buford said the Mobility Authority is receiving proposals for the study. He said the project is still in the very early stages, but he does not anticipate it to be as controversial as the MoPac South project.

"There are simply not as many environmental features on the north end of 183 up to 183A," he said. "We likely will be in the existing 183 corridor, an area that's already been heavily, heavily disturbed."