Historic 'Taco Bell tree' to be relocated in mid-February

The Texas Department of Transportation is working on intersection improvements along the West Hwy. 290 corridor.

Left- and center-turn lanes are being added to the FM 1826 and Convict Hill Road intersections.

"Workers are making way to widen the roadway," TxDOT spokeswoman Kelli Reyna said. "They have cleared the area and have moved the utilities and water lines. Eventually they are going to add new pavement and restripe the lanes."

Work began in May 2013, costs roughly $4.6 million and is expected to be completed in July.

The department is also adding continuous-flow intersections at the William Cannon Drive and Hwy. 71 junctions. At CFIs, lanes are moved to allow a driver to turn left while a driver on the opposite side of the intersection can drive straight ahead.

The CFI projects cost $6.5 million and are expected to be completed in spring 2016.

TxDOT needs to widen the roadway in order to build the CFI at William Cannon.

Oak Hill residents said the project would endanger the so-called "Taco Bell tree," a historic live oak on-site.

The Austin Heritage Tree Foundation received a city of Austin grant for some of the costs of relocation.

The foundation plans to move the tree across Hwy. 290 to Beckett Grove in mid-February, Executive Director Michael Fossum said. The group has enough funds for the move but is still raising money for related costs.

The intersection improvements are seen as a short-term solution to the area's traffic problems.

Transportation groups, the City of Austin and Travis County are working on Oak Hill Parkway, an environmental study to address long-term issues.

According to TxDOT, the environmental study began in October 2012 and may take three to five years to finish. In 2013, TxDOT and the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority hosted several public meetings.