The Texas Department of Transportation is scheduled to open new a lane Sept. 25 to relieve traffic congestion at the intersection of I-35 and Parmer Lane.

Drivers can use the new lane to bypass the traffic signal at Parmer Lane by driving underneath the intersection to access businesses on the northeast quadrant of the area near the Tech Ridge Center, TxDOT spokeswoman Kelli Reyna said. The lane, dubbed a collector-distributor lane, runs parallel to the main travel lanes of a highway, frontage road or entrance ramp.

"Our main goal with this project was to help get people through that intersection," Reyna said. "Now with this collector-distributor lane, it's going to remove that choke point for all of the traffic that is merging. It's going to help the traffic to flow much better through that area."

The opening of the lane also marks the permanent closing of the Howard Lane exit from I-35 northbound. The collector-distributor lane serves as the Howard Lane exit, allowing drivers to bypass the traffic signal at Parmer, Reyna said.

The lane is part of a larger effort to aid traffic congestion near Parmer and the I-35 main travel lanes, and other construction projects are still underway. TxDOT is also widening the frontage road north of Parmer Lane and improving ramps between Howard and Parmer lanes. Reyna said these projects are estimated to be complete in November and cost $2.14 million, including the building of the collector-distributor lane.

"We still ask people to be patient with us as we continue the construction work. We know once all of the components are working together, it's going to be a great mobility enhancement for North Austin," Reyna said.