Travis County commissioners voted to approve a funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation, allowing a Manchaca Road improvement project to move forward. The commissioners made the decision by consent motion at an April 30 meeting. The project, which addresses the south end of Manchaca Road from Ravenscroft Drive to FM 1626, will add a second lane in each direction and create a center turn lane as well as add pedestrian sidewalks and bike accommodations to the area. Proposed improvements will help mitigate expected increases in traffic from future development and traffic demands. The total cost of the project is just under $11 million, per the funding agreement. The maximum federal funding available for this project is $7.6 million. Travis County is required to provide $1.9 million and to cover any remaining costs, which amount to around $1.5 million. In 2018, the county requested funding from TxDOT, which agreed to match funding for this project. This agreement formalizes the match and allows the project to proceed. At an open house hosted by TxDOT last June, official stated that bidding for the project is expected to occur this summer. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall and could be completed by summer 2021. This improvement project is separate from the corridor-wide project that is being designed by the city of Austin to address traffic and pedestrian concerns along all of Manchaca Road.