MoPac lane closures underway; residents could hear drilling noises

Intermittent nighttime lane closures will continue on MoPac through the end of July to allow workers to drill into the soil surrounding the roadway to collect samples.

Residents who live near MoPac could hear noises from the work during the day as well as throughout the night, said Steve Pustelnyk, director of community relations for the MoPac Improvement Project at the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, which is overseeing the project.

Starting June 2, workers will also begin drilling at night, and residents could hear banging noises. That work is scheduled to go into July. Workers will close lanes on MoPac between 9 p.m.–5 a.m. when needed.

However, Pustelnyk said crews will not be in the same location for more than a couple of days at a time. He will be posting work schedules and maps each week to let residents know where crews are expected the following week.

"It might be a couple of days here and there," he said.

Pustelnyk said crews will be using a corkscrew-like drill to bore into the ground to a depth of about 5 feet to measure the soil, testing for parameters such as density. At some areas, such as at the bridge at MoPac and RM 2222, workers had to drill down 60 feet.

The MoPac Improvement Project will add one express toll lane in each direction on MoPac from Parmer Lane to Lady Bird Lake. Construction is slated to begin this fall and be completed in late 2015. Construction includes building 7 miles of sound walls as well as bicycle and pedestrian improvements. For more information, visit www.mopacexpress.com.