Local · Trusted · Free
The Morning Impact — your neighborhood's most important stories, delivered every morning.
Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro.
$82M Hwy. 79 widening prepares for next step in Round Rock
A project to widen a section of Hwy. 79 in Round Rock could move forward soon, after years of planning.
Both an environmental study and a schematic design for the project are expected later this year, followed by clearance to begin land acquisition, utility relocations and early stages of construction, according to a Texas Department of Transportation update.
TxDOT began a virtual open house Sept. 1, which provided updates on the project. Community members have until Sept. 16 to weigh in on the project's plans.
Cedar Park to install 5 new stoplights
Cedar Park drivers can expect to see five new stoplights at intersections around the city after Cedar Park City Council approved a $1.7 million construction contract Aug. 27.
The traffic signals will be located at:
Brushy Creek Road and Wilson Ranch Place
Brushy Creek Road and Ranch Trails
New Hope Drive and Arrow Point Drive
Cottonwood Creek Trail and Medical Parkway
Cypress Creek Road and Cluck Creek Trail
Construction on all five signals is set to begin soon and will take about nine months, with completion expected in late spring to early summer 2027, Assistant Director of Public Works Stephen Hanuscin said.
Georgetown to reduce speed limit on Ronald Reagan Boulevard
Georgetown City Council gave preliminary approval Aug. 25 to adjust speed limits on Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Westinghouse Road, as well as in school zones on Hwy. 195 and Woodlake Drive.
On Ronald Reagan Boulevard between Somerset Hills Drive and Above and Beyond Way, city staff recommended reducing the speed limit from 65 mph to 55 mph.
For Westinghouse Road, city staff proposed extending the 45 mph speed limit through the end of the city limits. The limit previously ran from I-35 to FM 1460 and would extend further east to Glenn's Passage, if approved.
To codify the school zone near Grace Academy along Hwy. 195, set by the Texas Department of Transportation, Georgetown officials plan to adopt a 35 mph limit between Chi Chi Drive and Shell Road.
Lastly, city officials plan to relocate the school zone on Woodlake Drive due to driveway construction, according to city documents. The city is relocating the school zone further south and west, and moving the flashing sign to align with the new location.
Hays County secures over $39 million for railroad overpass at Centerpoint Road
Hays County was awarded over $39 million in federal funding to construct an overpass across the Union Pacific Railroad crossing on Centerpoint Road. The project will eliminate the conflict between trains and roadway traffic.
On Aug. 14, the Centerpoint Crossing Elimination and Safety Project secured the $39.23 million federal award through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program, according to a Hays County press release.
Project plans outline an overpass across the railroad with two lanes going in each direction, a widened roadway with a median and shoulders and shared-use paths on both sides, according to the release.
Planning continues for Hwy. 46 expansion project in New Braunfels
The Texas Department of Transportation, or TxDOT, is continuing to work on a $1.4 billion project geared toward improving traffic flows on Hwy. 46 in Comal and Guadalupe counties.
For Comal County, the project aims to construct elevated main lanes over the existing Hwy. 46 roadway and two direct connecting flyover ramps between Hwy. 46 and I-35.
In Guadalupe County, TxDOT officials are proposing to expand Hwy. 46 to a four-lane controlled-access highway with two-lane, one-way frontage roads.
Southwest Airlines to open lounge at Austin airport
Southwest Airlines will open a lounge at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, set to welcome guests in late 2027.
Lounges, including the one in Austin, are already under construction, according to a Southwest Airlines news release. The company also plans to build seven more lounges at different airports but did not specify the locations in the release.
