TxDOT breaks ground on I-35 southbound lane improvements in Round Rock

The Texas Department of Transportation broke ground March 9 on a project to improve southbound congestion on I-35 from Hwy. 79 to SH 45.

Joined by county and city officials, TxDOT representatives announced the start of a project to construct and extended entrance and exit lane between Hwy. 79 and SH 45 to improve merging conflicts and congestion in the area. TxDOT Austin District Engineer Tucker Ferguson said this stretch of road is the 34th most congested portion of roadway in the state.

Also in attendance was Terry Cook, Williamson County Precinct 1 commissioner; Frank Ortega, Round Rock City Council member for Place 4; and Ashby Johnson, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization executive director. Ortega spoke to the current conditions of congestion, stating traffic can often be a hindrance in his work as a real estate agent.

In a release from TxDOT, Cook stated the road improvement would be "critical" for local growth, as Williamson County remains one of the fastest growing areas in the country.

"This project is on a long list of improvements built out of a great working partnership between the county and TxDOT," Cook said.

The project is expected to be complete in early 2023, weather permitting, according to TxDOT. It was contracted out to JD Abrams L.P. for $8.4 million as part of the Texas Clear Lanes project that seeks to address and resolve traffic congestion at pain points across the state.