Mayor: New MoPac/290 flyover will help traffic congestion

It is part of a series of changes along the Ben White Boulevard corridor, Leffingwell said, citing planned improvements at the intersection of Ben White Boulevard and the Y at Oak Hill, which will begin next fall.

"This is another very important step in our continuing efforts to provide congestion relief to Austinites who have suffered for a very long time," Leffingwell said.

Greg Malatek, TxDOT Austin district engineer, said work on the newly opened flyover started in October 2010 and was expected to take two years.

"As of 4:30 this morning, our contractor, Anderson Columbia, was able to get this direct connect ramp open," he said. "We estimate about 29,000 vehicles a day will be using this ramp."

The City of Austin financed $13 million for the project, and TxDOT is expected to pay back 80 percent of the estimated $9 million construction cost during the next 10–15 years, according to the Austin Transportation Department.

The flyovers aim to help eliminate travel through traffic signals to reduce congestion, fuel use and air pollution.