Revised Construction Timeline for
MoPac Improvement Project
 

If you’re a commuter on MoPac, you’ve probably noticed a lot of construction progress on the new Express Lanes between Cesar Chavez Street and Parmer Lane. Long-awaited sound walls are going up along the southern end of the project. Crews have been widening bridges, and the southbound lanes approaching downtown have been reconfigured to allow room to construct an underpass for a downtown connection. On the north end of the project, the final piece of a 525-foot-long bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad track south of Duval Road has been installed and a significant amount of asphalt paving for the new express lanes has been completed. This fall, the northbound lanes of MoPac will be rerouted to begin construction of the underpass lane from downtown.
 
While the project is more than 70 percent complete, the MoPac contractor, CH2M Hill, has advised the Mobility Authority that they have encountered some difficulties that will likely lead to the express lanes being opened in phases during 2016.  The contractor says they encountered difficulty in boring the underground drainage tunnels for the Express Lane underpasses. They have also reported issues with underground utilities, problems finding enough workers, and challenges related to previous months’ wet weather.
 
We are working closely with the contractor to help expedite construction and get the new lanes open as soon as possible. For the latest project update, visit www.mopacexpress.com
 
 

MoPac South Environmental Study: 
Promoting Sustainability, Improving Mobility
 

The community spoke, and we’re listening. In response to public feedback, the Mobility Authority has extending the MoPac South Environmental Study to evaluate alternative concepts for expanding capacity on MoPac south of Cesar Chavez Street. The Project Team is developing the schematics and analyses to present to the public at our fall Open House. If you can’t attend but want to get involved, you can join our Virtual Open House, which will feature the same information online.
 
Our aim is to reduce congestion on south MoPac between Cesar Chavez Street and Slaughter Lane, while also protecting the urban jewels that represent why we are so proud to call Austin home. Rest assured that any final design will incorporate extensive measures to safeguard treasured oases like Zilker Park and Lady Bird Lake.
 
As the planning and design process advances, so does the need for collaboration and public engagement. We are working with local transportation partners to gather traffic data for Austin's downtown street grid to help evaluate alternative design options. We continue our community outreach efforts, as well as ongoing meetings with City of Austin staff and other stakeholders. As always, your input is encouraged.
 
More than 300 people have shared their experiences and ideas relating to proposed improvements on the south MoPac corridor. We greatly appreciate all your ideas to make this project the best it can be and are working diligently to evaluate those ideas and address questions and concerns. All comments and responses will be published as part of the Open House Comment and Response Summary in the coming months.

To learn more about the project, visit www.mopacsouth.com
 

45SW Design Refinements
 

During final design, the Mobility Authority identified design changes that would benefit the project through reduced environmental impacts, improved operations, and/or increased safety. They include:
 
• Interchange reconfiguration at 45SW and MoPac
• Geometric revisions at 45SW and FM 1626
• Roadway footprint reduction from Bliss Spillar Road to Bear Creek
• Roadway footprint reduction from Bear Creek to MoPac
•Conversion of a bottomless culvert to a bridge, and rerouting roadway runoff which removes the need for Water Quality Pond #7
• Elimination of vertical sag (dip) in the roadway which removes the need for Water Quality Pond #8
• Shoulder reduction on Bliss Spillar Road
 
TxDOT’s Environmental Affairs Division will review final documentation assessing the refinements to determine if they can move forward, and the Mobility Authority anticipates a construction start date of Spring 2016 with construction slated to take two to three years.

To learn more about the project, visit www.sh45sw.com