AUSTIN, Texas – People may want to pay extra attention while driving around the UT Austin area during the next few weeks as there will be some changes on the roads.
- Buses will drive north on Guadalupe
- Construction begins in the fall
- Aimed to ease traffic congestion
Traffic flow on both Guadalupe Street and Lavaca Street, south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, is about to be modified. Capital Metro will start constructing its contraflow lane, where buses will be driving north on parts of Guadalupe Street.
CapMetro buses going through Lavaca Street will continue north on their route until 18th Street, where they turn left. Then, they head north on Guadalupe Street to get to The Drag.
While the contraflow lane only extends between 18th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, it could still be jarring for people driving south with a bus facing towards them.
CapMetro planner Caitlin Dalton said to help ease drivers in, they will install new signals and signage on the affected routes to make sure traffic flows safely.
She added that while the contraflow is a new idea, it could help traffic congestion.
"We have 14 bus routes that travel north on Lavaca and take this left on MLK, thousands of customers. So we're looking at saving time for customers and making sure they get to their destinations reliably and conveniently while also making improvements for other road users,” said Dalton.
Construction begins this month. Then, CapMetro will conduct some tests on the new lane. The contraflow is expected to be in full operation by September.