AUSTIN, Texas – When will the construction on MoPac in Southwest Austin be completed?
To put it bluntly: never. That wasn’t nice, I know. But it sure feels like it’s never ending for people who live or commute in the Circle C area. In April I got an e-mail from a resident there who said TxDOT closed La Crosse at MoPac and that it’s expected to be closed until late August as they construct a bridge over MoPac like they recently did with Slaughter. That’s having an especially big impact on Southbound MoPac in that area as it squeezes down to one lane. Adding to some of the chaos: the only way for people to cross MoPac from one side of La Crosse to the other is to use turnarounds at Slaughter and at South Bay.
Here’s some background for you from TxDOT: The section of MoPac from Slaughter Lane to La Crosse Avenue was constructed in 1992. I don’t even need to tell you that Austin’s done a lot of growing since then. Over the past 25 years congestion at these intersections has increased significantly. During peak morning and evening travel times, commuters often wait through several rounds of traffic signal cycles to make left turns.
Because 50,000 vehicles travel along this segment of MoPac each day, officials say this project will:
- Enhance safety (cars, pedestrians, bicyclists)
- Decrease wait times at the intersections
- Decrease overall travel time
- Improve left-turns
If you’ve been following along, the construction there began in early 2018. Pending weather, it’s expected to be complete in early 2021.
Here’s more information and maps on what you can expect in the area and the different phases of the construction project.
Viewer question:
Terri Maverick asked “What is happening on 8th street that warrants taking it down to 1 lane? How long until it is finished?”
After talking to 3 people, a 4th person knows! Here’s what I got:
The lane closure is related to the installation of utilities for a new site plan. This should last until July 31st. Let us know if you have any further questions.
Thanks, Terri! And keep asking your questions! I’ll do my best to get you answers.