The Austin Transportation Department has provided an update on the Spicewood Springs Regional Mobility Project. The project has achieved a 60% design milestone on this planned schedule:
To see the more detailed announcement, as well as diagrams of the planned roadway, go to this web page
To put this announcement in context, there are three major highway projects being planned for our area:
1.183 North Mobility Project which add two toll lanes in each direction and a fourth general purpose lane to bring the total up to 16 lanes (including access roads). Construction on this project is expected to start in early 2021. No expected completion date has been announced but, judging from similar projects, it is likely to take to 2024 or 2025.
2. Widening of Spicewood Springs Road between Loop 360 and 0.2 miles west of Mesa Drive. This being funded by the 2016 Mobility Bond. Construction is expected to start in early 2022 and should last through 2024.
3. Adding an overpass to the intersection of Spicewood Springs Road and Loop 360. Originally, construction on this project was scheduled for 2023; the discovery of the need for telecommunication utility relocation pushed the date out to 2025; however, funding for this project was transferred to support the IH35 reconstruction effort so, at the present moment the project is unfunded. The project is still on the CAMPO approved list so it will proceed as soon as funding is available.
The overall picture is that we are likely to see heavy construction in our area between 2021 and 2024 or 2025 followed by an unknown period before construction resumes for another two to three years.
Also, all three of these projects are intended to prevent future increases in congestion, not to reduce congestion below current levels.