A closer look at Austin's U.S. 183 road project
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A stretch of U.S. 183 is being revamped. Image courtesy of CTRMA
As part of our occasional series on planned and ongoing road projects around Austin, we're looking at a stretch of U.S. 183, an increasingly in-demand road in northwest Austin.
- Previously, we've written about the future of I-35 and examined the Oak Hill highway project in southwest Austin.
The big picture: Through what it calls the 183 North Mobility Project, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is building as many as six new lanes — four of them tolled — along a 9-mile stretch of U.S. 183 between State Highway 45 North and MoPac.
- It's part of a wider expansion of the highway all the way up to Liberty Hill.
The aim: Reduce congestion in a booming area.
- The stretch is the state's 69th most congested roadway, per the project website, and rush-hour traffic speeds will be reduced to 10 mph by 2035 without the project.
Of note: A new non-tolled lane is being added only where three exist currently.
The cost: $612 million, per CTRMA, paid for with a combination of federal and state money, and the sale of toll revenue bonds.
- Construction began last year.
What they're saying: "Austin needs these upgrades," Adnan Cokadar, who runs a remodeling business along U.S. 183 by Anderson Mill Road, told KXAN last year. "I think after this doubling the capacity from three lanes to six lanes basically each way, that's nice, but after a decade it won't be enough again."
By the numbers: "Drivers using the general-purpose lanes can expect their morning commute to be 24 minutes faster and afternoon commutes to be 16 minutes faster than their commutes would be if no improvements are constructed," per materials on the project.
The projected end date: 2026.