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Highway Projects Continue for the Foreseeable Future in the Austin Area
Photo courtesy of Jason – Adobe Stock
With the recent completion of the 183 Toll Road Phase III and three major road projects anticipated to wrap up by the end of 2026 (Loop 360 at Westlake Drive/Cedar Street, Oak Hill Parkway and US 183 North), it’s no secret that construction has consumed the greater Austin area.
Austin roadwork isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon as several more construction projects will ramp up, dominating roadways over the next five years. Not all of them may require condemnation or eminent domain, but drivers should still stay informed.
- SH 71 East at Tucker Hill Lane – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is building an overpass and frontage roads along SH 71 to connect traffic at Tucker Hill Lane in Bastrop County. Construction on the 24.5 acres began in late 2025 and is expected for completion in July 2028. According to KXAN, no displacements were required.
- I-35 Capital Express South – Work from SH 71 to SH 45 Southeast will add two high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes in each direction and a southbound bypass lane. Construction is slated to end in late 2028.
- Loop 360 at Courtyard Drive/RM 2222 – TxDOT’s rework of Loop 360 will kick off in early 2026, creating an underpass at Courtyard Drive and converting the Loop 360 and RM 2222 intersection into a diverging diamond. No takings were required.
- I-35 Capital Express North – From SH 45 North to US 290 East, TxDOT will add one HOV lane in each direction, reconstruct six bridges, add intersection bypass lanes and convert the intersection at Wells Branch Parkway to a diverging diamond interchange. All work should be completed by 2029.
Within the decade, additional work will commence along Loop 360 and the downtown Austin portion of the I-35 expansion, arguably the most complex section of the Capital Express project.
- Loop 360 at Lakewood Drive/Spicewood Springs Road – This project will remove traffic signals from three intersections and build overpasses along Loop 360. Construction will begin in 2029 and end in 2032.
- I-35 Capital Express Central – TxDOT will add two HOV lanes in each direction while removing the upper decks from US 290 East to SH 71 in central Austin. This project won’t be completed until 2033, so drivers may experience significant congestion and delays until then.
Several other large-scale projects are anticipated further down the line, but detailed timelines are still to be determined.
- SH 71 at Pope Bend – This project will build an overpass along SH 71 in Bastrop County at Pope Bend along with new one-way frontage roads. Construction will begin in 2026; the completion date is unknown at this time. No displacements are anticipated, but approximately two acres will be taken from McKinney Roughs Nature Park, according to TxDOT.
- SH 71 East at FM 1209 – Another SH 71 initiative, this reconstruction will build new frontage roads and an overpass over FM Road 1209. Work won’t begin until 2030.
- 290 Toll Road Extension – While in the early phases, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) could add approximately 15 miles to the 290 Toll Road between SH 130 and SH 95 South. The environmental study began in 2025 and will last three years – those findings will determine next steps.
If you have questions about the potential impacts of these projects and need to consult a lawyer, please contact an attorney at Barron, Adler, Clough & Oddo, PLLC.
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