BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
Diving in deeper
Major takeaways
Project specs Once completed, the project will bring:
183 North is one of the primary roadways between Austin and northern cities such as Cedar Park, Leander and Liberty Hill, Sexton said, and is seen as a vital connection between the communities. The project isn’t just a toll road, he added, but an opportunity for “all di erent modes of trans- port” to be addressed and a way for businesses along the corridor to gain better visibility. “The beauty of this is it’s going to impact any type of user of the community,” Sexton said.
In August, construction crews hit one of the project’s biggest milestones yet: the completion of the two additional nontolled lanes, bringing the total number of lanes in each direction to four. Roadways that transition from three lanes to four lanes and then back to three are common throughout Austin, Sexton said. Current oncoming ramps on 183 North add a lane, but drivers lose it once the ramp exits, he said. “It creates a lot of congestion at those ramp points where people are trying to merge, so us being able to do that fourth lane early has allowed an improvement in travel time to that section of roadway—not even getting to the tolled section yet,” Sexton said. As crews work to complete the project throughout the rest of the year, travel alerts with lane closures and other information can be accessed at www.183north.com.
4,200 feet of shared-use paths connecting bike lanes 11 miles of Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks
9 minute toll lane commutes by 2035
16 minute faster nontolled lane evening commutes by 2035 24 minute faster nontolled lane morning commutes by 2035
SOURCE: CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Measuring the impact
Shelton said the 183 North team often attends HOA meetings and other local events so the community can discuss the project with o cials. “We like to join where we know people are already going to be because we know that they have those questions there as well,” Shelton said. Linda Strickland, Balcones Village/Spicewood HOA president, said that while neighborhood outreach e orts have been good, some residents are concerned about tra c increases on Ander- son Mill Road, which many BVS residents utilize. More drivers are cutting through Anderson Mill to avoid construction on 183 North and RM 620, she said. “Since this project is not really including any of the intersection there at [RM] 620, we have concerns that this will become a permanent situation,” Strickland said. “Anderson Mill Road is not built for that kind of tra c.”
The US 183 North team works with businesses along the corridor to keep them informed of upcoming construction. Business impact
Major milestones
Aug. 2013: project begins
1 US 183 outreach teams
o er businesses free “open for business” signage.
April 2016: environmental study with public input approved Feb. 2021: Great Hills Constructors selected as design-build contractor
2 Driveway construction usually lasts 4-6 weeks. 3 Businesses retain open access to driveways, but only a portion of driveway are blocked during construction.
Jan. 2022: project breaks ground
Aug. 2024: nontolled lanes open
SOURCE: 183 NORTH MOBILITY PROJECT OUTREACH TEAM COMMUNITY IMPACT
For businesses, 183 North o cials said crews have completed about 150 business driveways as of early 2025—about 70% of the task—and have about 64 sections of driveway work remaining.
2026: project complete
SOURCE: CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY COMMUNITY IMPACT
IT’S YOUR TIME Find Your Future with ACC austincc.edu
Jeremiah S.
21
NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION
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