Northwest Austin Edition | July 2022

TRANSPORTATION UPDATES

McKalla Station groundbreaking draws crowd

ONGOING PROJECTS

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BY JENNIFER SCHAEFER

Loop 360 at Westlake Dr./Cedar St. Crews are setting up the work zone. The project consists of improvements to the intersections at Westlake Drive and Cedar Street and includes the removal of trac signals on Loop 360 main lanes and adding an underpass at both intersections. Timeline: spring 2020 to mid-2025 Cost: $72.1 million Funding sources : Texas Department of Transportation, city of Austin’s 2016 mobility bond

State and local community leaders pounded symbolic railroad tracks with mallets as part of the $24 million McKalla Station groundbreaking ceremony July 18. About 300 people gathered on the east side of Q2 Stadium as the band 80Hproject warmed up the crowd. Later, Austin FC’s supporter section band led chants of “Cinco! Uno! Dos!” and sang “McKalla Oh La La” to the tune of Camilla Cabello’s “Havana.” Dottie Watkins, Capital Metro interim president and CEO, said the station at McKalla Place is one of the most anticipated stations the transportation authority has had. “This will be the most fan-friendly rail station in the MLS,” she said.

McKalla Station along Capital Metro’s Red Line is just east of Q2 Stadium and is expected to be completed by late 2023. (Rendering courtesy Capital Metro)

Watkins said event transportation is a great introduction to public transportation for many. State Rep. Sheryl Cole, DAustin, said she is looking forward to all of the progress Project Connect has in store. “Transit is a powerful equity tool,” she said, adding the station will oer more reliable transit to employment and recreation. The new station is on the east side of Q2 Stadium o Delta Drive. It will include two

passenger platforms and a special event platform along with a shared- use pedestrian and bike path. Other amenities include canopies, bike racks and a ticket vending machine. The station will improve connec- tivity to the North Burnet Road area, Braker Lane and Metric Boulevard along with “direct, convenient, and safe public transportation to events at Q2 stadium,” according to a release from Capital Metro. Completion is set for late 2023.

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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF JULY 19. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT NWANEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. 183 North Mobility Project Pavement grinding, where part of the roadway is removed to level and smooth the roadway surface, is expected to continue through August. Concurrently, crews are working on bridge foundations and the installa- tion of LED high-mast lighting, which will improve visibility in the corridor. Timeline: January 2022-26 Cost: $612 million Funding sources : TxDOT, Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority

Diverging diamond opens at I35/Parmer

BY SUMAIYA MALIK

shifting trac to the left side of the road, allowing through trac and left-turning trac to proceed through the exchange simultaneously. This eliminates the need for left-turn signals. The $33 million diverging diamond interchange is part of the Texas Clear Lanes project and is expected to alleviate trac conditions that create a bottleneck at the I-35/Parmer Lane intersection.

The Texas Department of Trans- portation marked the opening of a diverging diamond interchange at 12415 N. I-35, Austin, with a rib- bon-cutting ceremony June 22. A diverging diamond interchange creates a diamond-shaped pattern and addresses congestion by allowing vehicles to travel more quickly through intersections. It increases trac ow by temporarily

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SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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