Transportation
BY HALEY MCLEOD
Capital Metro halts electric bus plans An underestimation of the logistics in implementing an all-electric bus route has led Capital Metro officials to halt converting the entire fleet to battery-electric buses. In 2021, CapMetro officials approved a $255 million purchase of 197 electric buses. However, the change in plans is a result of shipping delays and infrastructure issues. The largest producer of electric buses, Proterra, went bankrupt, so supply chain problems have led to long wait times to receive a bus. Additionally, there is not enough opera- tional charging station infrastructure and the time it takes to charge puts a bus out of commission. Officials are evaluating alternatives, like hybrids of electric batteries and diesel or hydrogen fuel systems.
Changes coming soon to Hwy. 290, Circle Drive Traffic is one step closer to flowing a little smoother along Hwy. 290 with a new cross-street bridge over the highway at Circle Drive and South View Road open to vehicles as of Aug. 18. What you need to know The new bridge has redefined the traffic pattern for the small area. The temporary traffic signal will remain at Thunderbird Road, allowing drivers access to Cir- cle Drive, and a new traffic light has been installed at Circle Drive and Mowinkle Drive to provide access to South View Road using the new bridge. The westbound frontage road is now closed. The setup The bridge and traffic lane changes are part of a larger project to expand the congested highway up to three lanes nonstop in both directions, with
New bridge
New traffic light
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planned frontage roads. The $674 million project is an effort by the Texas Department of Transportation to increase long-term mobility near the Hwy. 290 and Hwy. 71 intersection. Upgrades along the stretch from Circle Drive to MoPac, called the Oak Hill Parkway project, broke ground in 2021. The full build-out includes adding 27 bridges, constructing miles of shared-use paths and widening Hwy. 290 up to 12 lanes.
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