Construction revs up on South Lamar ahead of corridor upgrade
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Commuters and residents in south Austin will notice a bit more congestion along a key corridor.
The City of Austin’s Capital Delivery Services team said gas relocation work began April 9 along South Lamar Boulevard, from Kinney Avenue to West Mary Street. The construction work is part of an ongoing corridor program, the South Lamar Boulevard project.
Construction is underway along South Lamar Boulevard, from Kinney Avenue to W. Mary Street. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala) Construction is underway along South Lamar Boulevard, from Kinney Avenue to W. Mary Street. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)
Work along the highlighted route is set to run through mid-May, based on its current schedule. Irregular lane closures are anticipated at the intersection of South Lamar Boulevard and West Oltorf Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. A specific pathway for pedestrians and cyclists is available during the latest construction phase.
The South Lamar Corridor Program extends from Barton Springs Road to Ben White Boulevard. A Capital Delivery Services spokesperson said the program is in the final design stages, with construction expected to begin next spring.
It’s also a program that’s been years in the making. Austin voters approved the 2016 mobility bond, which included $482 million to evaluate, design and construct corridor improvement-related projects citywide. Of that total funding pool, $44 million was earmarked for the design and construction of the South Lamar Boulevard corridor project.
With the continuous growth along the corridor, the project is designed to enhance safety, mobility and accessibility within the project’s boundary.
“The South Lamar Corridor Transportation Improvement Program was created to improve safety and accessibility along the corridor, while also improving mobility for everyone — people who walk, people who bike, those that use transit and those that drive,” an April 2016 program report read. “The program aimed to identify future transportation needs of the corridor and enhancements that could help to create a multimodal transportation system supportive of mixed-use, pedestrian and bicycle friendly development patterns.”
Some of the corridor elements flagged in city documents include:
New, upgraded traffic signals at multiple intersections
New and improved pedestrian hybrid beacons
ADA-compliant shared-use paths for pedestrians and cyclists on both sides of the roadway
Drainage improvements
Raised medians to minimize crashes, improve safety conditions
More details are available online.
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