Austin Transportation, Capital Metro and the Corridor Program Office are collaborating to improve one of the highest-volume passenger corridors in the Capital Metro system.
Construction began today on transit improvements to Guadalupe Street and Lavaca Street. This involves a full, 24-hour lane closure on Guadalupe Street between 18th Street and 100 feet north of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, which went into place on Saturday. The closure will remain in place during the initial construction phase, which will last at least four weeks. One southbound lane remains open in this section. Road users should expect delays during this period.
Improvements will include:
- a new full traffic signal at Lavaca Street and 18th Street, including a bus-only signal phase
- a transit signal at Guadalupe Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
- striping changes on Guadalupe Street, 18th Street and Lavaca Street
- a new northbound contraflow bus lane on Guadalupe Street between 18th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
- upgrades to the existing bicycle infrastructure on these streets and a new shared use bicycle and pedestrian path on the east side of Guadalupe Street between 18th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Construction is anticipated to take 4-5 months. It is anticipated that, following these changes, each bus traveling through the corridor will move approximately 18{870dce3150dcce8b7f57e497f1835ac6446de711f3b298b842add65a7b4249b0} faster, with 65 seconds saved during peak evening travel periods. At the same time, general purpose traffic travel times are anticipated to remain the same.
Throughout construction, access to all properties adjacent to the project will be maintained. Intermittent lane closures will also be needed during off-peak hours on:
- Lavaca Street between 15th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and
- 18th Street between Lavaca Street and Guadalupe Street.
These improvements are funded by the 2016 Mobility Bond and are included in the Corridor Program Office’s City Council-approved Corridor Construction Program. They are being expedited and constructed this year as a “first out” project by Austin Transportation.
