(Credit: Texas Department of Transportation)
The Texas Department of Transportation was joined by state and local officials including Williamson County Commissioner Terry Cook, CAMPO Board Chairman Will Conley, and Round Rock Mayor Craig Morgan on Wednesday to cut the ribbon for the new braided ramps that opened this morning on I-35 in Round Rock. The new ramps were constructed as part of the I-35 from US 79 to SH 45 North project. This is a major milestone for the project, expected to be complete in spring 2019.
The new braided ramps (where one ramp crosses over the other) eliminate weaving on the I-35 mainlanes and increase the merging distance for the SH 45 North northbound flyover to I-35, where traffic backs up during peak travel hours. Drivers exiting I-35 using the RM 620/Round Rock Avenue exit ramp will no longer merge with traffic entering I-35 from the Hesters Crossing entrance ramp. Instead, entering and exiting traffic each has its own dedicated ramp. These improvements enhance safety and increase mobility and travel speeds.
“Nearly 177,000 vehicles travel on this segment of I-35 every day,” said TxDOT Austin District Engineer Terry McCoy, P.E. “This project is vital to helping us transform I-35 into a safer, more efficient highway.”
The braided ramps are just part of the project. The north and southbound intersections of US 79 and the I-35 frontage roads were reconstructed to add a third left-turn lane for westbound US 79. Bicycle and pedestrian improvements are also being included with the project.
The $28.1 million project was funded by TxDOT and the Capital Area Metropolitan Organization. Work continues on the project, which began in July of 2016. The contractor is Capital Excavation Company.
This is the fourth ribbon cutting for the Mobility35 Program. In 2011, TxDOT developed the program to improve safety and mobility along I-35 through Williamson, Travis, and Hays counties.
