Ground Broken On $24.6M Road Project In Austin

AUSTIN, TX — Texas Department of Transportation officials on Wednesday broke ground on road enhancements work featuring a diverging diamond intersection, a traffic-calming device that shifts traffic to ease the flow of traffic.

The ceremony for the so-called I-35 at Parmer Lane project valued at $24.6 million was attended by Texas Transportation Commission Chairman J. Bruce Bugg Jr.; state Sen. Kirk Watson's office representatives; State Rep. Celia Israel; and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) Executive Director Ashby Johnson.

“The I-35 at Parmer Lane project is part of the Texas Clear Lanes relief initiative, which is designed to remedy congestion at some of our biggest choke points around the state,” Bugg said. “These improvements are anticipated to reduce delays on the north and southbound I-35 frontage roads at Parmer Lane by more than 80 percent.”

Bugg addresses crowd at groundbreaking.

A diverging diamond intersection (DDI) temporarily shifts traffic to the left side of the road, allowing through-traffic and left-turning traffic to proceed through the intersection simultaneously — thus eliminating the need for left-turn arrows. This type of intersection has proven to decrease the number and severity of crashes by reducing the number of potential conflict points between cross-traffic and left-turn movements, transportation officials said.

Related story: Officials Launching $24.6M North Austin Road Work

“This project is located in the heart of my district, and I want to thank Chairman Bugg and TxDOT for prioritizing these improvements at Parmer Lane,” Israel said. “This will improve commute times while increasing safety and I’m pleased to see construction begin.”

The other DDIs in the area include one at the intersection of Slaughter Lane and MoPac opened last year and a second at the intersection of Interstate 35 and RM 1431/University Boulevard in Round Rock opened in 2016 — the first of its kind in Central Texas.

In addition to constructing the DDI, the I-35 at Parmer Lane project adds a southbound intersection bypass lane, reconstructs the northbound bypass lane along with entrance and exit ramps, and enhances bicycle and pedestrian paths. The project also includes additional turn lanes at the intersection of Parmer Lane and North Lamar Boulevard.

Dirt flies at I-35 at Parmer Lane Project.

“I-35 serves as the backbone of our local, regional and national transportation network,” TxDOT Austin District Engineer Tucker Ferguson said. “As our population continues to grow, highway congestion is only going to get worse. Innovative intersection designs, like the DDI being constructed at Parmer Lane, provide significant travel time benefits with limited construction interruption at a relatively low cost.”

The project is also funded by CAMPO, as its director, Ashby Johnson noted: “The community tells us regularly that getting people moving on I-35 is a top priority. This is the 15th Mobility35 project to break ground; it’s exciting to see our hard work and planning come to fruition.”

The I-35 at Parmer Lane project is anticipated to be complete mid-2021, with James Construction Group acting as contractor for the project.

To learn more about this project and others under construction, visit www.My35Construction.org.