AUSTIN -- The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is proposing drastic changes to one of Austin's most-congested thoroughfares.
In North Austin work is already underway to add one toll lane in each direction on MoPac Expressway. Now, plans are taking shape to add two toll lanes going south from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane.
"Over 130,000 vehicles travel that route every workday," said Mario Espinoza, deputy executive director of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority.
CTRMA hosted an open house in Rollingwood Thursday evening to present several options to the public, including an HOV lane, a transit lane or simply doing nothing.
However, the idea to add toll lanes is gaining the most traction.
To connect the toll lanes from South Austin to North Austin, the project will add one toll lane in each direction on the existing MoPac bridge over the river. Another toll lane would be elevated over the bridge to go straight into downtown.
The toll charge would be flexible depending on the time of day, similar to the North MoPac toll lanes.
Before any proposal goes forward, Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority has to finish an environmental impact study. The section of MoPac it is studying goes over the Greenbelt, so there are concerns about water runoff and the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. If the project gets the green light, Espinoza told KVUE construction could begin by 2017 or 2018 and take up to three years to finish.
Currently, the agency is looking for public input. The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority will accept input until March 9.
