AUSTIN (KXAN) — Drivers on U.S. Highway 183 in northwest Austin have become all too familiar with construction delays.
With more projects underway and years of construction ahead, KXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes sat down with Mike Sexton, the project manager of the 183 North Project and the 183A expansion, for an update.
Brennes: "So how is the 183 North Project going?"
Sexton: "We've seen a lot of progress. If you drive the quarter, you've seen a lot of that concrete pavement going down the center. You've seen the new direct connector coming up out of the ground... tall columns as you approach the MoPac corridor itself. And even in the last, I'll say the last four weeks or so, you've seen what I'll call the sort of surprise where we worked with the contractor to get the fourth lane open in each direction a little bit earlier."
Brennes: "Where are we on the timeline of the 183 North Project?"
Sexton: "We're about 60% complete on time roughly. We're due to finish up ended next year.... we're looking to have the tollway open by the early part of 2026."
Brennes: "What's the hardest part about managing such a big project like 183 North?"
Sexton: "I'd say the hardest thing is getting the manpower in Central Texas. This area is booming. There are lots of large highway projects ongoing, and then you also have some large commercial developments like Samsung going up that is tugging at everyone's staffing on these projects. And for CTRMA, the biggest thing is just making sure that we get the highest quality project out here."
Brennes: "Of course the construction does not stop at 183 North, and it doesn't even stop at 183A, it continues. Let's talk about the 183A Phase Three expansion.
Sexton: "The other project that CTRMA is working on right now that's the big project for us is the 183A extension. The third leg of our 183A toll corridor from roughly Hero Way and Leander area and it extends past State Highway 29 and Liberty Hill. Liberty Hill was a small sleepy town back maybe even just 15 years ago. But in the last 10 years, their population has tripled and you know, over 10,000 rooftops going in their area, which is going to continue that growth.
Brennes: "If anyone fits that mold of someone who lives in Leander or lives in the Cedar Park corridor, and has that option to get to town to work downtown, by bus or rail, why not try it out?"
Sexton: "I agree — you want options. I think there are some people that want to drive. I think a lot of our corridors, we look at it as if you have kids that are in sports or daycare and you need to get to and from in a quick time, we provide those options. If you're just looking for daily commuting, there's options for that as well. And then we look at recreation. We've built I think roughly 70 miles bike and pedestrian facilities in Central Texas over the last 15 years. And we see extensive use of those facilities regularly. So it's opportunities for anyone, any mode, anytime."
Brennes: "All right, Mike, thank you so much for your time."
The 183A Phase Three expansion between Leander and Liberty Hill began in 2021 and is expected to open to traffic in 2025.
