Tiny colorful flags spotted along MoPac near Braker Lane — what do they mean?

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A stretch of MoPac in north Austin is about to get a lot more scenic.

Drivers may have noticed hundreds of tiny colorful flags dotting a dirt patch along the expressway near Braker Lane. The Texas Department of Transportation told KXAN Tuesday these flags are tied to a landscaping project.

TxDOT said it's planting "a variety of native perennials, shrubs, and trees around and between the retaining walls," which will "significantly reduce mowing and stabilize the slope."

The project will stretch from Braker Lane to Loop 360 and involve 35,299 plants and 1.4 acres of wildflower seeding.

TxDOT plans to incorporate trees like the Mexican Buckeye, Desert Willow and Texas Red Oak, as well as grasses like Gulf Muhly and Little Bluestem into the area. These native plants will help improve air quality, according to TxDOT.

TxDOT said this project is part of a larger effort with three other landscaping locations in the Austin area:

• One location in Georgetown at Interstate 35 and Williams Drive
• One location in Austin at I-35 and 51st Street
• One location near the State Highway 45/State Highway 130 interchange