AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new construction project kicked off this week in a busy part of South Austin, and it has some concerned about traffic one month ahead of back-to-school traffic.
It’s only a mile and a half of roadway, but South Austin residents want to know more about the project that kicked off this week to expand Slaughter Lane from MoPac Expressway to Brodie Lane.
“There are a lot of changes that people are not happy about. I understand that. Let’s talk through it. But this design has been in the works for about eight years. It’s it’s gone through probably 400 people’s eyes and engineers and traffic controls,” Gregory Weems, the project manager, said.
Weems took dozens of questions about the plan during the three-hour meeting at Bethany Lutheran Church on Slaughter Lane.
“I wanted to hear the timing of this, because we look at it as a window. I’m a retired person, so I’m going to try to get my grocery shopping and everything done before it becomes one lane while they do the construction work, and just to recognize what’s going to happen in the future,” Terry Kosobud, a resident of Sendero South, said.
Officials estimate the project will take about two years to widen Slaughter Lane from two to three lanes, install a shared-use path, upgrade drainage, install modernized signals, add curb extensions for pedestrian crossings, a pedestrian beacon at Slaughter Lane and Zuniga Drive, and improve the signal timing in front of Bowie High School.
The traffic getting to and from Bowie High School was a major topic of conversation.
“Horrific. And thank you for asking,” Kosobud said about school traffic during the academic year.
Slaughter Lane will be down to one lane for about three weeks during the paving process, but officials hope to time that adjustment with a school break.
“There’s a tremendous amount of traffic because high school students are coming down to Norman Trail to park there because their lot is full, and it’s convenient. So there’s added traffic from them. There are school buses that are going down Slaughter. And then there’s the residents, like myself,” Kosobud said.
A few other concerns included a change to Zuniga Drive, which will eliminate a left turn exit out of the Sendera South neighborhood, forcing drivers to use Bremner Drive to go westbound on Slaughter Lane.