Proposed transportation study could address 11 Central Texas bottlenecks

The study would address areas where major roads meet but lack connections.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Monday, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization's (CAMPO) transportation policy board will meet and vote on a proposed $225,000 interchange bottleneck study.

The study would address areas where major roads meet but lack connections. Areas such as interchanges along Interstate 35, State Highway 130, State Highway 71 and MoPac Expressway.

"We're looking at major corridors in the region that are not already undergoing some kind of implementation or don't have a specific plan in place for future improvements," explained Doise Miers, the community outreach manager for CAMPO.

CAMPO points to the interchange at I-35 and U.S. Highway 183 as an example of a connected area. These drivers have the option to travel in various directions using flyovers.

For areas where connections do not exist, drivers have to search for frontage road connections or other nearby highway crossings to get to where they're going. CAMPO reports that could cause longer commute times and add to traffic congestion.

"The region is so quickly growing and transportation projects can be expensive, and they can take quite a bit of time," Miers said, "so how can we maximize what's already on the ground today and make that system work as efficiently as possible?"

Some solutions for repurposing a road include a diverging diamond intersection or DDI. That's where traffic travels on the opposite side of the road to bypass the intersection. Miers said other options could be constructing flyovers.

If TPB approves the study Monday, it would take two years to complete. Then, CAMPO would meet with area transportation partners like the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to review its findings.