US 183 has a history of thorough review and comprehensive study. With the 183 South Project under construction, major mobility improvements on US 183 are one step closer to being a reality.
US 183 from US 290 to SH 71 is one of Austin's most important arterials. Constructed in the mid 1960s, the four lane divided highway has seen only minor upgrades. As the primary route to and from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and points beyond, it now attracts more than 60,000 cars and trucks a day and experiences significant congestion during peak travel times.
It has long been identified as a heavily congested corridor in need of improvement. In fact, enhancements for this stretch of the road have been included in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organizations (CAMPO) Long Range Transportation Plan since July 2004, and additional capacity has not been added to the facility since the 1970s.
History of US 183 Corridor
Following completion of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a Federal Record of Decision (ROD) approving expansion of the entire US 183 corridor was issued on October 28, 1985. Since then, continuous activity has taken place on various sections of the corridor as documented in subsequent Federal Environmental Impact Statements (FEIS) reevaluations.
Four environmental reevaluations have been submitted and approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) since the original ROD was issued in 1985. These reevaluations addressed design changes, documented that continuous activity was occurring, outlined the status of construction activity and documented land use changes since the original (EIS) was completed. The reevaluations were approved by FHWA in 1992, 1998, 2000 and 2002.
Efforts to Improve the portion of US 183 known as 183 South
The Texas Department of Transportation and the Mobility Authority launched a new environmental study in 2011 to develop a reasonable and feasible approach to improve mobility on the portion of US 183 between US 290 and SH 71. That study was approved on March 6, 2015 by the Texas Department of Transportation and it confirmed the selection of a tolled expressway with non-tolled general purpose lanes as the Build Alternative. Learn more on the Environmental Study page.
A design/build contractor was selected in May 2015 and construction began in April 2016.
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