Oak Hill Parkway Project halfway complete, says TxDOT

AUSTIN, Texas - The multi-million-dollar Oak Hill Parkway Project in southwest Austin that’s been years in the making has hit a major milestone.

"We recently hit the 50% mark with our construction," said TxDOT deputy project manager Cody McGuire.

TxDOT also invited the public to get a closer look at the equipment used on the project.

"This is a way of bringing the community in because that's why we're building this road in the first place," said McGuire.

On Saturday the public got the opportunity to do just that, with cranes, excavators, bulldozers and more on site.

"This project has been in the works for 10/20 years and it's exciting to see it all kind of come to fruition," said event attendee Andi Connors-Pool.

Some even brought their children out.

"This little guy, this is Lennon. He loves construction vehicles, and we drive by it, and he's always saying the different names of the different vehicles. So just to see him kind of up close and personal is pretty awesome," said Connors-Pool.

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The $677 million project spans over seven miles and aims to improve safety and mobility across the US 290 corridor and reduce the time it takes to get to downtown. It does that by building overpasses to connect SH 71 and US 290 to bypass the intersection at the Y.

Due to significant growth, TxDOT is upgrading the existing roadway and adding pedestrian and bicycle accommodation. Local traffic will be able to commute by using the frontage roads for those living at Oak Hill. 

"We're here to increase the amount of traffic that could come through here. It used to be that everybody was stopping at lights all along the corridor all along to 90, and drivers were losing their minds. So, we are eliminating all of those lights with our final design. They'll be able to go all the way from Mopac all the way up towards dripping springs without hitting a light for miles," said McGuire.

As for where the project stands: "We finished two of our cross-street bridges on the far west end of the project. And we also have another very long bridge, which I'm sure everybody's seen as they drive through the corridor. We're getting ready to open that up to the public so they can bypass the William Cannon intersection, at least temporarily, so we can finish up a sister bridge next to it," McGuire said.

McGuire emphasizes there is still construction left, and to be patient as crews work to complete the project.

The project is scheduled for completion in summer 2026.