Mobility Authority to Cut the Ribbon on the 45SW Toll Road with Community-wide Celebration

What: The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (Mobility Authority) welcomes the public to join other distinguished guests for the ribbon cutting and “Grand Opening Jubilee” to celebrate completion of 45SW Toll, which is expected to open to traffic on Saturday, June 1. The Grand Opening Jubilee will feature food, drinks, vendors, live music and family-fun activities, and the ceremonial ribbon-cutting will feature remarks by project advocates and elected officials.

The new, 3.6-mile toll road connecting MoPac eastward to FM 1626 in Hays County will feature two lanes in each direction and a 4.5-mile continuous shared use path that will connect with the future Violet Crown Trail. Along the shared use path is the “Hill Country Classroom,” a shaded section of the trail where cyclists and pedestrians may rest while viewing educational signage.

Who: Mobility Authority Executive Director Mike Heiligenstein will serve as emcee for the speaking program. Additional speakers include Mobility Authority Board Chairman Ray A. Wilkerson, County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty, State Representative Vikki Goodwin, and TxDOT Austin District Engineer Terry McCoy.

When: Saturday, May 25, 2019 from 1-3 p.m. Family fun activities, food, drinks and vendors will be available for the duration of the event. A speaking program will begin at 1:45 p.m. and will conclude at 2:15 p.m. with a ceremonial ribbon cutting. Speakers will be available for interviews immediately fooling the program. Live music by The In-Laws will be provided, except during the speaking program. Parking will open at 12:30 p.m., and an on-site shuttle service will be provided by Capital Metro.

Where: The celebration will take place on the 45SW Toll Road at the Bear Creek Bridge. Use this Google map location near Hays County, TX to access parking.

Why: The 45SW Toll Road will bring much needed congestion relief to south Austin by offering drivers an alternative to gridlocked neighborhood streets like Manchaca Road, Slaughter Lane and Brodie Lane. Drivers who choose to use the 45SW Toll Road may save as much as 9-17 minutes over local routes to reach Central Austin. Drivers who continue to utilize local roads may save as much as 6-7 minutes over current travel times. The Mobility Authority appreciates the patience of the community during the construction process and hopes our neighbors will join us in celebrating this milestone toward enhanced mobility for Central Texas.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES: Media interviews with Mobility Authority officials and the speakers noted above and tours of the new 45SW Toll Road are available upon request.

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About the Mobility Authority

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is a local, independent government agency created in 2002 to improve the regional transportation system in Travis and Williamson Counties. The Mobility Authority implements innovative and sustainable transportation options to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in Central Texas. The Mobility Authority operates 183A Toll in Williamson County, 290 Toll in east Austin, the 71 Toll Lane in east Austin, and the MoPac Express Lane. The agency is also finishing construction of the eight-mile 183 South Project in east Austin, and constructing the four-mile SH 45SW toll road between FM 1626 and MoPac in southern Travis and northern Hays counties. For more information about the Mobility Authority, visit www.MobilityAuthority.com.

About the SH 45SW Project

The SH 45SW Project is an innovative environmentally sensitive 3.6-mile toll road between State Loop 1 (MoPac) and FM 1626 that includes extensive water quality protection measures and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Construction of the project commenced in November 2016 and will be completed in 2019. More information about the project can be found at www.SH45SW.com