SH 71 Road Closure to Impact Airport Traffic

Drivers Leaving Airport or Heading into Ausitn will Detour via US 183

(Austin, Texas) – The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (Mobility Authority) will be closing a portion of westbound State Highway 71 at US 183 from Saturday, April 27, at 6:00 p.m. until noon on Sunday, April 28, to allow for demolition of an old bridge at the US 183 interchange.

During the closure, traffic on westbound SH 71 will be diverted onto northbound US 183. To regain access to SH 71, drivers will make a U-turn on US 183 north of Patton Avenue, and take southbound US 183 to the exit for westbound SH 71 (map attached). To accommodate the detour, there will also be a left lane closure on southbound US 183 between Thompson Lane and Patton Avenue.

The closure is expected to impact drivers leaving Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, as well as drivers heading west into Austin from areas such as Bastrop County. Drivers using this stretch of westbound SH 71 may experience travel delays during peak travel times on Saturday evening, April 27^th and Sunday morning, April 28th. The Mobility Authority has distributed travel alerts to numerous neighborhoods and businesses, such as airport hotels, warning them about the closure.

The closure is related to the replacement of several bridges at the US 183 and SH 71 interchange as part of the 183 South Project. The bridges are being realigned to accommodate future expansion of the SH 71 corridor. The new bridges will also be taller to reduce the risk of damage from oversized vehicles. The old bridges have a history of being struck by oversized vehicles.

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About 183 South:
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is building a new tolled expressway with three lanes in each direction on an eight-mile section of US 183 between US 290 and SH 71. In addition, the Mobility Authority is reconstructing and improving the non-tolled US 183 general purpose lanes and adding $25 million worth of pedestrian and bicyclist facilities. The project will open in phases between 2019 and 2020, offering greater mobility for all users of the corridor. For more information, visit www.183South.com

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 and the 71 Toll Lane in east Austin, and the MoPac Express Lane in central Austin. The agency is also finishing construction of the 8-mile 183 South Project in east Austin, the 4-mile SH 45SW toll road between FM 1626 and MoPac, and the 290/130 Flyovers Project to connect SH 130 and 290 Toll. For more information about the Mobility Authority, visit www.MobilityAuthority.com.