Traffic Talk

Watch for backups as major construction starts at I-35 and 183 in North Austin

I-35 at 183 North Austin new ramps rendering

The project will be completed in mid-2021.

Courtesy rendering

KVUE — Be prepared for more backups on I-35. The Texas Department of Transportation broke ground January 24 on major construction that will span about three miles, from Rundberg Lane in the north to U.S. 290 in the south.

TxDOT will first build a new bridge at St. John’s Avenue to add U-turn lanes, but the major overhaul is three new ramps at the intersection of U.S. 183 and I-35.

A ramp will connect U.S. 183 North to I-35 North. Another will connect I-35 South to U.S. 183 South. And a third ramp will connect I-35 South to U.S. 183 North.

The two existing ramps will stay. They connect U.S. 183 South to I-35 South and I-35 North to U.S. 183 North.

TxDOT says I-35 North to U.S. 183 North, where’s there’s often a backup, will be changed. "We are going to reduce the grade there so it's not so hard for trucks to get up that hill,” said Diann Hodges, TxDOT spokeswoman.

Other improvements on I-35 will include the extension of exit and entrance ramps, along with changes the shoulders. There will also be pedestrian and bike improvements.

"We are doing to do this as safely and as efficiently as we can,” said Diann Hodges with TxDOT. “We are going to get in and get out as quickly as we can. And once it's complete, people will really enjoy the benefits of these new flyovers."

The project does not include tolls, it costs about $124 million, and is expected to finish in the middle of 2021.

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Get more of the story and watch the video on KVUE.com.

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Self-driving Roller Coaster

More self-driving cars expected to roll out in Austin for 2025

Photo courtesy of Waymo via KVUE

Various brands offering self-driving cars are on-and-off in Austin.

Expect to see more self-driving rideshare vehicles, also known as robotaxis, on Austin roads next year.

Robotaxi company Waymo, which you may have already seen on Austin's roads, is partnering with Uber. At some point next year, customers will be able to use the Uber app to call a self-driving ride.

Austin-based company Avride is in the testing phase and plans to roll out its robotaxis next year.

Currently, Volkswagen ADMT and Amazon's Zoox are in the testing phase in Austin, while Hyundai's Motional is in the mapping phase.

Last year, robotaxi company Cruise paused operations in Austin after the California Department of Motor Vehicles revoked the company's permits to operate driverless vehicles in the state. And last week, General Motors said it would no longer fund the company because of the time and resources needed.

This way of getting around has come with its safety concerns and issues. The city is tracking those concerns. According to the Transportation Department, the problems span from blocking the roads and parking in front of people's homes for weeks with lights beaming through their windows, to actual wrecks.

Since July 2023, robotaxis have been involved in 75 incidents. Only 21 of those incidents happened in 2024. It's important to note that Cruise has not been operating in Austin this year.

Since July 2023, driverless rideshare vehicles have been involved in 22 near collisions, eight collisions and seven instances where driverless taxis ignored directions from the Austin Police Department (APD).

According to the data, at least four of those Austin police incidents happened in recent months. The issues varied from driving through police checkpoints, to malfunctioning and getting stuck at an APD road closure near pedestrians, causing safety concerns.

A Waymo spokesperson said their vehicles have gesture recognition capabilities, which they've been training APD officers on using.

As the report shows, sometimes it does not work and Waymo said it is working to improve that. The spokesperson said that as of just last week, Waymo's First Responder Program has been independently verified by TÜV SÜD, making Waymo the first autonomous vehicle (AV) company to receive third-party validation for our emergency response protocols. They also said the data to date indicates the Waymo Driver is already reducing traffic injuries and fatalities in the places where the company currently operates.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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