A lively music scene, burgeoning food culture, abundance of outdoor activities and sunshine, and “weirdness” are just a just a handful of the many reasons that hundreds of people are moving to Austin. For all of the great reasons to relocate to the Live Music Capital of the World, there is one major drawback that the city is trying to resolve—the traffic. And as the Lone Star Capital’s population has doubled, so have its traffic jams.
If you can work remotely part-time or full time, or if you’re planning on moving within walking or bicycling distance from your office, traffic won’t matter much to you. But if you know you’ll have to drive to work from your new home, you may have to plan your schedule more carefully to avoid longer drive times.
What’s up with traffic in Austin?
Austin’s traffic problems stem from having one core area around downtown and the UT campus where 18 percent of all jobs are located, according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute as reported in Texas Monthly. With all of the jobs in one place, you have too many people driving into one small area from two main highways.
The two main freeways running north to south and bordering downtown Austin are Interstate 35, on the east side, and and Loop 1, or The MoPac Expressway, on the west side (Side note: MoPac is named after the Missouri Pacific Railway).
According to a 2013 study conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, 180,000 cars per day drove on the central I-35 corridor that runs between highway 71 and route 183, with a congestion window (where cars cannot travel at least 50 miles per hour) of about six hours.
If Austin’s population doubled as expected by the year 2035, the study showed that stand-still traffic would spill over into off-peak periods. That means in 20 years, it could get so bad that some people wouldn’t make it home from work before 10 pm.
In TX-DOT’s 2015 report, 100 Congested Roadways, MoPac was in the top third worst at number 29. During peak hours, driving on MoPac takes almost twice as long— that is, a 30 minute trip would take you 56 minutes during peak hours.
Fortunately, Austin leaders are proactively working toward getting everyone moving faster and with less stress.
How Austin has considered addressing traffic
Proposals to help with traffic flow have included a new rail system, additional bus service, expanded bicycle lanes, carpooling, and HOV lanes.
Austin is becoming more bicycle friendly each year, and the city has encouraged people to bike more by adding cycling-only lanes running through downtown. Bicycling is a great option for people who live in or near downtown, but it is not that feasible for citizens living further away in North or South Austin.
There are two MetroRapid buses that run north to south along North Lamar / South Congress and Burnet Road / South Lamar making a limited number of stops to the most popular destinations. Equipped with wifi, and running every 12-15 minutes during peak hours, these buses are popular with students and commuters.
The MetroRail, also known as the red line, runs 32 miles from the Austin Convention Center up north to Leander, and trains run every 30 minutes. MetroRail is planning some improvements to increase ridership, including adding more rail cars and double-tracking in some areas so more trains can run and pass each other. The improvements are expected to be in place by late 2017 to double rider capacity.
Extreme solutions that have been proposed would require habit and culture changes, including:
Staggering work hours to reduce the number of commuters on the road at peak hours
Reducing student commuting to UT by implementing distance learning
Shifting from local retail shopping to online shopping
Increasing the number of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes
MoPac Express variable toll lanes to the rescue
Fortunately, Austin won’t let the traffic get to levels predicted if the population doubles. The first step the city is taking is by adding the Mopac Express lanes.
The new toll lanes are designed to allow commuters driving between downtown and North Austin to bypass the usual slow-moving traffic on the freeway for a small fee.
The toll will be at a variable rate, meaning that tolls change depending on predicted traffic patterns in the lane. Variable tolling uses sensors to monitor traffic. When it sees traffic increase, the toll will increase. If traffic is light, the toll will drop to encourage use of the express lane.
Why variable tolls solve traffic problems
The MoPac Improvement Project specifically chose to implement toll lanes because they have shown to improve traffic problems more efficiently. Instead of building High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, which tend to become underused, toll lanes make express driving available to Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOV). This ensures that, even while the population and traffic may increase, these lanes work harder and smarter to ease traffic problems.
Adding two variable toll lanes in between the regular lanes allows the city to make the freeway more efficient without having to make the roadway even wider and disrupting or relocating people in long-established nearby neighborhoods.
Two express lanes have been successfully implemented in the Dallas area, and one has helped ease traffic in the Houston area.
How much will the MoPac Express toll lane cost?
If you are traveling in the toll lane during rush hour, the average toll is expected to be around $2.50. However, it may be higher if there is a larger number of vehicles using the lane than predicted. If the price surges while you’re already in the lane, you won’t pay more than what you saw listed on the electronic sign when you entered.
You will be able to pay the toll via electronic payments (TxTag, TollTag, or EZTAG). You can also pay by mail. And while people who carpool will still pay, they can share the cost of the toll.
Transit buses, van pools, and emergency vehicles will get to use the lane for free.
The first segment of the northbound lane, with entrances from route 2222 to Parmer Lane, is expected to open this summer. Drivers will have a half-mile warning before the express entrance, to give them ample time to enter the lane.
MoPac Improvement Boosts Quality of Life for Neighborhoods and Homeowners
Though you may not associate new highways with better livability, research by the U.S. Department of Transportation prove otherwise. Studies conducted around Houston and Dallas roadways showed that, once they were improved, property values in nearby neighborhoods increased 450 percent more than control properties.
Before the MoPac Improvement Project, spillover traffic from the inefficient freeway clogged local roads. Now that the new toll roads are opening, the local traffic will become substantially lighter. Fewer cars means safer streets for pedestrians, cyclists and children in local neighborhoods.
The new express toll lanes will shave hours off your driving, so you can spend more time doing what you want instead of sitting in traffic. Less time on the road will also save you money by reducing how much gas you use and reducing wear and tear on your car.
The MoPac Improvement Project is also actively contributing to better quality of life with four miles of new sidewalk, curb ramps, and pedestrian signals. The project also includes an addition of 3 miles of a two-way, shared use paths for cyclists and pedestrians.
Keeping Austin green and beautiful
Noise pollution can increase stress levels and impact quality of life—definitely not something Austinites want. The MoPac improvement project committee studied the potential traffic noise that might be generated from the additional lanes. When they determined that some residential homes, businesses, and schools may be impacted by noise, they added sound walls to alleviate it.
Trees and greenery are not just aesthetically pleasing. They have also been shown to help people reduce stress and increase calm and relaxation, and even to help people recover faster from illnesses.
MoPac developers will add numerous trees and landscaping elements along the corridor to keep each neighborhood beautiful. Where any sound walls are being constructed, the walls will be textured and painted to fit in with the look and feel of the surrounding area.
With the new MoPac Express lanes, and the other upcoming improvement projects, there’s no reason to fear Austin traffic. All you need is the right home in the right place.
If you’re ready to find your new Austin home in your ideal location for easy driving, get in touch with your trusted real estate professional today. They can help you find the best dwelling in the right neighborhood to fit your lifestyle and needs.
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