Happy Hour: SH45 Highway Impacts and SBCA Creek Adoption

From the Save Barton Creek Association –

Staff from the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District will be at the Creek Crew meeting on Monday, October 9th to discuss their role in the SH 45 SW roadway project. We will also provide some visual updates on the progress of the roadway project construction.

The highway project known as SH45SW is a roadway project that has been in the works for over 25 years. It is a contentious and closely followed project in the Austin area because of the environmentally sensitive location of the project. It is being constructed over the recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer. In the early 90s, there was an original vision for a loop or beltway roadway system around west Austin. Today the SH45 SW roadway sectionis an active construction site that when finished will be a four lane 3.6 mile tollway link between Loop 1 and FM 1626, and will feature a mixed use hike and bike trail. Construction on the SH 45 SW link officially began in November 2016, after extensive delays due to environmental and legislative concerns. Save Barton Creek Association opposes the project.

When SH 45 SW is completed in 2019, there will still be an unconnected segment between FM 1626 and I-35 to connect to the other tolled segments of SH 45 SE/ 130. The future possibility for a connecting segment is already included in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) 2040 Plan for study.