East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/ FM 969 Corridor
Mobility, safety and connectivity improvements are coming to East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/ FM 969 between US 183 and Decker Lane. As proposed, the City of Austin anticipates investing approximately $7.9 million from the 2016 Mobility Bond on the near-term improvements, which are included in the Corridor Construction Program, adopted by Austin City Council. The projects are expected to reduce vehicular delay, improve effectiveness of transit, as well as create continuous ADA-compliant sidewalks and continuous bicycle facilities along the entire length of the corridor.
Preliminary engineering is complete and the full design phase of work began in April 2019 when City Council authorized staff to finalize designs and prepare the projects for construction.
Design Underway
Full design of critical mobility and safety improvements is underway on projects that will improve East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/FM 969. The bulk of construction is anticipated to occur between 2021-24, and the Corridor Program Office (CPO) is evaluating opportunities to get improvements on the ground as soon as possible.
U.S. 183 to Decker Lane
- Four new or upgraded traffic signals with enhanced technology at:
- Sendero Hills Pkwy.
- Craigwood Dr.
- Johnny Morris Rd.
- Decker Ln.
- Sendero Hills Pkwy.
- Intersection improvements with turn lane modifications at Decker Ln.
- New or rehabilitated sidewalks and shared-use paths on both sides of the roadway
- Widened sidewalks across the bridge over Walnut Creek
- Widening the existing at-grade Capital Metro Rail crossing near Sendero Hills Pkwy. to enhance pedestrian and bicyclist safety
- New street lighting to improve visibility and enhance safety at Decker Ln.
- New connections to Walnut Creek Trail for bicyclists and pedestrians
- New speed ramps at Walnut Creek Bridge to enhance bicyclist safety
Preparing for Construction
On April 25, 2019, City Council authorized
staff to complete additional design and engineering to prepare the projects for
construction. Activities will include:
- Developing corridor construction plans and preparing for construction by:
- Obtaining permits
- Developing
traffic management plans
- Coordinating
utility relocations
- Purchasing
right-of-way
- Determining
construction packaging, phasing and sequencing
- Obtaining permits
- Designing
placemaking areas
- Completing
environmental investigations and documentation
- Continuing to
explore leveraging/partnership opportunities
- Conducting ongoing
community engagement with neighborhoods, businesses and property owners to
understand their priorities and concerns.
The Corridor Program Office anticipates that the bulk of
construction will occur between 2021-24 but is actively pursuing opportunities
to begin work on some projects as soon as possible.
Public Engagement
Corridor improvements are informed by the community’s needs and input. Community engagement played a critical role in developing the Corridor Construction Program and the East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/FM 969 Corridor Mobility Plan. Public support for the corridor improvements was expressed through voter-passage of the 2016 Mobility Bond.
Stakeholder Briefings 💼
The CPO has been meeting with various stakeholder groups to discuss improvements and obtain feedback. We are happy to schedule additional meetings upon request.
Engaging with Businesses 🏢
The owners and representatives of businesses were invited to provide input on how the City can help support businesses during construction. This input is being used to develop a Business Success Toolkit.
Engaging with Property Owners 🏘️
These meetings are ongoing, and will occur to coincide with each construction segment’s project development process.
Public Meetings 🚪
The CPO has hosted public meetings to share information about planned improvements for East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/FM 969 and receive community feedback throughout the project development process.
Stay Connected
Public feedback remains at the heart of our efforts to make this corridor safer and easier to travel. We will continue to engage the public throughout design and construction, share the latest plans with the community by various methods including: public meetings, stakeholder meetings, electronic updates, and more. We welcome your comments and questions, so please feel free to reach out to us:
- By email 📧 (EMLK@AustinTexas.gov)
- By phone 📞 (512-974-7897)
Sign up above for our newsletter to receive updates about the 2016 Mobility Bond, specific programs or corridors.
Corridor Mobility Plan
The COA finalized a Corridor Mobility Plan for East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/ FM 969 in February 2014. This plan recommended short and long-term improvements for mobility and safety along the corridor. The Corridor Mobility Plan was the basis for development of the Corridor Construction Program.
Recommended improvements included in the East Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd/FM 969 Corridor Mobility Plan informed near-term, funded improvement plans as well as improvement plans included in the ultimate vision for the corridor.
We are actively pursuing funding through various sources to design and construct the improvements that complete the ultimate corridor vision. Potential funding sources include current and future bond funds, grants, partnerships and private investments.
