A major transportation corridor in southwest Austin is now open following completion of the primary roadway work on the $677 million Oak Hill Parkway project, expanding capacity and improving connections between Austin and communities west of the city.
Fluor Corporation and Balfour Beatty delivered the project through a joint venture for the Texas Department of Transportation. Construction began in 2021, with the project reaching substantial completion in July 2026 before the September 24 grand opening.
The project reconstructed and widened approximately seven miles of U.S. 290 and SH 71 through the Oak Hill area. The roadway was expanded from two to three mainlanes in each direction, while additional frontage roads were incorporated into the transportation network.
Key interchange improvements include direct-connect flyovers between U.S. 290 and SH 71 and a new U.S. 290 overpass at William Cannon Drive. The project also replaced the former Y-interchange with a single-point urban interchange configuration.
The improvements are intended to address congestion and improve mobility along a heavily traveled route serving Austin and growing communities to the west, including Lakeway, Bee Cave and Dripping Springs.
Beyond roadway capacity, the project incorporated infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. A shared-use path extends along the corridor, with additional sidewalks and other bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. Landscaping and tree planting were also included in the project scope.
The work also included intersection improvements, U-turn lanes and stormwater infrastructure. Fluor's project information identifies an approximately 67-acre-foot offsite stormwater detention pond, along with water-quality treatment ponds.
The roadway system is now fully open to traffic, although remaining landscaping, paving and striping activities are scheduled to continue. Final project completion is anticipated by the end of 2026.
The Oak Hill Parkway opening adds completed capacity and new multimodal infrastructure to a major Austin-area transportation corridor. For transportation owners and contractors, the project demonstrates the scale of improvements being delivered through Texas' Clear Lanes initiative, combining roadway widening, interchange reconstruction, drainage and pedestrian infrastructure within an active regional corridor.
The project also represents the completion of a five-year construction effort that began with the July 2021 groundbreaking and reached substantial completion in July 2026.
Source: Fluor.
