(Courtesy Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority)

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority has updated information on a project to add auxiliary and merge lanes between Barton Skyway and Loop 360 that are meant to relieve congestion on the southbound side of MoPac.Justin Word, the director of engineering of the Mobility Authority, told the board during the Nov. 20 meeting the cost for the project is estimated at $15 million.“We hope that will be coming down, but right now that’s sort of the high-end estimate,” Word said, adding construction for the project could begin by early 2021, and it could be open to traffic by mid- to late 2021.Estimates accompanying Word’s presentation to the board show the addition of the new lanes that could reduce travel times on MoPac South significantly.In one example, Word stated a trip from Enfield Road near Lamar Boulevard to Loop 360 by way of MoPac South could be reduced by eight to 10 minutes once the project is complete.“That represents somewhere between a 30% and 40% better trip,” Word said. “That was really the catalyst trip that made us start thinking more and more about this project.”The project is currently undergoing environmental surveys, and Mobility Authority representatives are conducting coordination meetings with members of the Texas Department of Transportation, Word said.