The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is officially breaking ground this afternoon on a major infrastructure project along Loop 360 at Courtyard Drive and RM 2222, a long-anticipated effort aimed at improving traffic flow and safety in one of West Austin’s most congested corridors.
The project is part of TxDOT’s broader Loop 360 improvement program, which targets several high-traffic intersections along the Capital of Texas Highway. That corridor serves as a key north-south route for commuters and provides access to neighborhoods, greenbelts, and Lake Austin recreation areas.
The Loop 360 at Courtyard Drive/RM 2222 project will significantly rework two closely spaced intersections that have long been bottlenecks for drivers. Plans include:
- Removing traffic signals on the main lanes of Loop 360
- Constructing an underpass at Courtyard Drive
- Rebuilding the RM 2222 intersection into a diverging diamond interchange
- Adding shared-use paths and sidewalks for pedestrians and cyclists
The changes are designed to keep through-traffic moving without stopping, while improving safety and access for drivers entering and exiting the highway.
Construction is expected to begin in earnest this spring, with early work such as cliff stabilization and excavation already underway in the area.
The project carries an estimated cost of roughly $46 million to $49 million and is expected to take several years to complete, with timelines stretching into 2027 or beyond.
TxDOT estimates the full construction phase could last three to four years.
Loop 360 has long been known for heavy congestion, largely due to signalized intersections that interrupt highway traffic. Transportation officials say removing those signals and replacing them with grade-separated crossings will improve travel times and reduce crash risks.
The diverging diamond design at RM 2222, already used successfully in other parts of Texas, is intended to improve traffic efficiency by allowing vehicles to make left turns without crossing opposing traffic.
This project is one piece of a larger, multi-phase effort to modernize Loop 360. TxDOT is working to upgrade multiple intersections along the corridor to handle continued population growth in Central Texas, where traffic demand is expected to rise significantly in the coming decades.
Drivers in the area should expect ongoing construction impacts, including lane closures and periodic delays, as work ramps up.
