bnr-ctrma-projects
  1. WSP
  2. What We Do
  3. Projects
  4. CTRMA Austin Mobility Projects

Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority Projects

By providing engineering consultant services WSP has helped CTRMA advance five highway improvement projects to enhance and connect the Austin metro area in Central Texas.

Location

  • Austin, Texas, USA

Client

  • Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA)

Project Status

  • Ongoing

Between 1990 and 2010, Austin’s population increased by 241 percent with no infrastructure accommodations made to support the increased volume of commuters on the most heavily trafficked connecting arteries through the metro area and suburbs. Established in 2002, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority’s (CTRMA) many mobility projects have enhanced the region’s transportation network to better accommodate the tremendous growth that is anticipated to continue in decades to come.

img-ctrma-projects-map

Since July 2016, WSP has served as the general engineering consultant for CTRMA, operating as an extension of the Mobility Authority’s staff. The firm is providing a range of services to support CTRMA in the advancement of five highway improvement projects: U.S. Route 183A Phase III, MoPac Express Lane, State Highway 45SW, the 183 North Mobility Project, as well as park-and-ride projects.

WSP’s scope of work for the CTRMA mobility projects includes, project management, feasibility evaluation, environmental documentation, planning, conceptual and final design, financing, construction engineering/inspection and services related to tolling, IT, right-of-way, utility relocation, maintenance oversight/support, scheduling, asset management and administrative support. WSP also led an extensive amount of public involvement and community outreach. CTRMA prioritizes stakeholder engagement as a critical component on major projects to achieve its goal of being a good partner in the community it serves. The map to the right depicts the entire reach of our scope of work for the CTRMA mobility projects.

183 North Mobility Project

WSP’s oversight of the design and public involvement for the 183 North Mobility Project, a nine-mile corridor in northwest Austin, was approached with care and consideration of the hundreds of businesses and high number of commuters in this heavily congested area.

The WSP team took a holistic approach to its community outreach strategy for this project. Initial stakeholder engagement took place during the environmental process. During this time, WSP organized and facilitated an online open house, a series of homeowner association meetings, meetings with affected property owners, an in-person open house and the public hearing. WSP also took the necessary steps to develop the project website and social media to ensure the public had access to current information. The success of this approach resulted in the implementation of similar public outreach programs for the additional highway improvement efforts for other CTRMA mobility projects.

WSP also developed the community relations plan for the construction portion of the project and our efforts focus on a commitment to partnering with the community and communicating the improvements generated from this project.

Shared Use Path System

One of the standout features of the CTRMA’s mobility projects is the detailed effort put into developing and connecting the shared use path (SUP) system. The region’s SUP system had been disjointed, underprioritized or nonexistent for years. So, as planning for the Mobility Projects began, the SUP system was strategically integrated as a way of offering multimodal transportation solutions.

The State Highway 45SW portion of the SUP system includes a 4.5-mile long, 10-foot-wide shared use path to connect two segments of the Violet Crown trail – the first regional urban trail system in Central Texas. The expansion of the trail now creates 30 miles of connected SUPs and includes trailheads and an area known as the “Hill Country Classroom”—a section where cyclists and pedestrians can view the educational signage. WSP led the creative development for the series of trail signs that educate users on the region’s history, geography and environmental sensitivity regarding this 12-time award-winning roadway project.

img-ctrma-projects-4
img-ctrma-projects-3

In addition to ensuring that the routes within the CTRMA’s mobility projects remain accessible, other considerations such as environmental sensitivity needed to be addressed. The new 45SW Toll Road is in proximity to Edward’s Aquifer Recharge Zone. This sensitive resource is home to diverse fauna and provides drinking water for surrounding Central Texas communities. A design method combining structural and non-structural best management practices removes 92 percent of total suspended solids from the stormwater that flows off the project into adjoining waterways.

Related Projects