MoPac express lanes to break ground

AUSTIN (KXAN) - This summer, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority will start the massive express lane project on MoPac.

Once the $200 million project is complete in 2015, drivers will be able to access the northbound express lanes from Cesar Chavez Street and Lady Bird Lake. Once a driver enters the northbound express lanes, they will only be able to exit at Far West Boulevard and Parmer Lane.

Drivers going southbound on MoPac can enter at Parmer Lane and Far West Boulevard.

• Conceptual videos

To help alleviate traffic in the express lanes, 18-wheelers will not be allowed.

Taking the new lanes will come at a price though. Every 10 minutes, the price of the express lanes will change depending on how many cars are using it at any given time.

For example, on Sunday morning, cars should expect  to pay around 25 cents. On a weekday around 5 p.m., taking the express lane could cost you around $4.

In the meantime plenty of road construction will be present on your commute up and down MoPac.

The building contractor will be restricted from closing lanes from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. In addition, no work will be allowed on Friday or Saturday nights.

The project includes constructing noise cancelling walls ranging from eight to 20 feet in height, which nearby homeowners will have to tolerate.

CTRMA said they have limited space to work and cannot work on the walls during the day due to the restrictions.

"Now that I know construction is going to be at night, I am a little aggravated about that," said one homeowner.

"Going to have to suffer through it a couple of months, but long term, I just tell myself property value will go up," said Dustin Bolander who lives near MoPac.

The contractor faces significant fines if they disturb traffic during restricted hours.