Preparing for back-to-school traffic through many Austin area construction zones

AUSTIN (KXAN) — We want to help you prepare before some of the biggest school districts in the Austin area return next week, so KXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes has been speaking with the Texas Department of Transportation and the City of Austin to help you navigate the back to school traffic and construction zones.

If you take Loop 360 and pass the Pennybacker Bridge, TxDOT continues its work on intersection improvements at Westlake Drive and at Cedar Street.

It’s removing the signal lights at those two intersections, so eventually, the flow of traffic will be much smoother, but not for another two years.

Many drivers take Loop 360 to and from work, and a lot more will be doing so once school starts, so plan accordingly to be driving through a construction zone on your way.

TxDOT said the construction zone on Loop 360 is one of them and they hope with a little planning, your drive to and from school will be a smooth one.

“We plan everything ahead of time, the cute outfit, the new backpack. And now we really want to include safety in that planning. And the best thing you can do is, you know, drive the route that you would take to school and see if there are any changes in the traffic patterns around the school,” said Glynda Chu, a spokesperson for TxDOT Austin.

A lot of these projects have really ramped up over the summer because there has been so little rain, and there haven’t been delays due to the weather.

This part of Austin is in Eanes ISD, which goes back to school Aug. 16

If you’re concerned about a part of your commute, reach out to our team at reportit@kxan.com