AUSTIN, Texas — The city of Austin held a community open house on Saturday to present updated plans for the East 51st Street Mobility Project, which will redesign a corridor between Cameron Road and Berkman Drive to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists as development continues in the Mueller area.
City officials said the project remains in its 90% design phase and includes a raised center median, protected bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks, new pedestrian crossings, and landscaping improvements.
Eric Bailey, deputy director of Capital Delivery Services for the city of Austin, said officials selected the corridor due to increased development and traffic demand in the area.
“You can see with all the development that’s been happening in the Mueller neighborhood recently, there’s a big need for pedestrian improvements, particularly along 51st Street,” Bailey said.
The project replaces the existing center turn lane with a raised median while maintaining the current number of travel lanes. City officials said the design will restrict some left-turn movements along the corridor.
Bailey said left-turn movements account for a significant share of traffic conflicts in the city.
“The biggest safety improvements that we’re making is a raised median in the middle of the roadway to make the left-hand turns safer,” he said.
City officials said residents who attended the open house reviewed updates from the project’s earlier 60% design phase and provided feedback before the project advances toward permitting.
The city plans to seek construction bids in early 2027. Construction is expected to begin later that year and take 12 to 18 months.
Officials said drivers should expect lane closures and traffic disruptions during construction along the corridor.