Traffic on US 290 East between US 183 and SH 130 has increased more than 78% since 1990, making it one of the busiest corridors in Central Texas. What used to be a country road is now a highly developed corridor. Today’s US 290 East is carrying up to 60,000 cars a day, and that number may double by 2025. Without making investments now in mobility, the current trends are a recipe for gridlock and unsafe conditions, right in the middle of Central Texas’ desired development area.

The Manor Expressway will be constructed in phases beginning in 2010. If all goes as planned, portions of the project should begin opening by 2012.  The final completion date for the entire project will be contingent on securing funding for future phases of the project.

Due to significant costs and financial constraints the Manor Expressway is being divided into several sections. The interchange at US 183 will be the first section to go to construction, with work starting in 2010. Additional sections will be constructed as funding is identified.

While planners put preliminary estimates to complete the full 6.2 miles of the planned Manor Expressway at approximately $600 million +, they are allowing for the possibility that this number could change. A variety of factors have a direct impact on the ultimate cost of completion, including global fuel prices, the cost of raw materials, fluctuating interest rates, labor costs and property acquisition costs, to name a few.

The Manor Expressway project will be funded by a combination of public funds and borrowed money. Drivers who choose to use the toll road will help make up for the funding shortfall by paying tolls that will be used to maintain the Manor Expressway and repay the money that was borrowed to build it.

The U.S. Government and the State of Texas are no longer able to adequately fund new roads solely with money generated from the gas tax. As the funding shortfall continues to grow, states are being forced to look for alternative road funding methods such as tolling. By using tolls to fund the Manor Expressway, it prevents the need to raise property or other taxes to pay for the project. And although the Manor Expressway will be tolled, drivers who prefer not to pay tolls can choose to drive on the non-tolled frontage roads, which will be widened and repaved as part of the project.

Presently, the Manor Expressway will be a 6.2-mile limited-access toll road stretching from US 183 to Parmer Lane. It will be constructed in an expanded median of US 290 and at full build out, there will be three lanes in each direction. Click here to see how. The existing US 290 will be widened and will remain non-tolled.

The Manor Expressway will also include new flyovers to North and Southbound US 183, providing a more seamless direct connection for drivers.

The design for the Manor Expressway was developed through a context-sensitive design process that included input from citizens, businesses and community groups who live and work along the 290E corridor. The Manor Expressway will match the look and character of the existing corridor using a “Central Texas Heritage” theme , which will celebrate the history of the region through the use of stone, brick and rich, natural colors. The Lone Star will be a prominent feature of the design. Landscaping materials will be used to add color and visual interest and will include wildflower plantings and native trees. To learn more about the Manor Expressway design program, click here.

The Manor Expressway will also include a 6.2-mile hike a bike trail, which will be constructed along the south side of the roadway.

Drivers who prefer not to use the Manor Expressway will have the option of using the non-tolled frontage roads, which will be improved as part of the ultimate project. Whether or not you choose to use the Manor Expressway, all drivers in the corridor will likely experience less traffic congestion because of the additional roadway capacity the project will provide.

Drivers using SH 130 will be able to exit directly onto US 290 without entering the Manor Expressway and paying an additional toll. Drivers who prefer not to pay a toll will still be able to connect to US 183 from US 290 by taking the exit before US 183 - just as they do today. For drivers who choose to pay a toll, the Manor Expressway will include new flyovers that will connect them directly to US 183.

There really isn't any difference. However, we are using the term “expressway” to clarify to drivers that we are building a new high speed toll road without stop lights that is separate and distinct from the existing US 290.

The Mobility Authority is funding the interchange between US 183 and the Manor Expressway using a mix of federal stimulus funding and borrowed money. The Mobility Authority is also seeking additional funding opportunities including federal and state loans as it works to complete the remainder of the project.

Due to the costs of continuing maintenance and operations for the Manor Expressway, it is unlikely the tolls would be removed once the borrowed money is repaid. Any such decision will be made decades from now.

Because the Manor Expressway is being built in an expanded median of the existing US 290 East, the amount of additional land required for the total project is limited. The Mobility Authority expects to purchase 57 parcels of land and all property owners will be fairly compensated for any land or easements necessary to complete the project.

Construction of the Manor Expressway will inevitably cause some lane closures, traffic delays and disruption to neighborhood and businesses along the US 290 corridor. The Mobility Authority will be working closely with business owners and residents to minimize the impacts and to keep everyone informed about construction plans and changes to traffic patterns. Click here to find out about current construction updates.

Plans call for the Manor Expressway to eventually extend through Manor and beyond. However, during a public hearing in 2005 more than 400 local residents raised concerns about extending the current project through Manor. As a result, the Federal Highway Administration directed the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to develop a full Federal Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for that portion of the project and to consider the issues raised by residents. That FEIS is currently being developed by TxDOT. If the FEIS is ultimately approved by the Federal Highway Administration the project will then be eligible for funding. It is unknown when such funding may become available.

The Mobility Authority welcomes any questions you may have about the Manor Expressway and project planners are available to come speak with your group. Simply contact us at (512) 684-3252, or via email at info@ctrma.org. Or feel free to come by our project office from 8am - 5pm, located at 301 Congress Avenue, suite 650, Austin, TX 78701.

The Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) is the transportation planning organization for Williamson, Travis and Hays counties. Since 1990, improvements to US 290 East have been part of CAMPO’s long-range transportation plan. These improvements have been put on hold for several years, primarily due to a lack of funds. With revenues from the gas tax no longer providing enough money to build the roads we need, states have been forced to consider new and innovative financing options.