The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) launched a new phase of its State Highway 71 East Corridor initiative on Oct. 26, 2025, when Jordan Foster Construction started work on the $58.5 million SH 71 at Tucker Hill Lane project.

The project's goal is to enhance mobility and alleviate congestion in Bastrop County. The work is expected to be completed in the fall of 2028.

"This is an exciting day as we celebrate the beginning of construction on a new overpass on SH 71," TxDOT Austin District Engineer Tucker Ferguson said. "As population growth and development in Central Texas continue to increase, the project will enhance safety and mobility by removing traffic signals from the main lanes, allowing drivers to move through the intersection without stopping."

This project is part of a larger, corridor-wide effort that will remove all traffic signals on SH 71, allowing drivers to travel between Austin and Houston.

Jordan Foster Construction photo

"This overpass is a signal of progress for Bastrop County," state Rep. Stan Gerdes said. "Improving mobility on this major corridor means safer routes for our school traffic, smoother commutes for our families and businesses and more reliable travel between Bastrop and Austin."

The Tucker Hill project builds new eastbound and westbound SH 71 bridges over Dry Creek — each about 310 ft. long — as well as two new 254‑ft. main lane bridges over the Tucker Hill intersection. When complete, SH 71 will have two concrete main lanes in each direction and two asphalt frontage‑road lanes in each direction. The project also includes upgraded bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.

TxDOT bought 24.5 acres of right-of-way at the Tucker Hill Lane intersection for the project.

Enhanced Safety

The divided main lane bridges significantly improve safety by eliminating the need for a traffic signal and reducing the stop-and-go conditions that often cause congestion. The project also will add at‑grade frontage roads, separating local traffic and business access from the higher‑speed SH 71 main lanes. That is designed to work toward TxDOT's long‑term goal of removing all signals along SH 71 to improve travel between Austin and Houston.

SH 71 serves as a major corridor for motorists traveling to and from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the city of Bastrop and other central Texas communities. The volume of traffic is rapidly increasing.

"In 2015, the average daily traffic on SH 71 just east of SH 130 was more than 50,000 vehicles a day," according to the project web page. "With continued growth in eastern Travis and Bastrop counties, TxDOT is planning for improvements on this section of SH 71 to enhance safety and manage congestion."

The Ross Road and Kellam Road project, completed by Zachry Construction, removed traffic signals from the main lanes by constructing overpasses on SH 71 at Ross Road and Kellam Road and adding new frontage roads to provide local access and improved and expanded bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.

To date, Jordan Foster crews have begun construction on the drainage culvert at Berdoll Lane, cleared the right-of-way along the northbound side of the corridor and begun removing rock and soil in preparation for construction.

Over the next year, crews plan to focus on constructing the frontage roads at Tucker Hill Lane, installing drainage culverts across the corridor and constructing the bridges over Dry Creek. Afterward, they will turn their attention to constructing the new bridge at Tucker Hill Lane.

Done in Phases

The project is divided into phases.

"[We are] constructing several large drainage culverts within the project limits," said Juan C. Casas, Jordan Foster's marketing manager. "Construction will be divided into steps, with one culvert being built at a time. This is the current phase we are in."

The second phase covers the new westbound/eastbound bridges over Dry Creek, as well as sections of the SH 71 main lanes, frontage roads and ramps, with the third phase constructing the westbound/eastbound overpass at Tucker Hill Lane and retaining walls.

"We anticipate the overpass will be complete in spring 2028, weather permitting," Casas said. "Roadway construction will continue for the main lanes, frontage roads and ramps. Temporary signals will be used during this phase."

For the bridge/overpass, Jordan Foster will use precast bridge beams, deck panels and precast wall panels on the concrete structures.

A fourth phase will see crews building the remaining sections of the main lanes, frontage roads and ramps, as well as the installation of flashing beaco

Jordan Foster Construction photo

ns along the frontage roads and the Tucker Hill Lane intersection.

The last phase entails the final paving and striping for the entire project.

Project Challenges

One of the main design challenges was phasing the work in a way that kept traffic moving, especially since the project used a limited right‑of‑way footprint, Casas said. Careful traffic planning was essential. TxDOT also placed significant focus on drainage and environmental considerations in the Onion Creek basin.

The frontage roads will be constructed between the existing main lanes and the right-of-way lines, and the main lanes will be reconstructed as overpasses above Tucker Hill Lane.

"Currently, existing black clay soil is being excavated from the ROW to construct a drainage channel," Casas said. "This material is being used to build the westbound frontage road. Ultimately, the contractor will need to bring in material from off site to construct the header banks for the overpasses."

Jordan Foster anticipates laying concrete in mid-2026 for the roads, which will see crews excavate 304,600 cu. yds. of material. Materials to be brought in for the road work include 45,500 sq. yds. of subgrade, 9,100 cu. yds. of flex base, 21,000 tons of ACP and 63,800 sq. yds. of concrete pavement.

The equipment on site includes Cat 150M and 140M3 motor graders, a Cat 950GC wheel loader, a Cat 336EL excavator, a Cat CS56B smooth drum roller/compactor, a Cat padfoot roller/compactor, a Cat D6 dozer, a Cat 416 backhoe, a Volvo 350 excavator, Volvo A30G articulating 30 ton off-road trucks, Freightliner 4,000-gal. water trucks, a Ford F750 TMA and a 12,000-gal. mega water tower.

The installation and relocation of utilities is complete.

"We are currently installing cross drainage structures and driveway culverts," Casas said. "We are using precast boxes. The work consists of excavation, setting boxes, then backfilling and cutting and restoring pavement."

For those operations, crews are using a Komatsu WA500 wheel loader, a Komatsu PC390 excavator and a CAT 930 wheel loader.

At this point, there are 55 TxDOT, Jordan Foster and subcontractor personnel on site.

As the scope of work expands, more materials will be delivered.

Jordan Foster owns a large fleet and takes care of it to ensure that downtimes are minimal. The company said it maintains good relationships with its dealerships. CEG