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The Austin City Council on Monday night approved a resolution ordering the improvement, approving plans and specifications and ordering the advertisement of bids regarding reconstruction of Oakland Avenue and First Avenue SW.

The move came after a public hearing, during which City Engineer Steven Lang gave an overview of the project and its timeline.

The project will take three years to complete and calls for the complete reconstruction of the roads, both of which are over 45 years old. First Avenue SW’s side of the project will stretch from South Main Street to 12th Street SW while the Oakland Avenue half of the project will be built from First Street NE to 12th Street NW.

In total the project will include the reconstruction of both the roadways and the underground utilities as well as modifications across the scope as well as bump-outs and landscaping.

Aside from the narrowing of the overall road, one of the biggest changes will come on Oakland and will feature a lengthening of the one-way portion of the road in the downtown area.

What was once a two-way running in front of Firestone between Main Street and First Street N will be converted to a one way.

The estimated cost of the project comes to around $15.60 million with $7.68 million from state and federal grants and another $5.95 million coming from Municipal State Aid. The remainder of the cost will be funded through the city’s Sanitary Sewer Fund and assessments.

Construction will largely focus on Oakland Avenue across its stretch this year, with a target of May to start construction and the hope of wrapping things up in August of 2026. Work on First Avenue will start on a strip from Fourth Street NW to Main Street North in June of 2026 as well before focusing on the rest of its length and wrapping the project up in 2027.

People can sign up for text alerts regarding the project by texting Oakland to 1-507-296-7890 or by going to https://eztxt.net/9luN1S.

You can also visit more on the project at: https://oakland-and-1st-austin-gis.hub.arcgis.com/