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Texas State Highway 130, the largest portion of the $4.5 billion project, added 49 miles of tollway for drivers.

Protecting area raptors

Environmental crews focused on protecting local wildlife throughout

Environmental staff were always available for consultation or issue resolution.

the project. Along the construction area, crews discovered two large raptor nests. The nests, for a great horned owl and a red tailed hawk, were outside the right of way, but crews were careful to establish buffers to minimize disturbances. The chicks were able to fledge before work began.

When an inspector discovered the great horned owl nest had been blown out of a tree on a windy day, a raptor rehabilitator was brought in to transport an owl chick to a rehabilitation facility to ensure its health and safety.

Helping residents

The largest portion of the $4.5 billion project, State Highway 130, added a 49-mile tollway east of the existing I-35 freeway. Construction began in 2003, with segments completed between 2006 and 2008. Also, the new State Highway 45 North and Loop 1 tollways connect

green

FACTS

In some areas, crews used recycled asphalt pavement and concrete from nearby airport runways, reducing the need for quarried materials by more than 250,000 tons.

neighboring communities with several major interchanges, 66 bridges and 218 lane miles. “We put 50 miles of divided highway in the ground over four years, and it serves a very definite need and purpose around Austin,” said Tim Weight, director of turnpike construction for TxDOT. “You have an option now.” g&c

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