Approximately six months after major safety improvements were completed on Cameron/Dessau Road, early data shows fewer crashes, fewer injuries, and less speeding along this high-crash corridor.
The largest changes so far involved adjusting the lane configuration between US 290 and Parmer Lane, completed in January 2026. For that 5.5-mile section of the project:
- Data from police shows the number of crashes per year decreased by 27%, while crashes with serious injuries or deaths went down by 16%.
- Emergency response data shows similar trends, with a 46% reduction in traffic incidents responded to by Austin Travis County EMS and a 46% reduction in people seriously injured or killed.
- Dangerous speeding has also declined. The share of drivers going 10 mph or more over the speed limit dropped from 20% to 2%.
- Traffic data shows little relative change in peak period corridor travel times between US 290 and Parmer Lane, with a maximum average travel time increase of 16 seconds in the northbound direction. Detail is provided in the table below.
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Average travel time changes
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Cameron/Dessau Road section
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Weekday peak travel times
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Weekend peak travel times
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April 2025
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April 2026
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Change
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April 2025
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April 2026
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Change
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US 290 to Rundberg (northbound)
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5:17
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5:02
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-15 seconds
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4:45
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4:57
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+12 seconds
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Rundberg to Parmer (northbound)
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5:20
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5:37
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+17 seconds
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5:05
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5:09
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+4 seconds
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Northbound total
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10:37
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10:39
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+2 seconds
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9:50
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10:06
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+16 seconds
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US 290 to Rundberg (southbound)
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5:17
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5:30
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+12 seconds
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4:40
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5:05
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+25 seconds
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Rundberg to Parmer (southbound)
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5:14
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5:10
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-4 seconds
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5:40
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4:53
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-47 seconds
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Southbound total
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10:32
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10:40
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+8 seconds
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10:19
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9:58
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-22 seconds
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While six months is too early to draw definitive conclusions, early results are an encouraging sign that the project is improving safety while maintaining efficient travel. Construction will continue for approximately one more year, with additional intersection upgrades, pedestrian crossings, and street lighting planned.
City of Austin staff will continue monitoring data to measure the impact on both safety and travel times. Visit the project website for updates.
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