Development Update: 10/03/2025

Hold onto your hats folks–this newsletter’s round of development updates is quite significant:

Berrywood Drive closure: This closure is related to upcoming utility work. Texas Gas is finalizing their scope and schedule. It is anticipated to occur before the end of 2025. More information will be made available to us as the details are finalized.

TXDoT I35: Here is the updated schedule as of last week:

+ Dedicated U-turns: Construction for the north to south U-turn has already begun. The south to north U-turn is anticipated to start in early 2026.
+ Braker Bridge: The bridge across I35 is set to be completely demolished and rebuilt. This is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2027. There will be no traffic in either direction; the bridge’s replacement will not come piecemeal. We asked if it would be possible to close half the bridge at a time–this will not be possible. We are also advocating for TXDoT to finish both dedicated U-turn lanes before the bridge is demolished; TXDoT is considering this request. There is no current estimate for the timeline of rebuilding the bridge.
+ Frontage road widening: Our frontage road will get another lane with a dedicated turn into Berrywood. We have requested this for River Oaks Drive as well but have yet to hear back. This work is expected to be done by the end of 2027. We are aware that this timeline and that of the Braker Bridge construction may, as projected, overlap. If this is to occur, we are aware that entering and exiting our neighborhood would prove especially challenging. Our advocacy with TXDoT will be sure to underscore this reality.
+ Sidewalk: The construction of the sidewalk along the frontage road is anticipated to start in late 2028 to early 2029.
+ Noise Wall: TXDoT remains aware of this commitment but as the sound wall is still in the design phase, it does not have a set schedule.

The timeline of these projects has remained fairly consistent. As I said when presenting this information at NEWCNA’s annual meeting in January of 2025, “2030 will be a good year!”.

As always, please feel free to share any comments, questions, or concerns to Leadership at Leadership@newcna.org.

Local developer updates: 
As you will recall, there are essentially two development groups working separate projects along Braker and Wedgewood; we refer to these entities as BigAustin (along Braker and the tip of Wedgewood) and Urbana (running along Wedgewood itself). This map captures their more technical names; this layout has been largely unchanged since the end of 2023:

Please keep in mind NEWCNA Leadership’s first contact with these developers dates back to 2021. In late 2022, as the then VP of Four Seasons, I volunteered to put this letter together (see link) in advance of our annual meeting. The jaw dropping scale and scope of what these developers were planning became clear at NEWCNA’s January 2023 annual meeting where both developers gave presentations. BigAustin planned for approximately 360 apartment units in a series of multistory buildings in the area in dark blue above. Urbana shared the plan to build 250 small homes for lease in the pink and purple areas in the maps above. Holy smokes! NEWCNA formed a Development Committee that same meeting because we were so alarmed by what we had just learned. This committee has focused on the traffic, environmental, and potential flood water impacts of these developments. We have been impressed with the City of Austin’s permitting process for safeguarding the latter two; the issue of increased traffic was and still is our primary concern. Critical advocacy efforts related to traffic improvements have failed largely due to key state laws being very pro development. We have had some minor wins and haven’t given up the fight. For more on this, please read my many updates on the Facebook group as well as in prior newsletters. Concerned? Please get involved! Email: Leadership@newcna.org.

Please also note that while the scale of these developments has remained largely consistent for over two and a half years, the scope has changed somewhat. For instance, BigAustin initially planned for their apartments to be focused on affordability, reportedly aiming to house young teachers, police officers, fire fighters, and city employees whose entry salaries couldn’t yet afford them a house. This plan changed for a time to being apartments for an active retirement community. We certainly won’t know the exact nature of these apartment buildings before the developer makes up their mind. However, we do have a good projection of what it will look like. Here is a site concept drawing they shared with us in January of 2025:

To see the actual site plan from 2024 and more concept drawings from early 2025, please see slides 16 through 21 of the presentation from NEWCNA’s annual meeting in January of 2025 (see link).  

As for Urbana’s 250 homes, the updated number of leased units is 235. One other change is some of these units will be multifamily. Here is their concept drawing, please note north is to the right in the image below:

When we first heard of Urbana’s plan (pictured above) in January of 2023, it was accompanied with the projection of beginning site clearing in the fall of that year with construction seriously rolling out in January of 2024. Urbana has yet to complete site clearance, and it is now October of 2025! The developer’s construction timeline is the most fluid aspect of their plans. This is also true of the BigAustin development which has initiated a partial site clearing just this week.

NEWCNA has hounded both BigAustin and Urbana for years about their fencing and ROW maintenance as well as site clearing as a method to reduce fire risk. Urbana is overdue for mowing their portion of Wedgewood Drive. BigAustin faced the multifaceted challenge of having a large homeless encampment until last week. They plan to repair their fence and prevent a resettlement. In the hope that it may be more accurate this time, we have requested an updated construction timeline from BigAustin’s developer.

In other development related news, NEWCNA has also begun working with the City to add a pedestrian crosswalk at the intersection of Wedgewood and River Oaks Trail. We have also initiated a review process to see if this intersection can qualify as a four-way stop.

The January Drive Flood Risk Reduction Project is well underway, and they are ahead of schedule. If you live on January Drive and the construction damages your property, document it and reach out to Lawclaims@austintexas.gov (512-974-2268) as soon as possible. Once this project is complete, technical ownership of the empty plots along February Drive and the creek will be transferred between City departments (from Watershed to Parks & Rec.). This is when the area will be transformed into a pocket park.

Thank you for keeping up to date with the developments in and around the neighborhood!

Be well,
Daniel

Daniel White
NEWCNA President
10/03/25

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NEWCNA has long advocated for the neighborhood’s interests. This page was created to accompany the third quarter newsletter of 2025 to help NEWCNA residents gain a greater understanding of the developments which surround our neighborhood. Do you have any follow up questions, comments, or concerns? Please reach out via the contact form below!