The Texas Department of Transportation completed intersection improvements at Bee Cave Road and Loop 360 about four months ahead of schedule, helping to unsnarl the notoriously slow interchange.

“Summer being the way it was, they were able to get a whole lot of work done,” TxDOT area engineer Don Nyland said. “They were able to complete it and get it out of there to cause less problems for the traveling public.”

While he has not seen the final numbers, Nyland said the project likely came in somewhat higher than the budgeted $3.5 million due to unmapped utility lines.

“We had to modify the detention pond on the southwest corner because of a utility line that was in the way,” Nyland said of one of the issues.

Workers also found a water line at the intersection of Red Bud Trail and Bee Cave Road.

Between 40,000 and 46,000 drivers cross that intersection on Loop 360 each day and 27,000-38,000 drivers cross the intersection on Bee Cave Road each day. While TxDOT does not yet have hard data on how the improvements have lessened congestion and delays, anecdotally, drivers have been thrilled with the improvements.

“One guy said it’s taken 20 minutes off of his commute time,” he said.

The project also included crosswalks, stop signs at the exit of The Village at Westlake, and an additional lane from Red Bud Trail to Loop 360.

With the intersection complete, TxDOT officials are looking toward their upcoming projects in the area, the Red Bud Trail intersection and the center-turn lane beginning at Walsh Tarlton.

Nyland hopes to see the intersection construction put out for bid next summer but said the center turn lane and side walks from Walsh Tarlton still has too many unknowns for a time estimate.