How is South Congress traffic in the morning?

[TheFied]

My wife has had bad bad traffic lately on Mopac to downtown in the morning. We live in SW Austin and traffic on Mopac starts up around William Cannon. I work in east Austin so I don't deal with that.

I told her that she could take Mopac to Ben White and then east on Ben White to Congress. And then Congress north to downtown (her firm has offices in the Frost Bank Tower).

Which got me thinking.... how is traffic on South Congress going north to downtown from Ben White to downtown? I know many people here live in SoCo and Travis Heights so they should know this. Is it better than Mopac? There are stoplights but does traffic flow well? Where are the bottlenecks?

 

[mishatx]

it's not bad. The worst part is that the light at Congress and Ben White can back up pretty bad.

 

[TheFied]

you mean the light from east bound ben white to go north on congress?

 

[Benson32]

traffic flows well. if mopac isnt moving this is a much better route.

 

[SimplyDevine]

Another option is S. 1st street up into downtown. It's not too bad in the mornings..

 

[tropheus]

I think South First is easier at the river, but both are essentially the same to the river. I think Lavaca (what S. First turns into) is easier in the downtown area. If she takes S. First, have her go all the way downtown to the same street she'd turn right on if she went down Congress, then turn right.

 

[TheFied]

her firm is out of the Frost Bank Building downtown. so i think that is congress and 4th or 3rd. so she would take South 1st to cesar chavez and then cesar chavez to congress?

 

[TheFied]

Ok, I thought that S. 1st made you get onto Cesar Chavez, I didn't realize it continued as Lavaca. She could take S. 1st, turns into Lavaca, right onto 4th to the parking garage there. Cool.

 

[mishatx]

Yes, that's the light i mean.

S. 1st is better, because that light from Ben White doesn't back up onto the highway and if you're going to the west half of downtown you're already there.

 

[TheFied]

my wife had to go to the main office on friday for some meetings. and then on friday around 5:30, took south congress to ben white to mopac home. she loved it.

now if only we can find a better way for her to get from Circle C to Las Cimas and 360.............. the mopac way is horrible for her.

 

[mishatx]

In reply to:

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[mishatx]

In fact, if you take the Ecarpment route, let me suggest
SW pkwy
Mirador
Escala
Lost creek
360
Las Cimas

 

[TheFied]

she has tried escarpment to wm cannon to sw parkway to barton creek to 360/las cimas. only thing is that a long ways....

 

[mishatx]

yep, but short of a helicopter, that's about the only other choice.