Updated September 10, 2026
If you have driven around West Lake Hills and West Austin in 2026, it has been easy to assume that all the orange cones belong to one coordinated road project. They do not.
The City of West Lake Hills is maintaining 31 local streets, while the Texas Department of Transportation is rebuilding the Loop 360 intersections at Courtyard Drive and RM 2222. The two projects have different agencies, budgets, locations and timelines. The city work moves from street to street. The TxDOT project began in April 2026 and is expected to continue through late 2029. The project was environmentally cleared for construction in spring 2021.
There is one more distinction worth making: the active Loop 360 project is at RM 2222, north of West Lake Hills. It is not the same as a future Loop 360 project being evaluated at RM 2244, also known as Bee Cave Road.
West Lake Hills Road Construction in 2026: The Short Version
City street maintenance: The City of West Lake Hills hired Alpha Paving Industries to perform crack sealing and mill-and-overlay work on 31 streets. Work began July 6, 2026, and is moving through the city in shorter, street-by-street segments.
Loop 360 at Courtyard Drive and RM 2222: TxDOT and contractor Webber began a $68.4 million interchange project in April 2026. It includes an underpass at Courtyard Drive, a diverging diamond interchange at RM 2222, new connector roads, drainage improvements, shared-use paths and sidewalks. TxDOT expects completion in late 2029.
Bee Cave Road: Several streets on the city maintenance list connect to Bee Cave Road, but Bee Cave Road itself is not listed as part of that maintenance contract. TxDOT's RM 2244 project is separate from the active work at RM 2222.
The City of West Lake Hills Street Maintenance Project
On June 24, 2026, the West Lake Hills City Council approved a contract of nearly $1.7 million with Alpha Paving Industries for the city's 2026 Street Maintenance Project. Work began July 6 and covers 31 streets across the city.
This is preventive maintenance, not a full road reconstruction. Crews are using two primary treatments:
- Crack sealing: Rubberized sealant fills small pavement cracks to help keep water and debris from reaching the subgrade.
- Mill and overlay: Crews remove the worn top layer of asphalt and replace it with a new surface.
West Lake Hills has a recurring funding source for this work. Voters first approved a dedicated half-percent Street Maintenance Sales Tax in 2021 and reauthorized it for eight more years in November 2025. State law limits that revenue to maintaining and repairing existing city streets and sidewalks; it cannot be used to build new roads.
Which West Lake Hills streets are included?
The city's initial 2026 crack-sealing list includes portions of:
- Ledgeway Street
- Yaupon Valley Road
- Sundown Parkway
- Wood Trail
- Westhaven Drive
- Wildcat Hollow
- Carrara Drive
- Forest View Drive
- Oak Ridge Drive
- Bulian Lane
- Hillcrest Court
- Woodview Court
- Reveille Road
- Las Lomas Drive
- Crestwood Court
- Ridgemont Court
- Westbrook Drive
- Camp Craft Road
- Old Bee Cave Road
The work does not affect every block of every street. The city's 2026 Projects and Updates page identifies the specific segments and is the best place to check current progress.
For residents on an active segment, the city advises planning for construction equipment, temporary traffic control, short-term noise and brief delays. That is a different level of disruption from a multi-year highway interchange project.
The Loop 360 Project at Courtyard Drive and RM 2222
The larger project is a TxDOT rebuild of Loop 360 at Courtyard Drive and RM 2222. Although many West Lake Hills and 78746 residents use this corridor, the interchange is north of West Lake Hills and is not a city project.
The project was environmentally cleared in spring 2021. Construction began in April 2026 and is scheduled for completion in late 2029. According to TxDOT, the work will:
- Remove the traffic signal from the Loop 360 mainlanes at Courtyard Drive and construct an underpass
- Reconfigure RM 2222 at Loop 360 as a diverging diamond interchange
- Build northbound and southbound connector roads, drainage systems, braided ramps and a Courtyard Drive bridge
- Add shared-use paths and sidewalks within the project limits
- Complete final paving and striping before opening the permanent traffic pattern
The project is funded by TxDOT and the City of Austin's 2016 Mobility Bond. TxDOT lists Webber as the contractor. Drivers can check the official Courtyard Drive/RM 2222 project page for current construction activity, lane closures and traffic-pattern changes.
What did the 2024 rockslide have to do with it?
The May 2024 rockslide on the west side of Loop 360 did not create the need for the Courtyard Drive/RM 2222 interchange. TxDOT had already environmentally cleared the interchange project in 2021 in response to congestion, mobility and safety concerns.
The rockslide did require a related West Cliffs stabilization project before major interchange construction could proceed. That advance work involved removing roughly 155,000 cubic yards of limestone and scheduling portions of the work around migratory-bird protections. In other words, the rockslide affected the construction sequence, but it was not the reason the interchange was planned.
Is Bee Cave Road Part of Either Project?
This is where the project names become especially confusing.
Several streets included in West Lake Hills' maintenance work begin or end at Bee Cave Road, including Sundown Parkway, Wood Trail, Westhaven Drive, Reveille Road, Westbrook Drive, Camp Craft Road and Old Bee Cave Road. The city is working on those local streets; its published list does not identify Bee Cave Road itself as one of the 31 streets being maintained.
The active TxDOT interchange project is at Courtyard Drive and RM 2222. Bee Cave Road is RM 2244. TxDOT has a separate RM 2244 project page for possible future improvements at Loop 360 and Bee Cave Road, but that is not the interchange currently under construction at RM 2222.
That distinction matters when reading a traffic alert—or when evaluating how a specific Westlake address may be affected. "Near Loop 360" can describe very different daily driving conditions depending on the intersection and the route a resident actually uses.
Wild Basin Weekend Reservations and Fees
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve has also changed how weekend and holiday visits work. Weekday entry remains free and does not require a reservation. On weekends and federal holidays, visitors must reserve a hiking pass in advance; each pass is valid for a three-hour window.
Current fees are $5 for adults, $3 for ages 6 through 17, free for children ages 1 through 5, and $15 for a group of four to six adults. The preserve says the reservation system helps prevent overuse and supports conservation and operating costs. Before visiting, check the official Wild Basin visitor page for current hours, availability and trail rules.
The preserve covers 227 acres off Loop 360 and offers almost three miles of trails. Arroyo Vista is the shortest loop at 0.6 miles; Creek Loop is 1.5 miles and includes creek crossings; Ledge Trail follows a limestone outcrop; and the nearly two-mile Yaupon Loop is the longest option.
A New West Lake Hills Restaurant on Bee Cave Road
Taqueria de Diez opened its third Austin-area location in West Lake Hills in spring 2026. The restaurant is at 3736 Bee Cave Road, Suite 2, and serves Tijuana-style tacos, burritos and quesadillas in an open-kitchen format. It is a smaller change than the road projects, but it is another useful update for residents following what is new along the Bee Cave Road corridor.
What the Construction Can Mean for Westlake Real Estate
Road work does not produce one automatic effect on property value. A short paving project on a residential street is different from living near years of highway construction, and a temporary inconvenience is different from a permanent change in access or traffic flow.
For buyers, the useful questions are property-specific:
- Which route will you use for work, school and daily errands?
- Is the nearby work short-term maintenance or part of a multi-year project?
- Will a future traffic pattern change how you enter or leave the area?
- Are noise, dust or access issues affecting the property now, or are they several miles away?
For sellers, it helps to explain the project accurately rather than letting buyers assume that every cone in West Austin signals years of disruption.
My Westlake neighborhood guide covers the broader housing, lifestyle and location questions behind a move to the area. If you are weighing a purchase or sale, I can help you separate a temporary construction nuisance from a location issue that may affect daily life or future resale—and keep the conversation grounded in the specific property rather than the headline.
For residents thinking through what any of this means for a property decision down the road, whether that is a renovation, a sale, or simply understanding how these infrastructure shifts might shape the corridor over time, Scott Pate Real Estate works with Westlake owners and buyers who want that conversation grounded in what is actually happening on the ground, not a summary written from somewhere else. Schedule a private consultation when the timing is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What road construction is happening in West Lake Hills in 2026?
The City of West Lake Hills is completing crack sealing and mill-and-overlay maintenance on 31 local streets. Separately, TxDOT is rebuilding Loop 360 at Courtyard Drive and RM 2222, north of the city.
When will the Loop 360 project at RM 2222 be finished?
TxDOT says construction began in April 2026 and is expected to be complete in late 2029. The project was environmentally cleared in spring 2021.
Is Bee Cave Road being rebuilt as part of the Loop 360 and RM 2222 project?
No. Bee Cave Road is RM 2244. The active interchange construction is at RM 2222 and Courtyard Drive. TxDOT is evaluating a separate project at Loop 360 and RM 2244.
Which streets are part of the West Lake Hills maintenance project?
The city's initial crack-sealing list includes portions of Ledgeway Street, Yaupon Valley Road, Sundown Parkway, Wood Trail, Westhaven Drive, Wildcat Hollow, Carrara Drive, Forest View Drive, Oak Ridge Drive, Bulian Lane, Las Lomas Drive, Westbrook Drive, Camp Craft Road, Old Bee Cave Road and several nearby courts and streets. The city project page provides the exact segments.
Will the road work affect Westlake home values?
There is no single answer for every property. The effect depends on distance from the work, the duration and type of construction, the property's normal travel routes, and whether the final road design changes access or traffic flow. Those factors should be evaluated at the address level.
