South Austin drivers may experience delays during commutes due to ongoing work at the William Cannon at Bluff Springs intersection.

The big picture: The city is making improvements to the intersection in response to residents’ safety concerns. According to a news release from the city, the intersection will be replaced with concrete, rather than asphalt, which lasts longer. The project also includes Americans with Disabilities Act improvements.

Construction teams began improving the intersection July 1 and expect to continue construction through September. During construction, commuters can expect temporary lane closures, traffic signal interruptions and increased travel times.

One more thing: The project is funded by a city of Austin 2018 mobility bond.

Discount department store Burlington opened a new location in South Austin in late June.

The details: Located at Southpark Meadows shopping center, the store sells discounted clothes, footwear and accessories for men, women and children, along with beauty products and home decor. The retailer recently opened another location at the Shops at Arbor Walk in Northwest Austin in July, and in the former Joann Crafts building in Round Rock in May. 

• 9600 S. I-35 frontage road, Bldg. K, Austin

A Burlington in Kyle, a Fairfield Inn in Bastrop and an AutoZone in Austin are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Burlington ($16.5 million): A new Burlington store is coming to the Kyle Park mixed-use development.

2. Fairfield Inn Staybridge Suites ($10 million): A new 121-key hotel is coming to Bastrop, with construction set to conclude in summer 2028.

3. Slaughter Lane Signal Improvements ($1.2 million): This project includes the installation of accessible pedestrian push-buttons, pedestrian signal poles, and renovation of curb ramps and adjacent sidewalks at 11 traffic signals on the Slaughter Lane corridor.

4. AutoZone ($1.1 million): A new AutoZone location is planned for Austin. The 6,446 square-foot auto parts store is set to begin construction in April.

5. Jersey Mike's ($250,000): A new Jersey Mike's is planned for Cedar Park. The 1,457-square-foot sandwich shop is expected to be completed in October.

Texas lawmakers are considering cutting a costly, decade-old tax break for the state’s booming data center industry.

The overview: Texas spends more than $1 billion annually on the sales tax exemption, and the comptroller’s office estimated in 2025 that due to the program, the state will lose about $3.2 billion in sales tax revenue over the next two years.

The Lone Star State is home to the nation’s fastest-growing data center market, and the Data Center Coalition, which advocates for the industry, has argued that the tax break program is key to maintaining that title. Senators and members of the public who spoke at a July 27 hearing disagreed.

Looking ahead: Amid a bipartisan push for more regulation of data centers, senators indicated that they intend to add more strings to the tax exemption program or eliminate it entirely.

"The question is whether or not we need to have a special session where all of us are focusing in on this," Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, said.

“We do,” Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, replied.