Read about the following transportation updates in Southwest Austin and Dripping Springs that could affect commutes.

Upcoming projects: Darden Hill Road/CR 162 Phase 2
Project: Hays County will construct a four-lane divided roadway spanning 1.7 miles from the Sawyer Ranch roundabout to RM 1826.
Update: A partially executed utility coordination public service announcement and work authorization is expected to be presented to the Hays County Commissioners Court on April 14.

Ongoing projects: Oak Hill Parkway
Project: The 7-mile stretch of highway has been undergoing a $677 million facelift since 2021. TxDOT is currently reconstructing Hwy. 290 in Oak Hill, transforming the existing four-lane, undivided roadway to a six-lane divided highway with new frontage roads and 14 miles of shared-use paths, according to TxDOT documents.
Update: As early as April, the Convict Hill cross-street bridge will open.

Deep Eddy Pool will reopen April 13 after annual cleaning and maintenance.

The details: The pool was originally slated to reopen April 11, but due to rainy conditions, the opening was delayed. The pool was repainted, and the delay ensures the paint will dry, according to a news release.

Deep Eddy closed March 28, as previously reported by Community Impact.

Going forward: Deep Eddy Pool will be closed every Tuesday for cleaning starting April 21. 

Austinites can visit other pools across the city, including Big Stacy, Bartholomew, Springwoods, Colony Park and Barton Springs during Deep Eddy Pool's closure. More Austin pools can be found on the city's website.

• 401 Deep Eddy Ave., Austin

The Trail Conservatory will launch this year’s TEMPO on the Trail art exhibition on April 11, showcasing work from local and regional artists.
 
The details: The outdoor art galley will display installations from nine artists who were selected from a pool of over 100 applicants. Selected artists include Victoria Marquez, Jamal Hussain, Vy Ngo and Jasna Boudard. Trail-goers can expect to see murals, sculptures and new media along the trail. 

Stay tuned: The exhibition’s opening ceremony will be held at Seaholm Waterfront on April 11 from 9-11 a.m. Attendees are invited to meet the artists and take guided bike tours and self guided walking tours along the Butler Trail. 

The open air gallery is presented by The Trail Conservatory in partnership with the city’s Art in Public Places program—both of whom will give remarks at the opening celebration.

Check out top stories in Austin April 6-9.

1. New European steakhouse opens in Georgetown

2. Final vision for alternative to Hwy. 71 approved in Bee Cave

3. 204 Texas breaks ground on nearly 600-acre film studio in Bastrop

4. New Leander restaurant grills up classic Persian, Mediterranean flavors

5. Traffic signals coming soon to Wyoming Springs Drive extension in Round Rock

6. New coffee shop to open in Hutto

Electric car manufacturer Tesla will receive less of a tax rebate than initially expected from Travis County due to “partial noncompliance” with the performance-based agreement.

Since 2020, the county has promised Tesla millions in tax incentives to build Giga Texas—a 10-million-square-foot electric car manufacturing plant near Del Valle. At an April 7 meeting, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted to withhold 9% of funds allocated for 2020-22 after receiving “incomplete documentation” from Colorado River Project, a subsidiary company of Tesla, County Judge Andy Brown said.

"We have to continue to demand accountability in future compliance conversations," Commissioner Ann Howard said.

The overview: Under the agreement, Tesla would receive a 70% rebate on its maintenance and operations property taxes for the first $1.09 billion invested through Giga Texas. To receive these rebates, the company was required to create at least 5,001 new full-time jobs—50% of which must be filled by Travis County residents—among other requirements.

Tesla was projected to receive a $14.65 million rebate over 10 years, according to 2020 county estimates.

Texas education officials are currently overhauling the state’s social studies curriculum standards, with policymakers, teachers, parents and historians clashing over how students should be taught about the history of Texas, the U.S. and the world.

The overview: The State Board of Education reviews standards for all curriculum areas every 15-20 years, dictating what Texas' 5.5 million public school students should learn at each grade level.

As written, the plan would reduce how much time students spend learning about world history and cultures in favor of more Texas-focused subjects. Critics of the proposal have pushed to include a more diverse set of perspectives to ensure all students feel represented in the curriculum, while those who support it said students’ education should be centered around American exceptionalism, state history and Christianity.

Next steps: The SBOE, which has the final say on the curriculum changes, was taking an initial vote on the plan as of press time and is scheduled to adopt the final standards in June. The new requirements would be rolled out to classrooms in 2030.