Austin leaders are working to lay out an economic roadmap to continue developing the local economy, draw major projects to the area and expand the city's global presence amid a recalibration of local market conditions.

The setup: Changes are in the works a population and economic boom through the 2010s and COVID-19 pandemic, referred to by city leaders as a "hyper-growth" period. Although the city maintains a diverse economy that's drawing people and investment, planners are now looking farther ahead as that growth slows. Assistant City Manager Eric Johnson said Austin's ongoing infrastructure makeover, or "reurbanization," and stiff competition from surrounding Central Texas communities are among the reasons for current shifts.

What's new? A new economic development roadmap is now aimed at spurring growth and job creation, promoting the city as a destination for both large and local business, improving city permitting and regulations, and launching innovative economic programs to test new strategies. The plan is now coming together over a three-year timeline, with a final update on the initiative coming later this spring.

Concordia University’s renovated chapel, located in the school’s Welcome Center, reopened on March 23 after undergoing renovations.

What happened: The $2.2 million renovations began in August and improved accessibility and updated technology, officials said.

While the chapel maintains its 250-seat capacity, the previously fixed seating has been replaced with movable chairs to allow for more flexible uses of the room. Additionally, the stage has been reconfigured to improve visual access for audiences.

What else? The chapel hosts students for service three to four times a week, as well as serves as a venue for extracurricular events and academic lectures. University officials hope to extend use of the chapel to the public for speaker series, musical performances or other events.

Check out six upcoming, ongoing or completed transportation projects across the Austin metro.

Ongoing projects

Chisholm Trail South improvements
Project: The city of Round Rock is reconstructing Chisholm Trail Road from Sam Bass Road to RM 620, with drainage, pedestrian, and lighting improvements.
Update: Construction recently resumed. Pedestrian improvements are under design. In February, traffic was temporarily rerouted to address utility issues.

• Timeline: roadway completion expected in summer 2026
• Cost: $4.26 million for construction
• Funding source: type B sales tax revenue

• Timeline: July 2024-February 2026
• Cost: $25.9 million
• Funding source: 2020 Mobility Bond

More than 229,000 students have applied to receive state funds for private education or homeschooling under Texas’ education savings account program, according to the state comptroller’s office.

By the numbers: State data indicates that the most applications have been submitted on behalf of students living in urban areas and the surrounding suburban communities. As of March 8, students living in Houston ISD’s boundaries led the pack with over 8,900 applications, followed by 6,700 applicants in Dallas ISD.

The data reflects how many students living in each district's boundaries have applied, including those not currently enrolled in a public school.

The background: State lawmakers created the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program in 2025.

Students accepted for the 2026-27 school year will receive $10,474 for private education or up to $2,000 for homeschool. Students with disabilities can receive up to $30,000 each.

More details: Of the first 152,000 program applicants, nearly three-quarters were not enrolled in a public school during the 2025-26 school year, data obtained by the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency shows.