For Circle C, the stretch of Slaughter Lane between MoPac and Brodie Lane is the road to the grocery store, the pharmacy and breakfast on Brodie. The City of Austin is rebuilding that stretch, and this fall the work is concentrated at its two ends. In its most recent update, the city said the lane reduction at Slaughter and MoPac would stay in place through November 2026. It also said new lane closures on southbound Brodie Lane, on the approach to Slaughter, would start the week of October 12 to support the next phase of construction.
That puts the drive's slow spots exactly where it starts and where it ends. The Brodie end is also where the area's dining has changed the most this year.
Where the squeeze is right now
The city's October 9, 2026 project update is short, and it's the most current official word. Here is the corridor as of that update.
| Location | What the city announced | Stated timing |
|---|---|---|
| Slaughter Lane at MoPac | Lane reduction in place | Expected through November 2026 |
| Southbound Brodie Lane approaching Slaughter | Additional lane closures for the next construction phase | Beginning the week of October 12, 2026 |
| New signals along Slaughter Lane | Activation of newly installed signals | Anticipated in October 2026 |
The city's advice is to plan for extra travel time and watch for changing traffic patterns. The signals have been coming for a while. Community Impact reported that the city started installing mast arms for them in August, with brief delays and closures.
The contract also sets a limit on how tight things can get. The construction item City Council approved in May 2025 calls for lane closures, detours and temporary pavement at different points along the road. It also requires at least one lane open in each direction at all times. So the corridor gets narrower but stays open.
The intersections being rebuilt
Between the two ends, most of the work happens at specific cross streets. The Council backup for the construction contract lists the intersection work:
- Sendera Mesa Drive: signal upgrade
- Bowie High School: signal upgrade
- Wolftrap Drive: signal upgrade
- Brodie Lane: signal upgrade
- Zuniga Drive: a new protected pedestrian crossing, which the city's current update calls a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
- Norman Trail: a new traffic signal
One access change got attention early. When construction began in July 2025, KXAN reported that the design removes the left-turn exit from Sendera South onto Zuniga Drive, which means drivers heading west would use Bremner Drive. That report came out at the start of the project. The city's current project page is the place to check what was actually built.
What the finished road looks like
The changes at both ends this fall are steps toward a different road. Today Slaughter runs four lanes between MoPac and Brodie. When the project is done it will be a six-lane divided street with an 8-foot shared-use path on each side and better bike and pedestrian crossings. The city's update also lists curb extensions for safer crossings.
Much of the work is underground and easy to miss. This stretch sits in the Williamson Creek and Slaughter Creek watersheds and inside the Barton Springs Zone, so the scope includes adding or refurbishing water-quality structures and stormwater detention. Trees and other plantings will go into the medians and around the ponds.
The costs and dates are public:
- Money. The city's Capital Projects Explorer lists $24.4 million in planned spending for the segment and $22.4 million obligated. Community Impact puts the project at $23 million.
- Builder. Council approved a construction contract with M.A. Smith Contracting Co., Inc. on May 8, 2025: $12,978,417 plus a contingency, capped at $14,276,259.
- Funding. The 2016 Austin Mobility Bond pays for it, along with a federal grant through the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
- Schedule. The contract allows 690 calendar days. The city's project page shows a Summer 2025 start and an anticipated end in Fall 2027.
That leaves about another year of construction after this fall.
The Brodie end changed this year too
The closures at the east end are close to where Circle C's errands have changed most in 2026. Shady Hollow Village is at 9901 Brodie Lane, and Randalls is at 9911 Brodie Lane, a store Randalls describes as near the Brodie and Slaughter intersection.
Phoebe's Diner took over Suite 120 at Shady Hollow Village. Community Impact reported that The Local closed in that space in January 2026 after about two years, and Phoebe's was announced as the replacement. Phoebe's opened April 10 with a menu that includes brisket, biscuits and brunch cocktails. Executive chef Camden Stuerzenberger runs the kitchen. The restaurant's location page lists hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day.
Pinky's Smash & Sip opened in Suite 170 of the same center on September 16. Community Impact's October 15 business roundup called it a soft opening. It serves Angus and Wagyu smashburgers, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, jalapeño poppers, milkshakes and dirty sodas, with drinks named the Barton Springs and Austin After Dark. Its ordering site lists hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and shows the restaurant closed on Tuesdays.
The Randalls at 9911 Brodie Lane has a pharmacy, bakery, deli and a Starbucks. Madam Mam's Thai Cuisine, in Suite 600 of the same center, reached 10 years in Southwest Austin this spring.
Farther along West Slaughter Lane, Community Impact's January 2026 roundup reported that DeSano Pizzeria Napoletana had opened November 24 at 5701 W. Slaughter Lane, Unit E-110.
The restaurant hours and the construction schedule overlap in a few ways. Phoebe's closes at 3 p.m. Pinky's is closed Tuesdays. Through November, both trips start at the lane reduction at Slaughter and MoPac, and anyone coming down Brodie from the north now passes the southbound closures on the way in.
Where the next update will come from
The city posts corridor news at SpeakUpAustin.org/SlaughterLane, and it emails the same updates to subscribers. Questions go to [email protected] or 512-974-2300. Council's contract item commits Capital Delivery Services to keep nearby residents and businesses informed through mailings, social media and press releases as the work moves along. The next update to watch for is whether the MoPac lane reduction ends on schedule at the end of November.
At Mahshid Caras, we follow projects like the Slaughter Lane rebuild because they shape how Circle C gets around every day, from the drive to Brodie Lane to how the corridor will work once the new lanes and paths open. If you have questions about how the Fall 2027 finish could affect your routine or your plans for your home, get in touch. We're glad to talk it through.
