While intense construction on the lowering and widening of Interstate 35 isn’t scheduled to begin until mid- or late 2026, local business and political leaders want the public to know that decisions and talks taking place now will have a dramatic effect on how the project reshapes Austin’s future. Transportation and commerce experts discussed the […]
35 expands
Posted inRoads
City seeking $191M state loan to cover costs of caps and stitch for I-35
The city will turn to a state loan program as a major source of the funding for the more than $500 million cost of constructing caps and a stitch over Interstate 35 after it is buried and expanded over the course of the next decade. At today’s meeting, City Council is expected to approve an […]
Posted inRoads
Federal grant provides $105M for Chavez-Fourth Street cap over rebuilt I-35
The city received a boost in its plan to construct broad, plaza-like caps over sunken portions of Interstate 35, with the announcement of a $105 million federal grant to fund a portion of the construction. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation named Austin as a recipient of a Capital Construction Grant that is part […]
Posted inRoads
Your ultimate guide to the I-35 expansion through Central Austin
Austin’s Interstate 35 – the spine of the region’s roadway grid – is about to undergo the largest expansion since the highway opened in 1962. Brace yourself: Construction could last a decade. This time it’s for real. The money – at least $4.5 billion – has been set aside. The Texas Department of Transportation is […]
Posted inRoads
I-35 expansion sparks civil rights complaint and another lawsuit
Opponents of the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) plans to widen Interstate 35 from Ben White Boulevard to U.S. 290 East are taking their fight to federal court. The legal complaint echoes calls heard at rallies and from local elected officials against one of the largest road projects in Austin’s history. The group of 16 plaintiffs — […]
Posted inPlanning
Panelists discuss size, shape of downtown caps proposed for I-35 expansion
Planners expect the series of multi-acre caps that will eventually cover portions of a reconstructed Interstate 35 to feature compact two- and three-story buildings that could support retail, arts spaces or limited amounts of housing to serve the downtown area. Those lower profiles could make the projects less attractive for potential developers who prefer height […]
Posted inRoads
Council set to commit $15.4 million for design work on I-35 caps and stitches
City Council plans to move forward with adding four plaza-like caps and four “stitch” crossings to portions of the reconstruction of Interstate 35. A memo released yesterday from Transportation and Public Works Department Director Richard Mendoza updates Council and Mayor Kirk Watson on the timeline and funding options involved in the cap-and-stitch effort, which is […]
Posted inRoads
City prepares to spend first $15M to design caps for I-35 expansion
City Council has given early direction to staff to begin working on the financial planning and models for constructing a series of caps over portions of a reconstructed and lowered Interstate 35. At Tuesday’s work session, Council members heard a number of scenarios and timelines for adding caps, which are large plazas that would be […]
Posted inRoads
Three City Council members join “Wider Won’t Work” rally against I-35 expansion
Three City Council members spoke Sunday at the Rethink35 “Wider Won’t Work” rally against the Interstate 35 Capital Express project. Those in attendance at Sanchez Elementary School included Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis, who is chair of Council’s Mobility Committee, as well as Council members José Velásquez and Zo Qadri. The speaker lineup also featured […]
Posted inRoads
Council pushes for pause on I-35 expansion, citing air quality concerns
Citing concerns over possible environmental and air quality impacts, City Council wants to delay the start of the reconstruction of Interstate 35. By a 7-3 vote, Council approved a resolution Thursday that asked the Texas Department of Transportation and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization to hold off on any funding for the $4.5 billion project […]
Posted inRoads
Austinites in the path of wider I-35 prepare to be pushed out
Along Interstate 35, the notices have arrived. The highway expansion has been off and on for years. But now it’s actually happening. People who received letters or phone calls will have to leave. They have a few months, maybe more. “It’s hard,” said Dina Flores, the owner of Spanish-immersion day care Escuelita del Alma. She […]
Posted inRoads
Rethink35 plans what it hopes will be largest anti-highway protest in Texas history
Rethink35, the organization fighting the Interstate 35 Capital Express Project slated to begin next year, is organizing what it hopes to be the largest anti-highway protest in Texas history. The rally is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Nov. 5 at the Sanchez Elementary, which is located at 73 San Marcos Street. According to a Wednesday […]