How Can Austinites Shape the Future of I-35?
Community Plans Clash With TxDOT’s Vision For Expansion Project
By Nina Hernandez
TxDOT Rendering of I-35 Proposal
One of the few things Central Texans can reliably agree upon is I-35 is one of the biggest traffic quagmires we face and the problem is only getting worse as the metro population continues to boom. Of course, how to go about fixing the problem is predictably where we begin to clash.
The Texas Department of Transportation’s solution is the I-35 Capital Express Central project.
As currently proposed, the plan would widen the interstate where it runs through Austin to as many as 20 lanes, removing the upper deck, and reconstructing east to west cross bridges. After the initial plans were criticized for neglecting pedestrian and bicyclist safety, the agency recently assured Austin City Council in an internal memo that the plans would include reduced speed limits on frontage roads (35-40 mph down from 40-50 mph) and a shifting of all downtown frontage roads to the west side of the highway in order to free more transition parkland space.
Still, it appears almost no one is happy with the TxDOT plans. Those who aren’t alarmed at the idea of creating more lanes for traffic to occupy are decrying that the project will displace nearly 200 existing Central Austin properties. Not to mention that nothing in the plans address two of the biggest issues with 35.
The highway’s notorious role in the segregation of Austin has been a key point in discussions about how to contend with systemic racism in Austin and Travis County, but this plan doubles down on that divide in the name of relief from traffic congestion – relief that TxDOT’s own engineers admit would be temporary at best.
But what can we do to change course as the TxDOT machine continues its environmental studies this summer?
Rethink35 is a campaign to transform the current I-35 into a walkable, bikeable, and livable thoroughfare where north and south traffic slow down in the city’s urban center. Proponents envision wide, tree-lined sidewalks and protected bicycle lanes with room for dedicated transit lanes. Anticipating skepticism, advocates note that regional traffic would move to the State Highway 130 toll road. The campaign is also conducting a community engagement process to fill out more design specifics.
But where is the traffic going to go? Data from Walk Austin indicates that 55% of Austinites would use an alternative mode of transportation if it were a viable option. And we know from past traffic analysis that an overwhelming majority of I-35 traffic is local. A rethought I-35 boulevard would theoretically put the forces in place for a reduction in congestion. All that while creating development opportunities for affordable housing and community-enriching amenities.
Whatever the solution for this traffic conundrum, one thing is certain: A 20-lane mega highway is not a valid solution.
For more information about Rethink35, visit Rethink35.com.
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Rendering of Rethink35 Boulevard Proposal
