In a letter to the department, the city called for an increased focus on shifting demand away from single-occupancy vehicles and boosting other forms of transportation.
The city of Austin is criticizing a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plan to expand Interstate 35 through the city's center, which local officials feel does not "sufficiently respond to the needs identified by the City of Austin," as reported by Bryce Newberry for KVUE. In a letter to the department, assistant city manager Gina Fiandaca "outlined concerns over safety, connecting East and Central Austin, and how well the plan would address congestion in the region." Last Thursday, "the city council approved a resolution urging TxDOT to take 'positive action' on the City’s comments and directing the city manager’s office to launch an independent public input process on the project."
The letter said "TxDOT’s proposal does not meet Austin’s Strategic Mobility Plan, approved by the council in 2019, which addresses the next 20 years of transportation in the capital city. It forecasts that by 2039, 50% of Austinites will drive alone, while the other 50% will use other forms of transportation, such as bikes or transit." Fiandaca went on to write, "we cannot build ourselves out of congestion by expanding unmanaged capacity for single occupancy vehicles" through expanded freeways, but "must do everything possible to shift travel demand from driving alone to other forms of transportation." Austin "is urging TxDOT to account for things like high-capacity transit or bicycle systems with the expansion project." Other critics have called the project, as originally proposed, a "generational failure" that fails to look to the future of transportation.
TxDOT has faced similar pushback from Houston, where a controversial project to expand I-45 has drawn concerns from local activists, as well as a lawsuit.
FULL STORY: Austin council raises concerns over TxDOT’s I-35 expansion proposal
Austin Interstate Expansion Plan Draws Opposition
A proposal to widen I-35 has drawn criticism from community members who want to see the city shift away from car-centric development.
A Freeway Rebellion Rises in the Unlikeliest of States: Texas
“There’s no train, there’s no bus, there’s no anything that supports mass transportation. It doesn’t exist.” -Houston resident Fabian Ramirez.
Austin Leaders Denounce 20-Lane Freeway Project
TxDOT is pushing ahead with plans for a massive freeway expansion project through downtown Austin despite opposition from virtually all local leaders.
The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.
Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.
Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.
U.S. Transit Agencies Face a Financial Crisis
Transit providers around the country are scrambling to find new sources of revenue to replace lagging ridership and reorienting their systems to a future less dependent on daily commuters.
California Rejects Six-State Colorado River Plan, Proposes Its Own
State officials claim a proposal agreed upon by the other six states using Colorado River water disproportionately impacts California farmers.
Washington Focuses Road Safety Efforts on Individuals, Neglecting Design
Legislative efforts to reduce traffic deaths could move the needle toward Vision Zero, but state leaders failed to commit infrastructure funds to making structural improvements.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
York County, Human Resources
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
City of Piedmont, CA
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
