Texas’ transportation priorities were on display in March—a few days after the gutting of a transit plan, a highway expansion broke ground depite years of local opposition.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) broke ground on the I-35 Capital Express Central Project, a $606 million project to add a high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane in each direction on an eight-mile stretch between U.S. 290 East and Texas State Highway 45.
According to an article by Nathan Bernier, the groundbreaking took place with local officials on hand to praise the investment and protestors in the background chanting in opposition of the environmental damage and loss of useable land as a result of the project. Earlier in March, Bernier also reported that the project would seize land from Waller Beach Park for construction.
“State and local officials gave speeches praising the project outside a TxDOT office in North Austin. They were heckled throughout by a group of about 20 protesters with the nonprofit Rethink35, which calls for replacing the highway with a boulevard. Demonstrators stood at the edge of TxDOT's property, chanting over the roar of I-35 traffic behind them,” writes Bernier of the scene at the groundbreaking.
The Austin City Council and local advocates repeatedly tried to block the plan to widen I-35 where it cuts through the city’s core, but TxDOT announced its final decision to move forward with the HOV lanes in November 2022.
The groundbreaking took place just a few days after the Austin Transit Partnership and Capital Metro announced a drastic reduction of the Project Connect transit investment plan due to rising costs.
Read the full story: Construction starts in North Austin on five-year project to expand I-35
TxDOT Moving Forward With Plan to Widen I-35 in Austin
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) wants to spend $4.6 billion to expand Interstate 35 in Austin despite alternative plans proposed by local groups.
Austin City Council Urges TxDOT to Reconsider I-35 Expansion
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.
Austin City Council Calls for Changes to Interstate Widening Plan
Legally powerless to stop TxDOT’s plans for freeway expansion, Austin city leaders hope to influence the agency to take some mitigation measures as it widens I-35.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment
The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.
California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal
Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.
Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states
Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority