Austin’s Vision for I-35 Cap Parks Takes Final Shape

Newly revealed plans show Austin’s finalized vision for capping Interstate 35 after the Texas Department of Transportation lowers the main lanes below street level to accommodate deck parks. 

Nathan Bernier describes the proposal, which includes a series of ‘caps and stitches,’ for KUT News. “Caps are more than 300 feet wide, and require advanced ventilation and fire suppression technology for the lanes below. Stitches are essentially caps that are less than 300 feet wide and don't require as much equipment.”

But don’t expect to walk around on top of I-35 anytime soon: “While the first cap could open as soon as 2032, a child born today would have graduated college by the time the plans depicted below are fully constructed,” Bernier notes. (See the source article for images.) Funding for the full project also remains unclear, although it has received some federal grants.

Bernier provides a walkthrough of the plans, outlining the key elements of each portion of the project. “Austin has to prove to TxDOT that it's serious about the capping project. The city must pay the state $19 million by the end of the year to finish engineering designs for the base caps. Local officials must also present TxDOT with a funding plan that shows how the city will pay for everything.”