The Texas Department of Transportation will hold a virtual public hearing, with an in-person option, to receive public input on the preferred alternative for the I-35 Capital Express Central project
I-35 through downtown Austin is the 3rd most congested highway segment in Texas. With the regional population expected to double by 2045, TxDOT says improvements to the aging infrastructure are needed to mitigate congestion and enhance mobility.
The preferred alternative, also known as Modified-Build Alternative 3, proposes to add two non-tolled high-occupancy-vehicle managed lanes in each direction between US 290 East and State Highway 71/Ben White Boulevard. The project would also lower the I-35 mainlanes between Airport Boulevard and Lady Bird Lake, and Riverside Drive and Oltorf Street, as well as remove the upper decks, widen east-west cross-street bridges, add boulevard-style segments through downtown, and enhance pedestrian and bicycle paths.
This design will add more than 16 miles of new shared-use paths, constructing 13 widened east-west crossings with 30 feet on each side for bicycle and pedestrian paths and safety buffers. 17 bridges or cross-streets will be reconstructed, and bicycle and pedestrian-only bridges will be added throughout the corridor.
A virtual public hearing will be available on My35CapEx.com beginning at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9 until Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
