BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
Stay tuned
Put in perspective
MoPac South travel times in 2045* By 2045, the 2C express lanes could cut northbound travel times by 60% and southbound travel times by 64%. Northbound morning peak hours
The Mobility Authority’s virtual public hearing for the draft environmental assessment opened March 9 and will run through May 3. The agency also held an in-person public hearing March 24, after press time. The agency also worked with TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to consider a more in-depth environmental impact statement, which Levinski said is needed for a project of this scale. “In all cases, TXDOT has consistently confirmed that an EA is the appropriate [National Environmental Policy Act] environmental study process for this project,” Mobility Authority officials said in an email. According to the agency, once feedback is reviewed and considered for project adjustments, the final environmental assessment document will be submitted to TxDOT. If a finding of no significant impact is received, the Mobility Authority can then vote to move into the next phase of funding, design and construction.
2C is also being evaluated against a no-build, or “do nothing” alternative. According to the Mobility Authority, by 2045 the 2C express lanes would save drivers 12 minutes during northbound morning peak hours of 7-9 a.m. and 14 minutes during southbound evening peak hours of 4-6:30 p.m., compared to the no-build alternative. The general-purpose lanes would save drivers four minutes northbound and five minutes southbound. Bobby Levinski, senior staff attorney with Save Our Springs Alliance, said construction generates a significant amount of traffic itself, and expanding road capacity only increases vehicle miles traveled. “That’s the opposite direction I think a lot of people are trying to get the city to head, which is ... trying to work towards traffic demand management solutions where we can have some alternatives to just highway expansion,” Levinski said. “I think a lot of people are asking, is it really worth it?”
2C general-purpose lanes
16 minutes
2C express lanes 8 minutes No-build alternative
20 minutes
Southbound evening peak hours
2C general-purpose lanes
17 minutes
2C express lanes 8 minutes No-build alternative
22 minutes
*BASED ON THE CAPITAL AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION 2045 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN MODEL
Get involved Community members can provide public comment on the draft environmental assessment through May 3 via the following:
The local impact
and downtown Austin,” Hoover said. Paige Ellis, Austin City Council District 8 council member, also submitted a letter to the Mobility Authority last January that included a request for only one express lane to be built. “There’s a lot of discussion around toll roads, par- ticularly in southwest Austin, that are concerning to a lot of people,” Ellis said. “We certainly do not want to become a thoroughfare to bypass I-35.”
Some community members have raised concerns that the proposed plan could pose challenges for local businesses. Cathy Hoover, CEO of the Westlake Chamber of Commerce, said the plan could impact traffic pat- terns for residents coming from the east and west parts of the corridor, making it increasingly difficult for businesses to attract and retain talent. “Larger residential communities rely heavily on Bee Cave Road and Loop 360 for access to MoPac
Online at ph.mopacsouth.com
By mail to Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, c/o MoPac South, 3300 N. IH-35, Suite 300, Austin In a three-minute-maximum voicemail at 512-387-5811
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