News from Austin & Travis County
QUOTE OF NOTE
Austin, Travis County leaders press TxDOT on I 35 expansion AUSTIN City and county o cials in February each sent formal letters to the Texas Department of Transpor- tation opposing aspects of the state agency’s proposed I-35 expansion through Austin. Vela and other council members have expressed support for a “cap and stitch” plan, or city-funded segments that cover the highway either as paths BY KATY MCAFEE & BEN THOMPSON CAPITAL EXPRESS CENTRAL Both Travis County and Austin leaders in February sent letters opposing parts of the Texas Department of Transportation’s plan to expand I-35.
Austin City Council Will meet April 11 and 18 at 9 a.m. and April 13 and 20 at 10 a.m. 301 W. Second St., Austin. www. austintexas.gov/austin-city-council Travis County Commissioners Court Will meets April 4, 18 and 25 at 9 a.m. and April 6 and 20 at 1:30 p.m. www.traviscountytx.gov/ commissioners-court MEETINGS WE COVER HIGHLIGHTS AUSTIN Interim City Manager Jesús Garza shared news of several key sta changes after his return to City Hall. Austin’s airport director and assistant city manager over public safety have left, and former airport and police o cials will ll their places. Former Deputy City Manager Joe Canales and former assistant city manager and Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce CEO Laura Hu man were also appointed to support positions. AUSTIN City Council voted Feb. 23 for $1.5 million in settlements stemming from three lawsuits brought by protesters injured by Austin police o cers in the May 2020 protests downtown. The city has now agreed to pay out $18.88 million in related settlements. “THERE ARE MANY IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND I RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE COUNCIL’S SENSE OF URGENCY IN MEETING OUR COMMUNITY’S EXPECTATIONS FOR QUALITY SERVICE.” INTERIM AUSTIN CITY MANAGER JESÚS GARZA ON STAFFING CHANGES AT CITY HALL
across or with usable space. Mayor Kirk Watson express concerned with the due to the estimate $800 million cost. The following week, county com- missioners said they generally support TxDOT’s latest designs and believe there is a need to grow I-35 through Austin. However, they shared con- cerns about the plan’s potential e ects on the historic Palm School complex on West Cesar Chavez Street, which the county may seek to redevelop. Commissioners also requested a focus on limiting displacements and providing more safe access for pedestrians and cyclists.
The actions came as TxDOT contin- ues work on its environmental impact statement for the Capital Express Central initiative, the redesign of I-35 between Hwy. 71 and Hwy. 290. Sponsored by Council Member Chito Vela—whose District 4 is divided by I-35—City Council’s item calls on TxDOT to add more east-west connec- tions and bury more of the roadway, minimize displacements, reduce negative environmental e ects, reroute truck tra c and lower frontage road speed limits.
MOPAC
290
183
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PROJECT REQUESTS • More east-west connections • Bury more roadway • Minimize displacements • Reroute truck tra c • Lower frontage road speed limits
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SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMUNITY IMPACT N
City slows closure of downtown Salvation Army homeless shelter
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BY KATY MCAFEE
residents following the Feb. 17 announcement that its downtown shelter would close in March. However, Board Mem- ber Rudy Garza said The Salvation Army reached out to the city in January 2020 and again to former City Manager Spencer Cronk in May 2021 to seek city support, but to no avail. “We didn’t just wake up one morning and say, ‘Let’s close down the shelter.’ I
AUSTIN The Salvation Army’s downtown shelter open will remain open for up to 30 days while alterna- tive housing arrangements are made for the remaining residents, city o cials announced March 10. The extension will cost up to $100,000 and be funded by the city. The Salvation Army has received criticism from city o cials, activists and
The Salvation Army will close its downtown shelter in April.
mean, we tried for three years to have the city help us,” Garza said. “We are really grateful for the sup- port that we’re getting from
Mayor [Kirk] Watson and Jesús Garza. I feel like had they been in place several years ago, maybe we’d have a di erent outcome today.”
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • MARCH 2023
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