North - Northwest Austin Edition | January 2024

I-35 overhaul ahead From the cover

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Key:

City-funded caps UT-funded caps City-funded stitches I-35 project scope*

TxDOT will kick off the decade-long project in mid-2024 with reconstruction of the River- side Drive intersection and the east side of the pedestrian bridge over Lady Bird Lake. Crews will excavate and rebuild the Martin Luther King Bou- levard Bridge along I-35 from Airport Boulevard to downtown this fall. While no traffic control plan for the project has been released by TxDOT, Public Information Officer Brad Wheelis said the project will look similar to I-35 Capital Express South, which has led to traffic backups and long-term lane closures.

TxDOT’s plan for the I-35 face-lift includes removing the upper decks, sinking portions of the roadway about 25 feet below ground level, adding two high-occupancy vehicle lanes in each direction and widening the corridor to a range of 17-22 lanes. City leaders have a separate but related project to add caps, or large decks, and stitches, or wide bridges, on top of the sunken roadway. The vision for the project is to add amenities like parks and coee shops on top of the caps. The project will cost upwards of $800 million and remains mostly unfunded.

2024

JANUARY TxDOT officials complete design FEBRUARY $105 million cap and stitch grant recipient will be announced APRIL The first project phase to go out to bid MAY TxDOT officials to select contractor for first phase MID YEAR • Construction to begin between Holly Street and Hwy. 71/Ben White Boulevard. • Crews will reconstruct the Riverside Drive intersection and the east side pedestrian bridge over Lady Bird Lake. TxDOT crews to begin construction on city- funded caps and stitches • Crews will install a drainage tunnel and reconstruct the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard bridge. DECEMBER Austin cap and stitch funding deadline WINTER • Work is set to begin between Airport Boulevard and downtown.

Crews will reconstruct the east side of the Lady Bird Lake bridge in the summer.

RENDERINGS COURTESY TXDOT

LADY BIRD LAKE

Austin is proposing a 5.2-acre cap from East Cesar Chavez Street to Fourth Street.

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

2025

SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTINCOMMUNITY IMPACT *THE FULL 8 MILE PROJECT RUNS FROM HWY. 290 TO BEN WHITE BLVD.

SOURCE: TXDOT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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