Now’s the time to contact City Council and tell them you want I35 capped.

TXDOT’s I35 expansion is happening whether we like it or not (see: induced demand), but what the finished project will look like will be determined next week, when Austin City Council votes on whether or not to fund “Roadway Elements,” which would allow the city to make use of 25 acres of space above the soon-to-be-below-ground highway through downtown.

if you would rather have public green space and small businesses rather than a concrete chasm cutting through downtown, take a minute to read the FAQ and contact your council-member! they vote on whether to fund the Roadway Elements on 12/12th.

www.fundthecaps.com/

from the FAQ:

What is happening to I-35, and what are caps?

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is planning to rebuild I-35 through Austin. This project will remove the upper decks, and all highway lanes will be submerged below ground level. Drawing upon the success of similar projects across the county, TxDOT is offering to build the highway in such a way that major sections of the highway (totaling around 25 acres) can be covered by caps. These ground-level caps (which essentially turn the stretch of highway beneath them into tunnels), can be covered by parks, neighborhood amenities, and 1-2 story buildings.

While TxDOT is funding the highway rebuild, the money for caps has to come from the City of Austin. And while Austin has already received a federal grant and a state loan to help pay for part of the caps, the City of Austin still needs to authorize additional funds.

If Roadway Elements aren’t funded now, can the highway ever be capped?

No. If Austin City Council doesn’t fund Roadway Elements now, Austin can’t ever build caps (until the highway is rebuilt in 50+ years). If Austin funds Roadway Elements now, Austin can choose to fund the caps by the end of next year, which will get them completed by 2032. If Austin can’t come up with the money by the end of next year but can before the highway is finished, we can add the caps as a change order and have them completed by 2034. And if Austin can’t come up with the money by then either, we can still build caps at a later date, but it would have to be after 2044, as Texas state law requires no additional construction on a major construction site for ten years after the conclusion of construction.