I-35 expansion project: Austin City Council members' efforts to delay construction fail

Construction delay on I-35 denied

Efforts by a few Austin City Council members failed to delay construction of the expansion of I-35.

AUSTIN, Texas - On Monday evening, efforts by a few Austin City Council members failed to delay construction of the expansion of I-35. This came after concerns about air quality and funds for other projects.

The I-35 expansion project lowers the roadway and adds lanes along I-35 from Highway 290 East to 71.

On Monday evening, it was back and forth as four Austin City Council members Natasha Harper-Madison, Vanessa Fuentes, Paige Ellis, and Alison Alter proposed to delay the construction of I-35.

"Our elected are now openly challenging these projects just sailing throughout without any kind of consideration for human health," Rethink35 Adam Greenfield said.

UT approves I-35 cap-and-stitch funding

The UT project to connect parts of campus on each side of I-35 is moving forward, just one part of TxDOT's Interstate Expansion Plan through the heart of Austin.

The I-35 operational funding was approved in 2014. Ten years later, construction is expected to begin this summer.

The concerns brought up by council members were funding for other projects across the region and air quality studies.

"Expanding it will make our air worse," Austin resident Mia said.

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"Please don’t spend this public money on harming kids’ health," Austin resident Robert said.

"Slowing down a bit on I-35 will provide us time for us as policymakers to understand how the expansion will affect air quality and how we might address those impacts," Alter said.

TxDOT Austin District Engineer Tucker Ferguson said the final environmental impact statement was completed last summer.

"It met all federal requirements, not only the minimum requirements, but we conducted environmental studies and impacts with the community over and above what’s required for the federal requirements," Ferguson said.

Austin receives $105M grant for I-35 project

The City of Austin received $105M grant to help fund the I-35 expansion project. District 8 Austin City Council member Paige Ellis spoke about the project, and how the new funding will help.

He said two other studies are in the works.

"Whatever findings coming out of the city’s program and the CAMPO study, we’ll certainly incorporate those findings or best practices of whatever the recommendations could be," Ferguson said.

"It’s asking that we delay construction until we have this important data back from both of the environmental studies that are out there," Fuentes said.

Ultimately, the amendment presented by the council members failed.

"I think it would be fiscally irresponsible to do this at this point, delay," Caldwell County Commissioner Precinct 3 Edward Theriot said.

The members of Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization passed a resolution to keep the I-35 expansion plan going. The TxDOT engineer said he anticipates construction bid openings in 2026.