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Official comment period on major I-35 project closes Friday
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Central Texas residents have a few more days to provide feedback that will shape a $4.9 billion project to reconstruct an 8-mile stretch of I-35 through downtown Austin. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is leading the project to remake the highway’s central stretch for the first time in nearly 50 years. The virtual open house, available here, closes to feedback Friday, Sept. 24, at 11:59 p.m. As the project will likely take 10 years to reconstruct and last another 50-70 years, it is important to get the design right for our community.
While this is a critical stage to provide public input on the project's development, this does not mark the finish line in the federally regulated process. After the public comment period closes on Sept. 24, TxDOT will take all feedback into account on the official meeting record and perform detailed technical analyses on impacts to the community, air quality, biological and water resources and more.
TxDOT then expects to present its preferred design in the fall of 2022 at a public hearing, at which point another public comment period will open. This will be the next time comments are part of the official meeting record under federal regulations, although TxDOT encourages feedback throughout the duration of the project. TxDOT then expects to select its alternative and issue a Record of Decision in summer 2023 and begin construction in 2025.
As a partner of TxDOT’s in the project, the city of Austin’s goals include minimizing the overall footprint of the highway, maximizing east-west access across the highway, increasing safety for people by designing frontage roads to urban arterial standards and speeds, maximizing the safe movement of people, goods and services on the corridor and assuring a thorough public process.
Find coverage of the I-35 frontage road design here. Information on proposals to “cap-and-stitch" I-35 with decks covering the interstate and widened bridges crossing the highway is available here, and watch a video of a presentation from Austin Transportation Department Director Rob Spillar, P.E., to Austin City Council here.
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Competition seeks to reduce distracted driving
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A competition is underway to identify Austin’s “safest driver.” Safe 2 Save, in partnership with Austin Transportation’s Vision Zero program, is hosting the competition using its mobile app to discourage distracted driving and phone use.
Distracted driving is noted in 15% of the most severe crashes, and it is a factor in over 18% of all crashes. Vehicle crashes kill or seriously injure more than 500 people on Austin streets a year.
The competition, which runs through October 15, features weekly cash prizes of $500. At the end of the competition, winners will receive $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place. Prizes will be awarded by Farm & City through a grant from State Farm Insurance. Learn more at the competition website.
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Survey open for South Pleasant Valley Road improvements
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Austinites who live along South Pleasant Valley Road, commute to work in the area, send their children to school nearby or use the road in other ways have an opportunity to tell the city what they think about proposed changes designed to make travel safer and more accessible for everyone.
A survey is open now through October 10 in both English and Spanish asking how residents currently use South Pleasant Valley Road between St. Elmo Road and Onion Creek Park, how they would like to use the road, and gathering their comments. This is a project created by, with and for the community, so public input will have a significant impact on the future design of the project.
In the last five years, 401 crashes were reported along this section of Pleasant Valley Road. Including three serious injuries and one death when a pedestrian was struck by a truck near the intersection of South Pleasant Valley Road and Teri Road in April.
Proposed changes on the corridor to improve safety and mobility include a roundabout at the Teri Road and South Pleasant Valley Road intersection, additional pedestrian crossing islands, installation of protected bicycle lanes and additional bus stops installed by Capital Metro for a new MetroRapid line providing more frequent service while still maintaining the existing bus routes.
Funding for this project is provided the 2016 Mobility Bond, 2018 transportation infrastructure bond, Capital Metro and the City of Austin's Quarter Cent program. Find more information at the project website, including slides from the community Q&A and watch a video about how streets can become safer while supporting existing traffic volumes.
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New signs indicate downtown parking garage availability
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Finding a place to park in downtown Austin just got a bit easier. New digital signs installed last week indicate the number of spaces available at three City-owned parking garages: City Hall, Central Library and Seaholm. Signs on Cesar Chavez Boulevard at Sandra Muraida Way and San Antonio Street update in real-time with the number of available parking spaces in each garage.
The signs are part of the Downtown Austin Wayfinding Project, an initiative to make it easier for residents, commuters and tourists to find Downtown Austin destinations and attractions. The “wayfinding” improvement project, an action item outlined in the Downtown Austin Plan adopted by City Council in December 2011, aims to integrate a range of navigation and communication tools for traversing the downtown area, such as signage, brochures, kiosks and smart-phone applications.
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Austin innovates with new parking technologies
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Drivers of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles with a built-in Uconnect infotainment system can now pay for parking directly through their in-dashboard software.
Government Technology, a magazine that covers information technology's role in state and local governments, recently highlighted the new technological innovation along with other Austin Transportation Department efforts in a September article by Stephen Goldsmith.
“This digital breakthrough is just the most recent in a series of technological innovations in the Texas capital,” Goldsmith writes. “In addition to in-dash parking systems, Austin decided to prioritize driver choice when it came to parking payments; motorists could still use the city’s own white label parking app, Park ATX, but officials also connected other commonly used apps. For example, motorists can now make a payment through Google Maps, using a credit card that’s already attached to their Google account.”
Jason Redfern, parking enterprise manager for the Austin Transportation Department, explained to Goldsmith in the piece that new technologies will continue to prioritize convenience and a positive experience for the user.
“We want our customers to have a seamless parking experience,” Redfern said. "We want it to be easy for them to pay and get on to their destination."
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Make your transportation plans for a busy weekend of events Oct. 1-3
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Austin's fall events season has returned, and the first weekend of October will feature a number of large events across the city. If you are heading out to one of these events, plan ahead to expect increased weekend traffic volumes citywide, and consider using alternative means of transportation to get to and from your destination.
Weekend events include:
- Austin City Limits Music Festival, Oct. 1-3, Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road
- Austin FC vs, Real Salt Lake, Oct. 2, 2:30 p.m., Q2 Stadium, 10414 McKalla Place
- MotoGP Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas, Oct. 1-3, Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd.
- Women's March ATX, Oct. 2, 9 a.m. Texas Capitol, 1100 Congress Avenue
Capital Metro's trip planner will help you find the most convenient way to access your event using local public transportation. MetroBike can also help you plan a ride to your destination, with ebike stations located throughout the downtown area.
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Calendar Corner: September 20 – 26, 2021
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TxDOT seeks community feedback on proposed improvements for Interstate 35 between US 290 East and SH-71/Ben White Boulevard. The project plans to remove the existing I-35 decks, lower the roadway and add managed lanes in each direction. The project will also reconstruct east-west cross-street bridges, add pedestrian and bicycle paths and make additional safety and mobility improvements. Public comments are accepted now via the virtual public meeting.
The Transportation Criteria Manual (TCM) defines the rules, requirements and technical guidelines for building mobility infrastructure in Austin. The draft TCM will be posted for formal public review on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. Public comments can be received Sept. 29 – Nov. 1, 2021. Ahead of is posting, leaders within Austin Transportation will brief stakeholders on revisions made to the TCM after receiving feedback in late 2020 and early 2021.
The Bicycle Advisory Council advises the City of Austin and other jurisdictions on all matters relating to the use of the bicycle.
- Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2021
- Time: 6 p.m.
- View: Agenda
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