AUSTIN, Texas — Plans for the I-35 Capital Express Central project continue to move forward. As part of the project, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will reconstruct 8 miles of the interstate, including near the University of Texas at Austin campus.
"Remove the upper deck, to add two high-occupancy vehicle lanes that would not be toll lanes," said Dan Allen, executive director of real estate planning and strategy at UT Austin.
Allen said UT is interested in the land above the interstate between 15th and Dean Keeton streets.
"Recognize opportunities and figure out what's feasible. But that's our goal, to execute, to get the deck plaza all the way from 15th Street to Dean Keeton," he said.
Allen said this "deck plaza," also known as a "cap," would be made of concrete, steel and iron and could create as much as 40 acres of land.
"It would be a generational opportunity," he said.
There are number of opportunities that could go there, and Allen said a big part of this would connect the east and west part of the city – a concept being explored by number of cities.
"Sports and entertainment activation – a way to tie that into a district is one of our primary concepts. Parkland is really important, student experience areas. Other projects like this in Dallas have had restaurants and public entertainment space," he said, adding, "There is a number places across country looking at – a community was divided by an interstate, how can we bring the community back together?"
Allen said this will also make it easier for students to go back and forth between East and West Campus, and for people to get to places like Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Moody Center and the baseball field.
He said in this concept, TxDOT is committed to the roadwork part, but for the plaza, TxDOT is looking at local partners like UT and the City of Austin to foot the bill. He said the university has been talking to TxDOT for months and hopes it can make this a reality.
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