AUSTIN, Texas — On Monday, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) voted in support of the Mobility35 Capital Express Project in an effort to continue improving conditions along Interstate 35.
According to the Capital Express Project website, Mobility35 has outlined eight different goals:
- Optimize the existing facility
- Enhance safety
- Increase capacity
- Minimize need for additional right of way
- Manage traffic better
- Improve east/west connectivity
- Improve compatibility with neighborhoods
- Enhance bicycle, pedestrian and transit-user options
The project also has a plan to focus on completing frontage roads along US 183A in Cedar Park and a grade-separated intersection at RM 620 and Anderson Mill.
RELATED: The past, present and future of I-35
With this vote and financial commitment, CAMPO will also be asking the Texas Transportation Commission to consider allocating construction funding through the Unified Transportation Program planning process to address congestion on I-35.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the City of Austin and Central Texas to make desperately needed improvements to I-35 a reality. With tonight’s vote, CAMPO signals to the Texas Transportation Commission that CAMPO, and this region, are serious about mobility and that fixing I-35 is our number one priority,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler, CAMPO Transportation Policy Board chair.
According to CAMPO, last year the downtown Austin portion of I-35 ranked as the third most congested roadway in the state.
“I-35 is a critical piece of our region’s transportation network. Today CAMPO committed to partner with TxDOT in addressing not only I-35, but also frontage road gaps on 183A and RM 620, two other vital roadways for our region,” said Cynthia Long, CAMPO Transportation Policy Board vice-chair and Williamson County commissioner.
TxDOT previously completed a preliminary study in which thorough community input was gathered and used to decide how to move forward.
In a previous report by KVUE, Brian Barth, the project planning director for TXDOT, explained that I-35 has about $790 million allocated to it currently, which funds studies and a portion of construction.
“That is, by no means, funding the entire project,” Barth said. “We think the entire project, preliminary estimate, is about $7.5 billion.”
To listen to the board's full meeting from Monday night, click here.
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