AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[wwmiv]

I'm fine with depressed main lanes, because I'm sure that eventually the city will find the money to cap it.

[wwmiv]

Some details that I think are fine to post from the article:

TxDOT wouldn’t cap the depressed section to create park land, as some community activists have proposed. But it would be built in such a way that, if and when the city of Austin comes up with the funding, I-35 could have caps installed between Cesar Chavez and Eighth streets, and between 11th and 12th streets, officials said.

Also:

consultants who have been working on the master plan for I-35 for several years said Friday that, with about $50 million of modifications, the upper decks could safely accommodate the additional lanes.

[DoubleC]

No mention of that blasted 183 interchange (end rant).

Anyways, we finally have a proposal to change that outdated highway through downtown, so that's good news. A free lane and a toll lane each direction seems like a reasonable addition, and this would probably also take city-buses, making the bus a slightly more attractive option. I'm wondering how they'll handle the traffic during the long-construction.

I'm wondering specifically about the bridges (such as the one by the police HQ); would they tear down one-lane of bridge and dig beneath where the bridge once stood? And then work their way across the bridge until the lanes are all depressed?

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by DoubleC

No mention of that blasted 183 interchange (end rant).

There are plans to add direct connect flyovers to the I-35/US183 interchange if that's what you are referring to.

[Novacek]

Anyone who can actually read the article, I'm assuming it's only 2 lanes (not 4) in actual downtown (when the decks end)?

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

There are plans to add direct connect flyovers to the I-35/US183 interchange if that's what you are referring to.

I believe those are already part of the Bergstrom Expressway project, not this one?

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Anyone who can actually read the article, I'm assuming it's only 2 lanes (not 4) in actual downtown (when the decks end)?

There is an additional free lane added in each direction through all of central Austin and a tolled lane added in each direction from Georgetown terminating at 15th and from South Austin terminating at just before the river. Ergo, the extra tolled lanes do not extend into the area bounded by 15th and the river.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I believe those are already part of the Bergstrom Expressway project, not this one?

No, The Bergstrom Expressway project boundaries are 290 and 71.

There are currently no plans to add direct connections to 35 and 183, if I recall correctly. However, if the goal is to use 183 as a relief route during 35 construction, such a route would only be practicable for drivers if there are a full set of direct connections. Ergo, they really do need to add them.

[GoldenBoot]

Man, I'm glad to see TxDOT moving forward with these plans. I too, just with the cap was included in the project. Maybe it will by the time constructions rolls around in 2020. We need to continue to push for that via city & state officials/representatives.

[hereinaustin]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

Man, I'm glad to see TxDOT moving forward with these plans. I too, just with the cap was included in the project. Maybe it will by the time constructions rolls around in 2020. We need to continue to push for that via city & state officials/representatives.

The other issue is that the current plan doesn't appear to include all the East-West decks called for by the Reconnect Austin plan. Not completely clear from the article, but hopefully all the historical E-W connections can be reengaged.

[drummer]

I'm excited for this - whenever it does finally happen. I'm also excited that I won't be in Austin when the construction is happening.

That said, I think it's interesting that they plan to have decks (or rather, the possibility of decks) from Cesar Chavez to 8th and then again between 11th and 12th. Why not just go all the way to 12th? It's just interesting - were they going to have on/off ramps in between those two areas?

The interconnectivity of the area will be greatly enhanced with the freeway dropped. East Austin is already developing at a pretty fast pace; once this is done it should explode even more than already planned. I truly hope the city goes with the deck plan too (finds the funding somewhere) as it will liven up the area and beg buildings to have street-level interaction - much like what is happening around Klyde Warren Park in Dallas - of course, this would be a much larger footprint.

High hopes for this - hope they don't screw it up.

[Homecreek]

Looking at the plan and price tag it is clear to me they will be squeezing the extra lane on the upper deck. Narrow 11 foot lanes and a 2 foot shoulder on one side and a 5 foot on the other. Also looks like TEXDOT will be cutting into the slope on the lower deck shoulders and have 11 foot lanes down there.

[DoubleC]

Originally Posted by Homecreek

Looking at the plan and price tag it is clear to me they will be squeezing the extra lane on the upper deck. Narrow 11 foot lanes and a 2 foot shoulder on one side and a 5 foot on the other. Also looks like TEXDOT will be cutting into the slope on the lower deck shoulders and have 11 foot lanes down there.

You wouldn't happen to have a link to that, would ya?

So basically, five lanes one direction through the double-decked section and an express lane, then...4 lanes and an express lane downtown? Why the lane-drop through the most dense part of the city? It's ridiculous now that 35 loses a lane downtown rather than adding one...

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by DoubleC

You wouldn't happen to have a link to that, would ya?

So basically, five lanes one direction through the double-decked section and an express lane, then...4 lanes and an express lane downtown? Why the lane-drop through the most dense part of the city? It's ridiculous now that 35 loses a lane downtown rather than adding one...

No.

Five free lanes each direction through the double decked section with an express lane each direction.

Five free lanes each direction through downtown with no express lanes.

[Homecreek]

Originally Posted by DoubleC

You wouldn't happen to have a link to that, would ya?

So basically, five lanes one direction through the double-decked section and an express lane, then...4 lanes and an express lane downtown? Why the lane-drop through the most dense part of the city? It's ridiculous now that 35 loses a lane downtown rather than adding one...

I was looking at the statesman article with the pic. Also the concept has been used several times. 183 North between MOPAC and Breaker, some construction zone and just about every freeway in LA

[The ATX]

Here's a rendering of the depressed section of I-35 without the cap:


http://communityimpact.com/

[drummer]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

No.

Five free lanes each direction through the double decked section with an express lane each direction.

Five free lanes each direction through downtown with no express lanes.

And in my mind, it makes sense to lose the express lane in downtown because the majority of the people who use the express lane are going to downtown. Of course, that's speculative and there are going to be exceptions, but it makes sense to me. That allows them to merge and exit as needed.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by drummer

And in my mind, it makes sense to lose the express lane in downtown because the majority of the people who use the express lane are going to downtown. Of course, that's speculative and there are going to be exceptions, but it makes sense to me. That allows them to merge and exit as needed.

Agreed.

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

Here's a rendering of the depressed section of I-35 without the cap:


http://communityimpact.com/

w e a k

[paul78701]

Okay.. Now when are they going to start working on removing that large swath of CVC that exists for I-35?