I-35 Congestion: Downtown Austin Alliance Aims To Tame Traffic

AUSTIN, TX — Austin drivers are well aware of the white-knuckled, anxiety-inducing experience it is to hop on Interstate 35 at rush hour that often yields what's tantamount to an existential crisis in traversing the congested artery. But soon, these same traumatized motorists will have a chance to provide feedback on ways to mitigate the perennial bottleneck at the key artery during peak travel times.

While the Texas Department of Transportation seeks to lower and expand I-35 to relieve congestion, the Downtown Austin Alliance has been working on an ambitious project that could transform the land and surrounding streetscape surrounding the stretch of highway running through Central Austin, officials said.

The efforts yield something of a community-driven road map complementary to state transportation congestion-relieving efforts that include removing the upper decks and lowering the highway between Airport Boulevard and Cesar Chavez Street.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform one of Austin’s biggest community barriers into a valuable regional asset for generations to come,” Dewitt Peart, president and chief executive officer of the Downtown Austin Alliance, said in a prepared statement. “While TxDOT’s proposal will lower the highway, it is up to the community to come together and develop a vision for what we’d like to see happen above and at surface level to create something that works for Austin now and in the future.”

Related story: Texas Traffic Officials' Advice For I-35 Motorists: Stay Home

State Sen. Kirk Watson didn't mince words when referring to I-35, alternately categorizing the artery as a community scar and concrete wound while inferring its obsolescence at a time of brisk and inexorable growth in the capital city.

“I-35 has been a community scar for a very long time," he said in a prepared statement. "It's been virtually untouched through central Austin for four decades. But now, we can't miss the chance to do it, to fix it, for mobility and for people."

Watson lauded the efforts of the Downtown Austin Alliance to seek solutions in ameliorating the highway's congestion: "This process is an opportunity for our community to thoughtfully consider how to address this wound and shape the change so that it's better for driving and transit, but also, and importantly, so that it enhances the lives of people impacted by the road," he said. "Those deeper conversations have started, and I'm excited for the insight we can gain from the ULI process. I'm thankful the Downtown Alliance and TxDOT are embracing the broader context and the collective perspectives surrounding a program that must benefit the entire community.”

Aiding in the efforts are officials with the Urban Land Institute, a nonprofit research group of real estate and land use experts, who have been engaged with the Downtown Alliance to analyze the overall range of options for I-35, officials said.

Moreover, officials said, the 10-person panel of experts in areas such as economics, community engagement and equitable development, will interview more than 100 Austin stakeholders and tour the surrounding areas before developing its recommendations.

To that end, the Downtown Alliance will offer members of the community an opportunity to hear the panel’s analysis and preliminary recommendations during a presentation at Huston-Tillotson University scheduled on Friday, Feb. 28. The ULI panel schedule includes:

• Monday, Feb. 24: Site tours.
• Tuesday, Feb. 25: Stakeholder interviews.
• Wednesday, Feb. 26: Panel deliberation.
• Thursday, Feb. 27: Panel deliberation.
• Friday, Feb. 28: Public presentation.

Ahead of the panel, the Downtown Alliance has ensured ULI officials have a deep understanding of Austin along with past plans and efforts centered on I-35, officials noted. Such initiatives included convening working groups to help scope and guide the project, developing the list of stakeholders to interview, gathering background materials for ULI and planning a day-long tour of the I-35 corridor for the panelists, officials said.

Marilyn Taylor, past Urban Land Institute board chair and Austin ULI panel chair, explained: “It is inspiring to see the coordination already being conducted by the Downtown Austin Alliance and TxDOT to ensure the transformation of I-35 not only improves traffic on one of Texas’ most congested roadways, but may allow for the creation of new, safe public spaces that are inviting, vibrant and more connected to one another,” she said. “We are excited to bring together community members and experts to create a plan that will reflect the community’s vision for the center of the city.”

Peart, the head of the Downtown Austin Alliance, expounded on the theme: “While the Downtown Austin Alliance would like to see recommendations for improved transportation and new community assets like green spaces, and pedestrian and bike connectivity, the purpose of the panel is to take a fresh look at the surface level area of I-35 through central Austin, hear from diverse perspectives throughout the community and study the best way to reconstruct this part of I-35 so it benefits all Austinites, no matter where they live.”

The final ULI report will include design options for the corridor, funding opportunities, and community engagement and implementation strategies, and will be released in mid-2020. The community will have a chance to review and weigh in on the ULI panel's recommendations and next steps, according to officials. The Downtown Alliance will continue to engage the community for their input, officials added, as well as translate the vision into an actionable project plan.

The ULI panel’s presentation about its preliminary recommendations will be staged on Friday, Feb. 28, at 8 a.m. at Huston-Tillotson University. To register, visit https://i35.eventbrite.com/. For more information on this project, click here. And for more information on the Texas Department of Transportation's design and timeline, click here.

Graphic provided by the Downtown Austin Alliance.

About Downtown Austin Alliance

The Downtown Austin Alliance works with key downtown stakeholders — property owners, residents, business owners, community organizations and government officials — to advance a collective vision for the future of downtown Austin. The group is engaged in dozens of projects and issues that contribute to the safety, cleanliness and appeal of downtown Austin to residents, employees and visitors.

As a full-time advocate for downtown, the Downtown Alliance is actively engaged in planning decisions that impact the area. We also advance downtown's vision through direct services supporting safety and cleanliness. For more information, visit downtownaustin.com.