The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is calling on the public to have their say in the future of I-35, the major thoroughfare connecting Austin to San Antonio. TxDOT has planned a series of open houses, with an option to participate virtually this Tuesday through Thursday, as reported by CBS Austin. The agency will discuss proposals to improve safety, mobility, and possibly expand the highway along a 45-mile stretch through Travis, Hays, Comal, and Guadalupe counties.
With upwards of 140,000 vehicles hitting this section of the roadway daily, congestion is a significant issue that TxDOT aims to address through this Planning and Environmental Linkage study. Christianna Johnson, a Rethink 35 activist, emphasized the daily struggles faced by commuters, "About 70% of San Marcos, which is in between San Antonio and Austin, leaves the city every single day to get to work," Johnson said, highlighting the severity of traffic woes, according to a statement obtained by FOX San Antonio.
However, some Rethink 35 board members are skeptical about the prospects of expansion. Miriam Schoenfield warned that simply widening the highway could induce more traffic rather than resolving the problem. "When you expand an already-congested highway, what that does is just encourage more driving and more development that depends on driving," Schoenfield told CBS Austin.
Among the solutions under consideration are operational strategies like improved signaling, message signage, additional lanes, and encouraging alternative transport methods such as biking. There's also a buzz around potentially creating a dedicated bus HOV lane or rail options for commuters. Johnson recounted a conversation with someone from the Save Our Springs Alliance, expressing excitement over the idea of a relaxing commute by rail: "People are so excited about the idea that they could just get on a train, do work, relax and get to Austin, you know," Johnson told FOX San Antonio.
Details about the open houses and how the community can offer their input are available on TxDOT's website. This participation could play a key role in shaping the future of transportation between two of Texas's bustling cities.
