Austin is banking big on infrastructure, as the city scooped up a hefty $105.2 million federal grant to stitch together communities split by I-35. According to an announcement from the City of Austin, the funds will sponsor a 5.3-acre green space bridging the gap over the interstate between Cesar Chavez and Fourth Street. The initiative dubbed Our Future 35: Austin’s Cap and Stitch Program, is designed to alleviate the division wrought by the freeway's original construction.

With this Capital Construction Grant, part of the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program, Austin's civic landscape could see a dramatic shift. The project aims to erect caps, or platforms over stretches of I-35 currently under revamp by the Texas Department of Transportation. "A primary goal of pushing and pushing to get I-35 lowered, was so that we could have the potential for not only reducing the divide it created and continues to perpetuate, but so that we might have caps and stitches that allow for far better connections," Mayor Kirk Watson emphasized in a statement. The city pitched in with a $45 million local match to make it all happen, as reported by the City of Austin.

Part of this vision includes construction that fosters seamless pedestrian and bike access. The stretch between Cesar Chavez Street and Fourth Street was deemed a priority as it promises to provide residents of the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood with unhindered connections to downtown areas, which were previously blocked by the formidable highway. A potential uninterrupted walking and biking path at Third Street, eliminating the need for frontage road crossing, is part of the grant's target outcomes, as detailed by the City of Austin.

In an expression of local support, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett remarked, "These are the first three blocks of what could eventually be additional benefits through additional capping along I-35 with help from UT, the City, and other interested parties," as per the City of Austin. Echoing the sentiment, Rep. Greg Casar said, "Crossing I-35 on foot doesn’t have to feel like an uncomfortable game of Frogger. We’re bringing federal dollars home to Austin, reconnecting East and West Austin, and creating dynamic spaces for all of our residents." The design and amenity features that will crown the cap structures are expected to go through a robust public decision-making process.