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[thisdj78]

Different topic but Austin related:

Has there ever been any plans to upgrade US183 from the SH45/130 split (south of the airport) to SH71?

Seems like a logical corridor to convert to limited-access at some point.

wont happen because the alternate is 71 to 130 on the toll road.  The slower 183 is the more people who use the toll road.

That’s fine for now, but with Tesla in the area….I expect the southeast Austin area and points south to grow at a much faster rate than previous years. That corridor will need a limited access upgrade at some point.

[kernals12]

Womp Womp

I love more lanes = more traffic guy......where do I start?

Dunning Krueger Syndrome on full display folks. I can see the thought bubble: "I read an article on Wired saying that adding lanes worsens congestion so I'm smarter than professional highway engineers".

[Plutonic Panda]

Womp Womp

I love more lanes = more traffic guy......where do I start?

More traffic is already coming with or without lanes guy. Where do I start?

[Anthony_JK]

The worst thing about these fools is not only are they in certain denial about traffic levels on I-35, but they have the myopic belief that converting an already gridlocked 6- to 8- lane freeway with frontage roads into a four lane surface boulevard without even worrying about upgrading or improving any alternative routes such as SH 130 or SH 45 (because bikes and walkways and rail will magically rescue them) will solve all their woes. The real issue is not "more lanes = more traffic"; the issue is an already congested freeway that will simply get worse if no action is done; and most certainly will get worse if limited access is removed just for the sake of vindicating old vendettas about "freeways destroying communities".

Again, I'm all for more balanced transportation alternatives, and for Complete Streets improvements that add walkability and bike ability to upgrade neighborhoods. And we could use more rail based transit here in the US to take the load off the highways. But, tearing down important freeway corridors that serve critical traffic needs just to please some "urban removalists"? HELL TO THE NO.
 

[Plutonic Panda]

I almost hate to say it but I kinda would be interested to see the boulevard concept happen just to watch it fail so spectacularly and be a reminder to the rest of the country why that idea is so stupid. As if it needed to be proven in the first place but hey. Just thinking for fun, if they really went with the boulevard, I wonder how long it’d take residents to propose a new freeway tunnel or convert the boulevard back into a freeway.

That’d be a funny show to watch especially since I rarely visit Austin it’d likely never impact me lol

[texaskdog]

People don't come out of nowhere.  They come from other roads.  Eliminate I-35 completely and they'll have to go somewhere. 

[texaskdog]

I almost hate to say it but I kinda would be interested to see the boulevard concept happen just to watch it fail so spectacularly and be a reminder to the rest of the country why that idea is so stupid. As if it needed to be proven in the first place but hey. Just thinking for fun, if they really went with the boulevard, I wonder how long it’d take residents to propose a new freeway tunnel or convert the boulevard back into a freeway.

That’d be a funny show to watch especially since I rarely visit Austin it’d likely never impact me lol

But they won't ever admit it failed.  They'd show how wonderful it was and scratch their heads why traffic is so bad everywhere else.

[Plutonic Panda]

I almost hate to say it but I kinda would be interested to see the boulevard concept happen just to watch it fail so spectacularly and be a reminder to the rest of the country why that idea is so stupid. As if it needed to be proven in the first place but hey. Just thinking for fun, if they really went with the boulevard, I wonder how long it’d take residents to propose a new freeway tunnel or convert the boulevard back into a freeway.

That’d be a funny show to watch especially since I rarely visit Austin it’d likely never impact me lol

But they won't ever admit it failed.  They'd show how wonderful it was and scratch their heads why traffic is so bad everywhere else.

I think the residents in Austin would get so fed up they’d start an initiative to bring it back if that ever happened. Thankfully that has about a -1% chance of happening.

[Bobby5280]

If I-35 was turned into a surface boulevard through central Austin it would kill a lot of business in the downtown area. Lots of people who work in the downtown area would no longer want to drive there (they probably hate the commute enough as it is). All those night life crowds along 6th Street would drop off in number quite a bit.

[thisdj78]

I was driving on 45 Toll SE this evening (westbound towards I-35) and noticed there is some construction activity going on in the median (location linked below). Anyone know what’s going on there? I wasn’t able to take any pictures, maybe I can try tomorrow when I pass thru again.

I know the connector segment (west of I-35) is still a few years off, so it can’t be related to that:

Dropped pin
https://goo.gl/maps/r9uBPdKenMbagn3u5

[Scott5114]

Womp Womp

You think that "Our City Our Choice" girl keeps that sign around in her closet for every protest she attends? It looks awfully reusable.

[thisdj78]

I was driving on 45 Toll SE this evening (westbound towards I-35) and noticed there is some construction activity going on in the median (location linked below). Anyone know what’s going on there? I wasn’t able to take any pictures, maybe I can try tomorrow when I pass thru again.

I know the connector segment (west of I-35) is still a few years off, so it can’t be related to that:

Dropped pin
https://goo.gl/maps/r9uBPdKenMbagn3u5

Here’s a few pictures (this is westbound 45 Toll SE):



screen resolution adjuster

[splashflash]

I-35 worst in state for trucks:. https://www.kvue.com/article/traffic/i-35-ranked-top-highway-for-gridlock-conditions/269-66795fde-6c7f-4579-9d0c-991c38340eda

Maybe Austin is just happy without freeway expansion.  With more boutique culture than the rest of the state, might they want to leave heavy industrial to other places?

[kernals12]

I-35 worst in state for trucks:. https://www.kvue.com/article/traffic/i-35-ranked-top-highway-for-gridlock-conditions/269-66795fde-6c7f-4579-9d0c-991c38340eda

Maybe Austin is just happy without freeway expansion.  With more boutique culture than the rest of the state, might they want to leave heavy industrial to other places?

They got Tesla moving in, so no.

[thisdj78]

I know this story is several months ago, but I don’t think this update was shared:

https://www.kvue.com/article/traffic/loop-360-austin-traffic-txdot-break-ground-remove-signals/269-b0e51421-9bc3-4588-a60c-b8c064448658

[austrini]

They got Tesla moving in, so no.

Tesla's on the tolled bypass some in the city want IH 35 to be moved to (SH 130/45 @ Tesla Rd)

[thisdj78]

I was driving on 45 Toll SE this evening (westbound towards I-35) and noticed there is some construction activity going on in the median (location linked below). Anyone know what’s going on there? I wasn’t able to take any pictures, maybe I can try tomorrow when I pass thru again.

I know the connector segment (west of I-35) is still a few years off, so it can’t be related to that:

Dropped pin
https://goo.gl/maps/r9uBPdKenMbagn3u5

Here’s a few pictures (this is westbound 45 Toll SE):



screen resolution adjuster

Passed by this area again yesterday evening. A lot of construction equipment in this same spot. I can’t tell if they are building something there or using the area to store for a project nearby (I-35?).

Anybody else seen this and know what’s going on here?

[MaxConcrete]

Passed by this area again yesterday evening. A lot of construction equipment in this same spot. I can’t tell if they are building something there or using the area to store for a project nearby (I-35?).

Anybody else seen this and know what’s going on here?

The activity is almost surely a staging area for the imminent work on I-35 from SH 45 to US 290. Bids were opened for the $548 million project in May 2022. As usual, it takes a very long time for projects to actually start.

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/insdtdot/orgchart/cmd/cserve/bidtab/05053202.htm

[thisdj78]

North I-35 expansion project begins this week:

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/txdot-to-break-ground-on-north-i-35-project-this-week/

[longhorn]

TxDot put this out 3 years ago for hwy 79.

[thisdj78]

TxDot put this out 3 years ago for hwy 79.

It’s odd that on the Mays Rd/79 intersection, they would use the NW property for part of the Cloverleaf vs. the NE side where there’s wide open land.

Anyway, they need to make US79 limited access (or a super street) all the way from I-35 to Taylor.

[thisdj78]

Central Texas transit leaders eyeing ‘automated vehicle’ roadway:

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/central-texas-transit-leaders-eyeing-automated-vehicle-roadway/

[thisdj78]

” TxDOT is expected to announce the finalized version of the project’s design and scope in August, with a targeted construction start date in mid-2024. The project is anticipated to take eight years to complete, with an estimated finish by 2033.”

https://www.kxan.com/traffic/traffic-projects/i-35-expansion-project/txdot-unveils-new-design-proposals-for-i-35-expansion/

[MaxConcrete]

Concepts for architectural enhancements of crossings

https://my35capex.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/VOICE-9-Exhibits.pdf

[Bobby5280]

I like what they've done with the street crossing designs. The work goes well above and beyond the basic accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists we typically see for street crossings above or below freeways. The aesthetic treatments and greenery will do a lot to "hide" the freeway from the street level view. Of course the deck park portions hide the freeway completely.

The Airport Blvd SPUI design is interesting for providing grade-separated movements for pedestrians and bicyclists going under the outer on/off ramps (which can carry traffic moving at higher speeds).

Still, I expect quite a lot of NIMBY outrage from the "new urbanist" types. The only thing "good enough" for them is replacing I-35 with an at-grade boulevard suffocated with many rows of traffic signals.