AUSTIN, Texas – As the 86th legislative session comes to a close, many say lawmakers left a lot of unfinished business, including changes to a heavily trafficked interstate.
- Lawmakers did not take action to improve I-35
- CAMP allocated funds to transform the interstate
- Transportation advocates say it’s not enough money
Texas’ capital city is known for its food, music, and traffic. Interstate 35 is a constant source of headaches for drivers—and one that is not going away anytime soon thanks to the action, or lack thereof, by lawmakers this legislative session.
“The biggest takeaway from the session for us is that the legislature left town without a plan to fix I-35 through Central Austin,” says David White with Texans for Traffic Relief.
For those who depend on the interstate for work it means more of the same for years to come.
“I work here probably four to five times a month for a day or two at a time,” said Weatherford resident Brandon Shirley. “There doesn’t seem like there’s enough lanes and there are too many people getting on and off at one time.”
A recent move by Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, a six county wide coalition of transportation leaders, dedicated a lump sum of cash to help transform the interstate. The funds, along with another allocated contribution from the state, would see additional lanes built. However, transportation advocates say that money is not enough.
“Even so that’s around $1.1 billion and it’s a $8.1 billion project so I don’t know where the rest of that money is going to come from. We were hopeful that the legislature would address that during the session,” says White.
For drivers it means Austin traffic is here to stay for the foreseeable future.
“It’s a statewide reputation. Everybody knows that when they come to Austin it’s going to be like this. It’s embarrassing,” says Shirley.
For now, drivers will have to wait to see change until the next legislative session.