Construction starts today on a pedestrian bridge that will stitch together the biggest gap in the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail around Lady Bird Lake. Dubbed the “wishbone” bridge – the first of its kind in Austin – the $25 million project will complete a missing link in the city’s most popular trail. But it […]
Nathan Bernier, KUT
Posted inTransportation
Austin airport is getting new runway safety tech that could have prevented near-miss
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will have crucial new runway safety equipment installed by the end of the month. Federal investigators say the technology could have prevented a near-miss between two planes that could have killed 131 people last year. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is wrapping up installation of the equipment that provides air traffic controllers with a […]
Posted inTransportation
Traffic signals to be activated this month at I-35 and Fourth Street
Long-awaited traffic signals have been installed at Interstate 35 and Fourth Street – one of the most popular ways to walk from one side of the highway to the other – and are scheduled to be activated this month. The lights will include buttons for pedestrians to activate the stop signal. The heavily used bike […]
Posted inRoads
TxDOT argues in court that I-35 never caused racial discrimination – contradicting TxDOT
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is arguing in federal court that Interstate 35 didn’t unfairly disadvantage Black or Latino Austinites, contradicting the state agency’s own historical assessments of the highway that opened in 1962. “Defendant specifically denies the allegations that the construction of I-35 caused discrimination against Black or Latino communities or that I-35 […]
Posted inAustin
Wheatsville to close Guadalupe Street store that opened in 1981
Wheatsville Food Co-op – a local, member-owned natural food store operating in Austin since 1976 – plans to close its location on Guadalupe Street and focus on building smaller stores. In a special edition of Wheatsville’s newsletter, General Manager Bill Bickford acknowledged the store was facing financial struggles but said Austin’s voter-approved plan to build light […]
Posted inRoads
Funding freeze for I-35 expansion denied in heated CAMPO vote
An attempt to freeze funding for the Interstate 35 expansion through Central Austin until the project’s impact on air quality can be more fully assessed was easily defeated Monday in a vote by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s planning board. The 22-member panel allocates billions in federal transportation cash throughout the Austin area. The […]
Posted inRoads
UT pledges $13.5 million to cover I-35 from Dean Keeton to 15th Street
The University of Texas is making a $13.5 million down payment to cover Interstate 35 from 15th Street to Dean Keeton, a feat that will be made possible by a state project to widen and lower the highway through Central Austin. UT System Regents voted Thursday to approve a funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). […]
Posted inTransit
Legal showdown threatens to end Austin’s light-rail plans
Austin’s voter-backed transit expansion faced a critical legal test Wednesday inside a courtroom on Guadalupe Street. Seated in front of a marble wall and flanked by Texas and U.S. flags, Travis County Judge Eric Shepperd presided as attorneys in dark suits clashed over the intricacies of state law and public finance. At issue is whether […]
Posted inTransportation
Austin’s airport is getting a new concourse and 20 more gates but not until the 2030s
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) is gearing up to add at least 20 new gates, expanding capacity at the overcrowded airport as it struggles to serve millions more passengers each year than it was designed to handle. The planned gates will be located inside a newly constructed building – temporarily dubbed Concourse B – linked to […]
Posted inTransportation
New federal cash paves way for East Austin’s ‘wishbone’ bridge over Lady Bird Lake
Facing a steep climb in costs for a long-planned pedestrian bridge on the eastern edge of Austin’s most popular trail, the city has finally found a path forward with a $4 million cash infusion from the federal government. The new money will close a budget shortfall and allow the city to start contracting builders for the $25 […]
Posted inTransit
New Cap Metro train station opens at Q2 Stadium as ‘quiet zones’ take effect
Editors note: Since this story published, Capital Metro’s operations chief, Andy Skabowski, said he was mistaken about when quiet zones would take effect. In an interview with KUT, Skabowski apologized for his statements and clarified the quiet zone would start in six to eight weeks. Q2 Stadium – home of the Major League Soccer club Austin FC […]
Posted inRoads
Your ultimate guide to the I-35 expansion through Central Austin
Austin’s Interstate 35 – the spine of the region’s roadway grid – is about to undergo the largest expansion since the highway opened in 1962. Brace yourself: Construction could last a decade. This time it’s for real. The money – at least $4.5 billion – has been set aside. The Texas Department of Transportation is […]