The plaintiffs in Rethink35, et. al v. TxDOT filed a motion for summary judgment last week. The move could result in a resolution for the case, which claims that the planned expansion of I-35 did not include a required evaluation of the impact the road’s soot pollution would have on air quality. “The community’s health is at stake,” said Rethink35 Board Member Miriam Schoenfield in a statement to the press. “With this motion, we’re asking the court to hold TxDOT accountable for its responsibilities to properly study how the I-35 expansion will exacerbate air pollution and health inequities in our region.” The coalition that filed the suit is now waiting for a response from TxDOT.
Elizabeth Pagano is the editor of the Austin Monitor. More by Elizabeth Pagano