Bicycle Austin forum

rich00

Member

Registered: 2010-01-18

Posts: 166

I-35 Cut and Cap

I am reading the minutes from last month's BAC, regarding this proposed project. The costs seem too cheap:
"Ms. Walker is asking TXDOT for a cost benefit analysis.  They have estimated $250m to depress and approximately $3m to cap, which would include the urban boulevard."

$3m to cap? That's about $2m per mile. A bikeway on the ground costs $1m/mile. How can a boulevard cost so little?

Anyways.,.. I have doubts that this boulevard on top won't be as disgusting as every other roadway, and still separating the city. At the very least, it should be a real BIKE boulevard with 20mph speed limits. It actually should be a real park, with a real cycletrack allowing nonstop riding north-south

Will there still be frontage roads?

What about the masses of traffic that are exiting the highway?

I think this is pipe dream.

AusTexMurf

Member

From: South Austin

Registered: 2008-11-21

Posts: 439

Re: I-35 Cut and Cap

Almost sounds too good to be true.
However, look at San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Boston, and other US cities that have cut and capped major highways in their densest regions. Pretty forward thinking, if you ask me.

Question is, will TxDOT even consider, seriously, the plan.....
Or will they just build 8 lanes of SuperStreet (65mph access roads) and 8-10 main lanes of I35 traffic flow, as has also been suggested.

Will we move towards the future (and less auto dominance of our central city) or plan forward to recreate 1950's infrastructure for the next 50-75 years ?

http://reconnectaustin.com

More info, here.....

Last edited by AusTexMurf (2013-08-19 18:17:23)