Item 2B I-35 Presentation — original pdf

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I-35 Capital Express Scoping Overview Austin Transportation Department Presentation to Urban Transportation Department 12/2/2020 I-35 Capital Express Project Overview • I-35 EIS Timeline and Scoping Considerations • TxDOT Design Alternatives • City of Austin Goals – Participating Agency • Timeline and Needs for Scoping Deliverables • Questions 12/7/2020 2 Blue highlighted graphics are reprinted from the TxDOT I-35 Capital Express Scoping documents. Mobility35 Program Three stand-alone projects from SH 45 North to SH 45 SE — North, Central and South. – North and South projects Construction ~ 2022 – I-35 Capital Express Central project Construction ~ 2025 12/7/2020 3 I-35 Capital Express Plans Project: • Add two, non-tolled managed lanes (HOV) in each direction along I-35 from US 290 East to SH 71/Ben White Blvd. • Flyovers at I-35 and US 290 E • Various operational and safety enhancements, enhancing bicycle and pedestrian paths. Project Limits: • I-35 from US 290 East to US 290 West/SH 71, approx. 8 mile Project Cost: $4.9 Freeway Lids: Scoping Timeframe: Nov 12 – Dec. 12, 2020 • TxDOT has indicated that lidding is a project “betterment” or a separate project that could be funded locally • Freeway structural consideration for future lids are being considered for inclusion in the base design of the I-35 project • Lids are not included in the current NEPA process 12/7/20 20 2 Environmental Impact Statement -Scoping Process will evaluate impacts to the human and natural environment, including: WATER AIR QUALITY TRAFFIC NOISE COMMUNITY VEGETATION & RESOURCES IMPACTS WILDLIFE THREATENED & ENDANGERED INDIRECT & CUMULATIVE HISTORICAL & ARCHEOLOGICAL SPECIES IMPACTS RESOURCES HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SITES LAND USE & PARKLAND 12/7/2020 4 I-35 EIS Project Timeframe 12/7/2020 6 I-35 Capital Express “Purpose & Need” • The proposed project is needed to improve I-35 between US 290 East and US 290 West/SH 71 to meet current design standards and current and future travel demand. The existing roadway does not meet current federal and state design standards, which has resulted in operational deficiencies and longer travel times for all users, including emergency response vehicles and transit, particularly during peak hours. The proposed project is also needed to improve bicycle and pedestrian paths within the project limits. • The purpose of the proposed project is to improve this critical regional, national, and international thoroughfare by enhancing safety, managing congestion, improving operational efficiency, and creating a more dependable and consistent route for the traveling public, including bicyclists and pedestrians, emergency responders, and transit. TxDOT Purpose and Need Technical Report (Oct. 2020) 12/7/2020 7 Project Need: Travel Demand and Operational Deficiencies Annual AVERAGE TRAFFIC along I-35 from US 290 East to SH 71/Ben White Boulevard is MORE THAN 200,000 VEHICLES PER DAY. BY 2045, it is expected to reach MORE THAN 300,000 VEHICLES PER DAY, an INCREASE OF MORE THAN 45%. DID YOU KNOW? Source: Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Incentives for Truck Use of SH 130 (2015) Slide Source:TxDOT Virtual Agency Scoping Meeting PPT 11-12-20 Nov. 12, 2020 Project Need: Bicyclist and Pedestrian Safety To improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, there is a need to upgrade bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. Approximately 75% OF THE STREETS THAT CROSS I-35 in the project area have been identified as being in the City of Austin’s BICYCLE PRIORITY NETWORK. Source: City of Austin’s 2014 Bicycle Plan, updated in 2019 with the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan Slide Source:TxDOT Virtual Agency Scoping Meeting PPT 11-12-20 Nov. 12, 2020 Range of Alternatives TxDOT has identified three preliminary build alternatives based on known corridor constraints. The environmental process also includes a “no-build” alternative. Alternative No build Description Standard, routine maintenance. Build Alternative 1 Managed Lanes Tunnel Section Two tunneled managed lanes* and lowered mainlanes in each direction, with additional flyovers at I-35 and US 290 East. Build Alternative 2 Managed Lanes Lowered Section Build Alternative 3 Managed Lanes Lowered Section (Modified at Airport Boulevard and Woodland Avenue) Tunnel = two levels below frontage roads and cross streets and one level below mainlanes. *only northbound managed lanes tunneled through downtown. Two lowered managed lanes and lowered mainlanes in each direction, with additional flyovers at I-35 and US 290 East. Lowered = one level below frontage roads and cross streets and same level as mainlanes. Two lowered managed lanes and lowered mainlanes in each direction, with additional flyovers at I-35 and US 290 East. Managed lanes overpasses at Airport Boulevard and Woodland Avenue. Note: TxDOT is seeking feedback on these alternatives. Based on public and agency feedback, these alternatives will be refined and further analyzed as part of the environmental study. Nov. 12, 2020 Range of Alternatives ▪ All build alternatives would include: – Removing the upper deck in each direction from Airport Boulevard to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. – Reconstructing the bridge across Lady Bird Lake. – Improving bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. – Accommodating current and future CapMetro routes. – On-site and off-site drainage facilities. – Potentially accommodating a deck plaza in the downtown area funded by others. Nov. 12, 2020 Downtown Austin Alliance Proposed Local Enhancements ▪ The I-35 Capital Express Central project proposes to improve safety and mobility on I-35 but does not include a deck plaza. ▪ The independent, separately funded OurFuture35 initiative is being proposed by the Downtown Austin Alliance. ▪ The Downtown Austin Alliance began coordinating with TxDOT in fall 2019, and coordination efforts between the Downtown Austin Alliance, the City of Austin and TxDOT are ongoing. ▪ The Austin Transportation Department (ATD) has funded a $500,000 contract with a consultant to develop engineering requirements for the lid concept. ▪ ATD is coordinating directly with the DAA to develop the design parameters necessary to communicate to TxDOT so that a future lid might be accommodated. Nov. 12, 2020 City of Austin Goals for I-35 Corridor & NEPA Process • Make I-35 best possible project for accessibility and multi-modal mobility • Focus on moving people, goods and services vs. vehicle prioritization • Improve access to central core/DT • Improve Transit access to facility • Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle access • Focus on both N/S and E/W mobility • Avoid and minimize impacts to the community and natural environment • Mitigate unavoidable impacts (parks, drainage, environmental justice, noise, etc.) • Reconnect East/West/Central Austin • Support depressed highway option, wide bridges and lidding • Consider future lid and other structures as an option to mitigate impacts within the corridor • Include as part of base construction and NEPA process, those portions of a proposed east-west connective structure that allows direct in-corridor mitigation • Parks impacts • Noise impacts from new capacity • East-west pedestrian, bike, and general mobility access • Historical contextualization • Address the historical impacts created by the facility • One Voice from COA departments 12/7/2020 4 I-35 NEPA Deadlines • Comments must be received by 12/31/2020, to be included in the public scoping documentation regarding: • Purpose and Need • Range of Alternatives • Visit the I-35 Capital Express Project at: http://www.mobility35openhouse.com • Individual residents are encouraged to communicate their thoughts via the TxDOT public website: https://my35capex.com/contact/ before Dec. 31, 2020 • TxDOT has committed to additional public scoping meetings on range of issues to be considered (early 2021) 12/7/2020 4