AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Another portion of Interstate 35 is gearing up for construction, as officials with the Texas Department of Transportation unveiled their final proposal for the Interstate 35 Capital Express South Project Tuesday morning.
Construction on the $300 million project, which will stretch from State Highway 45 Southeast all the way to State Highway 71/Ben White Boulevard, could get underway as early as next year and take up to five years to complete.
The proposal calls for the addition of two non-tolled, managed high-occupancy vehicle lanes in each direction. Between Slaughter Lane and SH 71, these lanes would be elevated, allowing space to build intersection bypass lanes on the southbound side at Stassney Lane and William Cannon Drive.
TxDOT officials say that elevating the HOV lanes would also help to reduce the number of merge conflict points through the project's length.
In addition to the interstate improvements, an additional 13 miles of new shared-used paths would be added, improving bicycle and pedestrian mobility in the project area. Frontage roads south of Slaughter Lane would also be increased to three lanes wide.
TxDOT officials are holding a virtual public hearing on the project, with comments being accepted through May 26, 2021. The materials can be viewed online at TxDOT's website.
