I-35 expansion: TxDOT breaks ground on $4.5 billion project

The Texas Department of Transportation is breaking ground on the I-35 Capital Express Central project .

The $4.5 billion Texas Clear Lanes project will construct two non-tolled high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) managed lanes in each direction along I-35 from US 290 East to SH 71/Ben White Boulevard.

The project will also lower the main lanes from Airport Boulevard to Lady Bird Lake, remove the upper decks, improve transit connections, add boulevard-style segments through downtown and enhance pedestrian and bicycle paths along the corridor.

The years-long construction will impact drivers through much of north, downtown and south Austin until around 2028.

Protesters are expected at the groundbreaking to voice their opposition and stop the project from moving forward.

Rethink35 is leading the protests and one of its board members, Miriam Schoenfield said in a news release that the "proposed I-35 expansion will waste billions of dollars to commit grievous harm to our city and region."

"Despite overwhelming opposition from residents, elected leaders, and candidates for local office (81% of which oppose the expansion), TxDOT intends to steamroll over our community for a project that will destroy homes, businesses, and parks and worsen congestion, pollution, safety, and quality of life for generations to come," Schoenfield added.

Rethink35 has taken two different legal actions against the Texas Department of Transportation for the I-35 Capital Express Central Project.

"One is we have filed a civil rights complaint with the US Department of Transportation and that is being reviewed right now. We have also filed a lawsuit based on NEPA, which is the federal law that requires rigorous environmental studies to be done for any project of this size," says Schoenfield.