I-35 CAPITAL AREA IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM Hancock and Eastwoods Neighborhood Association July 16, 2014 I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) I-35 Through Austin Most congested highway in Texas #1 on TTI 2013 Congestion Index I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 2 Segment 4 Crash Rates: 2008 - 2011 137.77 I-35 CAIP rate Crash Severity 0.4% 2.7% Fatal 17.9% vs. 91.61 statewide average Crash Types 1. Rear-end collisions 2. Collisions at an angle 3. Fixed-object collisions (per 100M vehicle miles) Injury: Incapacitating Injury: Non-Incapacitating 79% Property Damage Only/Other I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 3 Traffic Volume and Aging Infrastructure Carries more than 200,000 vehicles per day on some segments No major capacity improvements in Travis County in past 40 years 250000 200000 Between San Marcos and Kyle South of Lady Bird Lake Near US 290/US 183 North of Round Rock 150000 100000 50000 0 1936 1966 1997 At this point, doing nothing is not an option. I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 4 Mobility35 Program Limits I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 5 Mobility35 Goals Increase capacity Enhance safety Better manage traffic Optimize existing facility Minimize need for additional right-of-way Improve east/west connectivity Improve compatibility with neighborhoods Enhance bicycle, pedestrian, and transit options I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 6 Program Phases and Milestones Phase 1 Conceptual planning for corridor Phase 2 Implementation plan for corridor Phase 3 * Environmental/design studies Phase 4 * Construction plans, right-of-way and utilities coordination Phase 5* Letting and construction * As funding is identified I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 7 A Community Driven Effort 154 stakeholder meetings and community events, 2011 ­ July 2014 21 Williamson County 112 Travis County 21 Hays County 20 public open houses 5 Williamson County 13 Travis County 2 Hays County 8 online open houses More than 4,500 visitors Website, Twitter, Facebook I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 8 Mobility35 Implementation Plan Summarizes Phase 2 efforts ­ Travis County only Roadmap for improving I-35 Reflects community's vision "Program of projects" ­ Stand-alone benefit Living document Continued refinement Williamson and Hays Counties part of next update I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 9 Preliminary Design Concepts Implementation Plan concepts are preliminary and subject to change. These concepts will be refined as project development progresses. Continued public and stakeholder discussion is an integral part of the refinement process. I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 10 Overarching Concepts Future Transportation Corridor (FTC) ­ added mainlane capacity Ramp Modifications Collector ­ Distributor Roads Auxiliary Lanes Conventional and Innovative Intersections Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 11 Concept: Future Transportation Corridor (FTC) Limits: SH 130 to Posey Road Now With Future Transportation Corridor I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 12 FTC in the Decks I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 13 Concept: Intersection Improvements Concepts: Conventional ­ Added thru lanes ­ Added turn lanes ­ Texas turnarounds Traditional intersection at Grand Avenue Parkway ­ Potential time-of-day restrictions Innovative ­ Diverging Diamonds ­ Median U-turns ­ Modern Roundabouts ­ Continuous Flow Intersections I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) Modern roundabout at 51st St. 14 Concept: Diverging Diamond Intersection Recommended Locations: Parmer Lane Airport Boulevard DDI Concept at I-35 and Parmer Lane DDI Concept at I-35 and Airport Boulevard I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 15 Concept: Roundabouts Recommended locations: Wells Branch Parkway Howard Lane 51st Street I-35 at Wells Branch Parkway Evaluated but not recommended: Grand Avenue Parkway I-35 at 51st Street I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 16 Roundabout at 51st Street Current project to reconnect northbound frontage road to Cameron Road Collector-Distributor (C-D) road southbound takes through traffic out of intersection and reduces neighborhood cut-through Roundabout improves westbound to southbound traffic flow Entrance ramp is moved I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 17 Frontage roads through the decks ­ Existing Three lane frontage road ­Two continuous lanes ­3rd lane functions as turn lane or ramp terminal Inefficient intersection operations Difficult environment for bicycles and pedestrians I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 18 Frontage roads through the decks - Proposed Original concept ­ Super Street ­ No direct east-west vehicle movements (except EMV) ­ Use a right turn/U-turn for left turns and E/W through movements ­ Use inside frontage road lane for U-turn movements ­ Improved bicycle/pedestrian facilities ­ Rebuild all bridges Current concept ­ Maintain direct east/west connectivity at all existing locations for all modes of travel ­ Improved bicycle/pedestrian facilities ­ Rebuild all bridges ­ Location-specific solutions (details TBD) I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 19 Ramping MLK to Airport (1.8 miles) Ramps do not meet current design standards ­ Frequency · Four northbound (three proposed for removal) · Five southbound (four proposed for removal) ­ Length ­ Proximity to other ramps ­ Proximity to intersections ­ Insufficient auxiliary (merge) lanes In current concepts: ­ NB traffic · exits Manor Road or north of 51st. · Enters north of MLK or north of Airport ­ SB traffic · exits south of 51st or at MLK · Enters north of Airport or south of MLK I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 20 Ramping MLK to Airport (1.8 miles) Ramp Concepts under consideration · Northbound off ramp to Barbara Jordan, Cameron, 51st · Southbound on ramp from Airport · Northbound off ramp to eastbound Airport considered, dropped Northbound Off Ramp Southbound On Ramp I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 21 Ramping MLK to Airport (1.8 miles) Ramp Concepts under consideration · Northbound off ramp to 38 ˝ St. · Could be in addition to NB off ramp to Barbara Jordan Northbound Off Ramp I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 22 Path Forward Planning and Environmental Linkages Study (PEL) for FTC Continue downtown discussion Environmental coordination and PS&E for stand alone projects Continue Phase 2 efforts in Williamson and Hays County I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 23 Planning and Environmental Linkages Study Planning and Environmental Linkages Study (PEL) ­ Transportation decision-making approach that considers environmental, community and economic goals early in the planning process Current PEL focuses on Travis County portion of the proposed FTC ­ SH 45N ­ SH 45SE I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 24 I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program Stay involved: Web: mobility35.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/TxDOT Twitter: @TxDOTAustin Email: info@mobility35.org I-35 Capital Area Improvement Program (Mobility35) 25