I-35 Work Session Discussion
Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2021 11:16 am
Colleagues,
For tomorrow’s work session, we are posted for briefings on the I-35 Capital Express Project from both TxDOT and our City staff. Like all of you, I heard the calls from our community to hold a special called Mobility Committee meeting to discuss the I-35 project. I thank those of you who expressed your support for such a discussion to me or my office. Given the broad interest on the dais in the I-35 project, and the impacts to council districts that may not represented on the Mobility Committee, I requested this discussion take place at our regular work session, so that all of my colleagues can participate.
I also heard from several of you – and we have all heard from the community – about aspects of the I-35 project and its impacts that extend beyond mobility. I-35’s history of segregating the community, impacts on climate change, the displacement of homes and local businesses, future potential to physically reconnect the community, and the best use of this valuable land are among the issues that must be discussed in a holistic conversation about the future of I-35. Many of you have shared that, as council members, you feel a responsibility to evaluate TxDOT’s I-35 proposal against our array of City goals and community values: mobility and mode-shift and safety, certainly, but also equity and racial justice, climate action and environmental stewardship, affordability, and more. It is my hope and intention that we use tomorrow’s work session to have a focused conversation with our City staff and TxDOT about all these aspects of the I-35 project.
If there are particular topics or concerns you would like to discuss tomorrow, I invite you to share those here to help staff prepare their thoughts.
Thanks, and I look forward to the briefings and our conversation tomorrow!
Paige
For tomorrow’s work session, we are posted for briefings on the I-35 Capital Express Project from both TxDOT and our City staff. Like all of you, I heard the calls from our community to hold a special called Mobility Committee meeting to discuss the I-35 project. I thank those of you who expressed your support for such a discussion to me or my office. Given the broad interest on the dais in the I-35 project, and the impacts to council districts that may not represented on the Mobility Committee, I requested this discussion take place at our regular work session, so that all of my colleagues can participate.
I also heard from several of you – and we have all heard from the community – about aspects of the I-35 project and its impacts that extend beyond mobility. I-35’s history of segregating the community, impacts on climate change, the displacement of homes and local businesses, future potential to physically reconnect the community, and the best use of this valuable land are among the issues that must be discussed in a holistic conversation about the future of I-35. Many of you have shared that, as council members, you feel a responsibility to evaluate TxDOT’s I-35 proposal against our array of City goals and community values: mobility and mode-shift and safety, certainly, but also equity and racial justice, climate action and environmental stewardship, affordability, and more. It is my hope and intention that we use tomorrow’s work session to have a focused conversation with our City staff and TxDOT about all these aspects of the I-35 project.
If there are particular topics or concerns you would like to discuss tomorrow, I invite you to share those here to help staff prepare their thoughts.
Thanks, and I look forward to the briefings and our conversation tomorrow!
Paige