Central Texas tolling agency revives MoPac South project with virtual open house beginning in November
[ad_1]
The virtual open house will be live from November 22nd to January 7th. The mobility authority and TxDOT accept comments by post, e-mail and via a project website. (Amy Denney / Community Impact Newspaper)
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and the Texas Department of Transportation plan to revive the MoPac South project, starting with a virtual open house from November 22nd through January 7th.
The 8-mile project would run from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane – a section that, according to a Mobility Authority press release, is up to 179,000 cars and trucks a day.
“If we don’t do anything about the traffic jams, the drivers could spend another 35 minutes in the corridor by 2035,” says the press release.
The six recommended builds would add an express lane or two and cost between an estimated $ 275 million to $ 350 million. The transport companies also have to determine how the toll lanes will be connected to the city center.
“>
environmental Protection
The project has been paused since a lawsuit was filed by the Save Our Springs Alliance in 2016 stating that the environmental review of the SH 45 SW project, the MoPac Intersection Project, and the MoPac South Project should have been investigated as a unit.
In 2018, the 5th US Court of Appeals upheld an earlier judgment in favor of the mobility authority’s continuation of the project.
“Currently the [Mobility Authority] is unaware of the pending lawsuits regarding the MoPac South project, “Mobility Agency spokeswoman Emily Gauci said in an email.
However, Kelly Davis, a lawyer with the Save Our Springs Alliance, said the organization plans to continue to oppose the work on environmental concerns.
“As the project is currently undergoing an environmental review, we do not expect a legal challenge for a while. But we will oppose the project in court of public opinion and at every level of the decision-making process, “Davis said in an email.
She added that the organization’s leaders are most concerned about the water quality and the environmental impact on Edwards Aquifer, Barton Springs, Lady Bird Lake and the endangered salamanders that inhabit the aquifer.
Participation in the open house
According to a press release from the mobility authority, the open day will be completely virtual in order to limit personal contact.
The virtual open house will be available on November 22nd at 5 p.m. The mobility authority and TxDOT also receive feedback by email at [email protected] and mail to Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, c / o MoPac South Environmental Study, 3300 N. I-35, Ste. 625, Austin, TX 78705.
The press release said the agencies plan to hold another open house in 2022 and a public hearing in 2024.
[ad_2]
https://communityimpact.com/austin/central-austin/transportation/2021/11/01/central-texas-tolling-agency-revives-mopac-south-project-with-virtual-open-house-beginning-in-november/
