Can Austin survive without swapping I-35 and SH130? (Round Rock, Georgetown: 2013, home)

[gpurcell]

Originally Posted by EzPeterson

130 does not have the capacity. It's two lanes for far too much of that stretch.

It's designed for huge expansion.

[gpurcell]

The trick is banning trucks through Austin, cBach. You gain an immediate, noticeable capacity gain on the existing I-35 that way.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by gpurcell

The trick is banning trucks through Austin, cBach. You gain an immediate, noticeable capacity gain on the existing I-35 that way.

I agree!

[Paddy the Plasterer]

Originally Posted by cBach

So what? You don't need as many lanes east of town because it won't have the local traffic.

I recommend a phased approach:

1. Don't put tolls on I-35 at first, just take the tolls off 130 and see the difference. At this point don't resign anything.
2. If the traffic is too high on 130 after doing this then put the tolls back, add an extra lane, wash and repeat.
3. If the traffic is just fine on 130, then start the resigning process to change it to I-35 and resigning the downtown portion of I-35 to I-235.
4. Then plan a managed toll lane project on I-235 just like MoPac from 45SW intersection near Buda to 130 intersection in Georgetown.
5. After managed toll lane project, plan to toll the other lanes on MoPac with fixed priced tolling. While that is occurring, add a lane or two to the new I-35.

This would solve the traffic problems on I-35 for the next 50 years.

You can't toll existing lanes on Mopac, or any other already built and paid for highway. It is against federal law to do so. Only new lanes, and new highways can be tolled.

[TXEX06]

Originally Posted by gpurcell

The trick is banning trucks through Austin, cBach. You gain an immediate, noticeable capacity gain on the existing I-35 that way.

Lol! Good luck with that.

[Paddy the Plasterer]

Originally Posted by cBach

Politicians better get on this quickly.

It is the only reasonably priced solution that will immediately address traffic concerns. All they need to do is change a lot of signs and mileposts but it's not that difficult really and a lot easier than building a new road.

Why can't the politicians make such a simple decision that would solve many of the traffic issues in one swoop?

It's not quite that simple. First off, 130 is a state owned highway. I35 is a federal highway. On top of that 130 is leased to a private company who paid the up front costs to build it in return for the ability to collect tolls on it for X number of years.
So, not as simple as swapping road signs when you have state, federal and private interests all entangled.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Paddy the Plasterer

It's not quite that simple. First off, 130 is a state owned highway. I35 is a federal highway. On top of that 130 is leased to a private company who paid the up front costs to build it in return for the ability to collect tolls on it for X number of years.
So, not as simple as swapping road signs when you have state, federal and private interests all entangled.

Offer the private company some stake in the new managed lanes on I-35 if they agree to give up the revenue from 130 and to pay for the new lanes on I-35, they'll be salivating to collect on that

[texantodd]

Originally Posted by cBach

DC has I-95 go around the city, why is having I-35 going around Austin that bad?

DC has multiple free-of-charge freeways which transport commuters from the outer extremities and suburbs into the central part of town. Making the existing I35 a tollway leaves the majority of Austin and surrounding areas with no direct, no charge route to central parts of town.

Furthermore, for a city which such an expressed interest in "being green" you are now asking all of these commuters to take further, more out of the way routes to work which will increase mileage driven by commuters and thus also increase pollution output.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by texantodd

DC has multiple free-of-charge freeways which transport commuters from the outer extremities and suburbs into the central part of town.

In reality, only one - 395. 66 is carpool limited, and no trucks. Nothing on the MD side from outside the Beltway into DC (except 295 which is really just an extension of 395, mainly for VA commuters across the WW Bridge.)

[749]

First it was Formula 1 and Cota, now we're talking about swapping freeways. What the hell do we think we are, revolutionary thinkers?