Can Austin survive without swapping I-35 and SH130? (Georgetown, Buda: price, building)

[slackjawed]

If we can't swap these two highways, then what are the alternatives?

Discuss.

[787]

gonadolas! Seriously though, I think the swap is inevitable. It's just a matter of deciding when.

[TXEX06]

No! We need to swap MoPac and 35 instead!

[texantodd]

Absolutely, 180% opposed to swapping those freeways. You can't have no north-south freeway through a major city. I can't see that happening at all.

[squatt3r]

swap swap swap

[gpurcell]

Originally Posted by texantodd

Absolutely, 180% opposed to swapping those freeways. You can't have no north-south freeway through a major city. I can't see that happening at all.

And that's not what's being proposed. The I-35 tag goes on SR 130 and then the current I-35 ends up rebranded as I-235 or something.

Won't have any effect unless they then ban through semis on the new I-235.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by texantodd

Absolutely, 180% opposed to swapping those freeways. You can't have no north-south freeway through a major city. I can't see that happening at all.

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

[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?

[EzPeterson]

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

[cBach]

Originally Posted by EzPeterson

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

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.