Austin Transportation Issues

[The ATX]

5 hours ago, Dr. B. said:

Would be really really really nice if these happened within a generation's timeframe....

The same goes for the  I-35 expansion through downtown.  

[The ATX]

The long standing rumor of Delta adding a hub or focus city to Texas at  AUS is apparently true!  On June 1st Delta posted a job on LinkedIn for an executive position for their Austin Focus City.  That's the first part of the rumor.  The second part is that the focus city status will eventually change to a hub when the next phase of gate expansion is completed.  There is talk of 60 gates after the next phase of expansion.

Job Posting

[The ATX]

It's official.  Local media has the Delta focus city news:  

http://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/delta-chooses-austin-as-focus-city-bringing-more-direct-flights/1255011066

[The ATX]

The current airport expansion that includes 9 new gates and a Delta Sky Lounge wraps up this spring.  The next phase of construction should begin shortly after that and will eventually include a new terminal with 32 more gates.

The expansion plans from the Austin Business Journal include:  

Quote

• A total of 2 million square feet of new terminal/remote concourse space

• 32 new gates

• New outdoor plaza and concession area

• Additional aircraft apron, taxiways, and taxilanes

• 11,100 more on-site parking spaces

• Improvements to terminal curb drop off and pick-up to relieve congestion

• Roadway access and circulation improvements

• Upgraded baggage handling system and baggage claim areas

• Consolidated maintenance facilities.

 

[The ATX]

JHC.  This is Austin in 1959.  I-35 was three lanes in each direction at Riverside  AND IT IS STILL THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION ALMOST 60 YEARS LATER.  Thankfully frontage roads and a safety medium have since been added.

Link

[The ATX]

One of my rare Transportation posts...

This is TxDOT's latest (as of a week ago) plans for I-35 through downtown Austin.  It appears to be up to 22 lanes a la TxDOTs treatment  of a section of I-10 through Houston known as The Katy Freeway with 24 lanes.  Not shown in the video is a section with two levels of tunnels due to a narrow right of away.  I'd like to see how those tunneled levels separate then reconnect to the main lanes at ground level.  The infamous Upper Decks will be removed.  Now the State just needs to come up with $8 billion to pay for it.  Sections of I-35 North and South of downtown have been U/C for a couple years to make room for more lanes.  Overpasses, entrances, exits and frontage roads are being rebuilt ahead of this expansion.

Scree Cap from video:

 

 

[KJHburg]

^^^ wow that is a huge project.  it looks like 4 lanes of tolled express lanes will be a part of it.  Here is a photo of the Katy Freeway you speak of with its tolled express lanes I took earlier in the year. 

[The ATX]

Houston definitely has some monster freeways.  The depressed section in Austin is apparently being designed so a cap can cover the depressed lanes which would allow for parkland on top.  But TxDOT has stated that Austin must pay for the caps.

[The ATX]

I haven't been keeping this thread up to date with Austin transportation news.  But TxDOT approved ~$8 billion in funding for the expansion and rebuild of I-35 through central Austin.  It will be below graded and partially tunneled.  Also, a similarly priced multi-billion dollar light rail and subway system has been proposed.  This is a rendering of the underground subway (redundant?) station.

Link

[The ATX]

This Austin Business Journal article with more renderings puts the light rail and subway system cost at nearly $10 billion.