NEW: Austin's I-35 expansion receives federal approval

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Department of Transportation is poised to begin construction on its Interstate 35 Capital Expression Central project near downtown Austin, following federal approval of the project announced Monday.

TxDOT received a final environmental impact statement and record of decision, marking completion of environmental clearance as part of the National Environmental Policy Act. With that decision delivered, TxDOT's I-35 Central project is slated to move into its final design and review phase before construction is anticipated to begin in mid-2024.

The I-35 Central project is an eight-mile project track running from U.S. Hwy. 290 East to SH 71 and Ben White Boulevard.

Project components include the addition of two non-tolled high-occupancy vehicle managed lanes in each direction along I-35, the removal of the upper decks and lowering of the I-35 main lanes between Airport Boulevard and Lady Bird Lake, as well as between Riverside Drive and Oltorf Street.

Project designs also call for "boulevard-style segments" running through downtown, in addition to pedestrian and cyclist path improvements.

TxDOT leadership called the decision "an important step toward bringing much needed congestion relief to central Texas." TxDOT first launched a multi-year feasibility, environmental and design review process on the project back in 2020.

“The Central project represents years of hard work to develop safety and mobility enhancements that will benefit all users,” said TxDOT Austin District Engineer Tucker Ferguson in the release. “It is a project that has seen a tremendous amount of community input, and one that we can say is designed in part by the community and for the community."

Some changes to the project were made based on community feedback. Lowering the main lanes between Airport Boulevard and Lady Bird Lake, the removal of the upper decks, the opportunity for deck plazas funded by the City of Austin and widened east-west bridges with bicycle and pedestrian paths all came from community input.