AUSTIN, Texas – The city of Austin is giving a visual update on its Cap and Stitch program. The project is part of the Texas Department of Transportation’s expansion of I-35.

The city says the project is aimed at creating public spaces over the highway.

TxDOT held a groundbreaking ceremony on the I-35 Capital Express Central Project last month.

The project will lower the highway’s main lanes between Lady Bird Lake and Airport Boulevard.

The city of Austin plans to add caps and stitches to the project to create more public spaces and bridge the East and West sides of town.

“The key intent is really to document what we have been hearing from residents and community members over the past two-ish years of our outreach in regard to Austinites’ desired outcomes for the city’s cap and stitch effort,” says Transportation Public Works transportation officer Michelle Marx.

Residents were surveyed at several open houses from the months of May through August. A new draft of the vision plan was presented in front of the mobility committee on Thursday.

“The vision plan does start by articulating where Cap and Stitches are going to be possible in Austin and those are the locations you are seeing on your map here in blue. We do also identify where The University of Texas is evaluating opportunities outside the city’s efforts,” says Marx.

According to the city, the Caps and Stitches could create up to 25 acres of public space, stretching from Holly Street to Airport Boulevard, which should include large trees, shade, lighting, public art, walking and bicycle paths, landscaping and micromobility hubs.

“A wide array of open space, park-like features as well as buildings in some, if not many locations,” says Michelle Marx.

The city says the buildings will be limited to two stories. The spaces will be used for recreational activities.

But the Caps and Stitches must meet certain guidelines.

“The real driving factor for that is the requirement that TxDOT has provided us is that we provide a minimum of 16 and a half feet of vertical clearance from the roadway surface at any highway or on and off ramp locations to any kind of deck,” says Michelle Marx.

The concepts and plans were split into five phases, according to the draft provided.

“TxDOT will be constructing the structural elements on our behalf. They will be city funded but constructed in conjunction with the project, so TxDOT will be breaking ground in approximately mid-26. They are scheduled for substantial completion in approximately 2032, so any city funded cap features that we fold into their scope we are looking at about a 2032 completion date,” says Marx.

There will be another meeting next to discuss the next steps in the process and the funding.  

TEXAS — YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is set to fight former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on Friday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Missed out on tickets but still want to experience the fight with a crowd? Here are some watch party options around the state:

Austin

Manchaca Sports Bar in South Austin is hosting a watch party starting at 7 p.m. There is no cover charge and the bar will be open until 2 a.m. 10402 Menchaca Rd Bldg 1, Austin, Texas 78748.

The Warehouse Billiard Bar is hosting a watch party starting at 7 p.m. You can get tickets at this link. 509 E Ben White Blvd, Austin, TX 78704.

Dallas

Heroes Lounge is hosting a watch party starting at 4 p.m. which will go until 2:30 a.m. 3094 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, TX 75247.

High Fives Dallas is hosting a watch party with free face tattoos. They will also be hosting a Tyson punch-out contest. If you DM them on Instagram, you can reserve a table for the event. 1804 McMillan Ave, Dallas, TX 75206.

Reservoir at Toyota Music Factory will be hosting a watch party starting at 7 p.m. There will be no cover charge for this watch party. 330 West Las Colinas Boulevard, Irving, TX 75039.

San Antonio

Rock & Brews San Antonio is hosting a watch party from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. With free entry and numerous TV screens, you won’t miss any of the action. 5702 Landmark Pkwy, San Antonio, TX 78249.

Smoke Skybar will be hosting a watch party with free entry before 8 p.m. It is $10 for entry after 8 p.m. 1100 E Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78205.

Camp 1604 will be hosting a watch party with no cover charge. They will have early drink specials and a food truck for the event. 5535 N. Loop 1604 W, San Antonio, TX 78257.

AUSTIN, Texas — It’s Spanish only for the kids enrolled at Cielito Lindo Spanish Immersion Preschool. Maria Dominguez owns three Spanish immersion preschools in Travis County. 

“We focus on the social and emotional part of child development,” said Dominguez. 

The average cost of child care in Texas is $1,300 per month, and while Cielito Lindo offers scholarships, many families still can’t afford it. 

“Even for those kids that we do receive assistance, they’re not paying the full amount that we charge a month. We’re constantly trying to make up for that amount because, again, we still have to pay for a facility for teachers being able to provide competitive wages because they deserve it,” said Dominguez. 

Last week, Travis County voters approved Proposition A, a property tax increase which is expected to generate $75 million to create nearly 2,000 new child care slots and nearly 4,000 new after-school and summer programming slots for school-age children. But there are nearly $80,000 children on a waitlist for subsidized care in Texas with an estimated wait time of two years.  

Child care advocates suggest it will cost $90 million per year in state funding to get at least 10,000 kids off the waitlist. 

“We have seen voters say over and over again that this is a priority,” said David Feigen with Texans Care for Children.

During the last legislative session, lawmakers defeated a $2 billion proposal to step in and fund child care providers. And now that federal pandemic-era funds are gone, policy experts say state lawmakers need to act. 

“If we don’t provide this funding, we will see more parents leaving the workforce, more businesses struggling to recruit and retain staff, more children in low-quality settings,” said Feigen. 

Travis County Judge Andy Brown hopes the passage of proposition A sends a message to state leaders to act. 

“If we are figure out ways to provide that, like we’re doing here in Travis County, it’s going to help our economy,” said Brown. 

But some representatives expressed uncertainty about allocations this time around during an interim House hearing. 

“We don’t always know, in the environment, [if we] can keep funding going up because there are other priorities for our states,” said Republican Rep. Angie Chen Button.

The priority for child care providers will always be the kids.