Austin, TX
Bat boxes to be installed along I-35 in Austin
Bat boxes to be installed in Austin
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is in the process of installing more than a dozen bat boxes at the Walnut Creek Bridge on I-35. The goal is to provide habitats for bats that live under bridges being demolished near Howard Lane and Wells Branch Parkway.
AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is in the process of installing more than a dozen bat boxes at the Walnut Creek Bridge on I-35. The goal is to provide habitats for bats that live under bridges being demolished near Howard Lane and Wells Branch Parkway.
The multi-million-dollar Interstate 35 Capital Express North Project will come with the installation of 36 artificial roosts for the bat population in Austin. This summer, TxDOT says it’s installing 18 of those under the Walnut Creek Bridge along interstate 35.
“I am upset about the entire project. It has affected my neighborhood because I live on the east side close to the highway, so I don’t think they have given enough attention and thought and sympathy to humans, but I am glad they are doing something about relocating the bats,” says Austin resident Steve Wilson.
TxDOT plans to demolish a pair of bridges that the bats live in the crevices of during the construction of the project that was created to improve the flow of traffic.
“We have bats on bridges, two bridges, Howard Lane and Wells Branch Parkway,” says TxDOT biologist Tracy White.
According to TxDOT, the bat boxes range from $3,000-4,000 and are capable of providing roosting and maternity colony opportunities for thousands of bats.
“You pop it in, and you wedge it in, so these struts kind of lodge up against the beam so they fly here, land here, and then crawl up in roost. These bat boxes can last anywhere from upwards of 10 years, even 20 years,” says White.
“It looks like a nice system they have figured out for their relocation to get them started, it sounds like some type of artificial colony that would help them maybe jump start a new home here,” says Wilson.
TxDOT says the Walnut Creek Bridge was selected because it is distant from humans and close to natural resources in the area.
“I think it would be a reliable source of water and mosquitos for them and plenty of places to kind of perch and fly around without much hassle and confusing light at night,” says Wilson.
“They eat tons and tons of insects annually. They help farmers, we want a good functioning ecosystem, and we want to take care of our natural resources, which are these bats,” says White.
The latest installations will support the Brazilian free-tailed bats. TxDOT says it may take some time for the bats to find their new accommodations.
Construction for the I-35 Capital Express North project started in March 2023 and is expected to be completed in late 2028.
AUSTIN, Texas — CBS Austin will air a special newscast Friday night examining where flood recovery efforts stand across Texas and what lies ahead, followed by a town hall streamed online.
“Rising Waters: One Year After the Floods” airs Friday at 6:30 p.m. on CBS Austin, taking a look at the current state of recovery efforts one year after the deadly flooding and posing the question of what’s next to state leaders.
Immediately following the special, a town hall will stream at 7 p.m. on CBSAustin.com and the station’s YouTube page.
AUSTIN, Texas – The Austin Police Department (APD) Lake Patrol Unit will be enforcing the City Ordnance that prohibits the use and operation of personal watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards, and similar devices on Lake Austin.
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the Austin Police Department want the public to enjoy the parks and lakes but urge people to make this a safe holiday.
This city ordinance only applies to Lake Austin.
Personal watercraft ban
The backstory:
This ban will go into effect beginning at sunset on Friday, July 3, and ending on Sunday, July 5, at sunrise as outlined in Ordinance 8-5-81.
Non-motorized devices such as kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards can still be used along with watercraft designed for the conventional manner of sitting or standing in the vessel.
The annual ban on personal watercraft is necessary to ensure the safety of many people using the lake and parks over the July 4th holiday weekend.
Police will patrol Lake Austin this holiday weekend and urge people using waterways to follow the Texas Water Safety Act and City of Austin boating laws and ordinances. Police urge all boaters to practice safe boating and to call 9-1-1 for all reckless operation of boats or emergencies.
What is city ordinance 8-5-81?
- A person may not use or possess a jet ski, wet bike, motorized surfboard, or similar device on Lake Austin:From sunset on the Friday before Memorial Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Memorial DayFrom sunset on the Friday before Labor Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Labor DayFrom sunset on July 3 until sunrise on July 5
- From sunset on the Friday before Memorial Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Memorial Day
- From sunset on the Friday before Labor Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Labor Day
- From sunset on July 3 until sunrise on July 5
- A person operating a motorboat on Lake Austin shall stay on the right side of the lake, except when assisting a downed water skier.
- A person may not operate a watercraft on Lake Austin at a speed that is greater than reasonable and prudent under the existing circumstances.
The Source: Information from the Austin Police Department
AUSTIN, Texas – A Texas court has ordered that the domain name of a porn website be locked down after failing to comply with the state’s age-verification law.
What we know:
According to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, the state sued Kick Online Entertainment, the parent company of the site, in 2024 after it didn’t follow a law enacted in 2023. It requires that porn sites displayed in Texas institute age-verification measures to restrict minors’ access to sexually explicit material.
The company ignored the lawsuit and subsequent default judgment, according to officials.
A Travis County district court judge has since ordered the company that owns the domain registry for the site to lock it down until a $9.14 million bond and age-verification is implemented by Kick Online Entertainment.
What they’re saying:
“This court order establishes a huge precedent that websites can be stripped of their domain if they ignore the law and harm children with pornographic content,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. “This affirms that protecting children from pornographic content is not only about collecting a penalty but also shutting down websites that refuse to obey the law. My office will continue to take action against any website that harms kids by allowing them access to pornographic content.”
The backstory:
Texas’ age-verification law was challenged on free-speech grounds. It was upheld in June 2025 by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Some sites have opted to block access to computers in Texas rather than comply with the law.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Texas Attorney General’s Office and previous FOX Local reporting.
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