Austin, TX
Can Austin's roads keep up with its growth?
AUSTIN, Texas — As Texas continues to experience explosive growth, more pressure is on the state’s roadways to keep up.
Doise Miers has worked in transportation in Austin for more than a dozen years, but she says this is unlike anything she’s seen before.
“It’s one of the fastest growing areas in the country”, said Miers, adding that the Greater Austin area is expected to see the population double over the next 20 to 25 years.
“We’ve gone from about 2 million people, and we are projected to be in the 4 to 4.5 million range in the year 2050,” Miers said.
Miers works for Austin’s Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO). The group collaborates with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to study area roadways.
Experts say traffic conditions in one part of the state can have a ripple effect, something Texans know all too well. The Interstate 35 downtown Austin corridor is one of the most congested areas in the state, according to TxDOT spokesperson Jeff Barker.
Over 10 million miles were traveled each day in 2023 by vehicles in Travis County alone, according to TxDOT’s annual roadway inventory data.
Barker explains that is why the second phase of the I-35 Capital Express Central Project is such a priority.
The Lady Bird Lake segment will add two non-toll HOV lanes, reconstruct the Lady Bird Lake bridge and create a pedestrian-only bridge at Woodland Avenue. The project also enhances bike and pedestrian paths.
“With it being the first major reconstruction of I-35 in nearly 50 years,” Barker says the project will bring much needed safety, mobility and connectivity improvements to the corridor.
Miers added that while projects like the one near Lady Bird Lake may not get rid of traffic congestion, these projects “are going to address the congestion, and help it not get any worse, even though we’re looking to double the population.”
AUSTIN, Texas – Central Texans gather to celebrate Juneteenth or “Freedom Day” on June 19 and commemorate the end of slavery.
What you can do:
The Greater East Austin Youth Association (GEAYA) is hosting the Central Texas Juneteenth Parade and Festival today (6/19).
It’s free and taking place at Rosewood Park in East Austin located at 2300 Rosewood Ave.
The schedule for the events is as follows:
- ACME Juneteenth FunRun – 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Juneteenth Historical Parade – 10 AM – 12 PM
- Park Celebration and Fireworks – 12 PM – 9:45 PM
Other events
On June 20, the Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition will be taking place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural, and Genealogy Center located at 1165 Angelina Street.
It will be a day of celebration and remembrance and there will be BBQ plates and music as well as vendors and hands-on activations.
The backstory:
Juneteenth commemorates the end of formal slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and more than one month following the end of the American Civil War.
Colloquially known as “The Black 4th of July,” Juneteenth marks the beginning of an African American journey to carve a new place in society for free people to shape identities independent of racial caricature, eradicate slave culture, promote ethnic pride, and create economic prosperity.
The Source: Information from City of Austin and Greater East Austin Youth Association and reporting by Jessica Rivera.
Juneteenth celebrations are happening across the city this weekend. The events will mark the 161st anniversary of the day Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce that more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. The announcement on June 19, 1865, came more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19 — known as Juneteenth — became a federal holiday in 2021.
From historical bike rides to Austin’s annual parade, here are seven events taking place in Austin.
Annual Juneteenth FunRun, June 19
The city of Austin’s African American Cultural and Heritage Facility will host a fun run starting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at East Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Leona Street, and concluding at Hargrave Street near the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex. Participants will have one hour to complete the course. The route is the same as the parade through the African American Historical Cultural District that will start later that morning. Runners and walkers of all ages and levels can participate.
Central Texas Juneteenth Parade & Festival, June 19
The annual Juneteenth parade will take place Friday and begin at 10 a.m. at East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Leona Street and will travel down to Chicon Street before turning on Rosewood Avenue. The parade will feature floats, live music and performers.
A Very Juneteenth Comedy Jam, June 19
The Velveeta Room, Austin’s longest-running comedy club, will have shows highlighting Black voices Friday night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The 18+ event will feature comedians like Freddy Do Less and Roderick McDaniel. Tickets for both shows are around $23.
Sistas Walk And Talk: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
Texas Sistas Society will host a 3-mile walk and talk Saturday at 515 S. Pleasant Valley Road starting at 7:45 a.m. Texas Sistas Society is an Austin-based community created for Black women and women of color. Attendees are encouraged to wear Juneteenth colors: red, yellow, green or black, and to RSVP ahead of time.
The Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
The George Washington Carver Museum in Austin is dedicated to creating a “space where the global contributions of all Black people are celebrated.” The museum is hosting a free celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with barbecue plates, live music, vendors and activities for all ages.
Black Auteur Film Festival, June 20
The Black Auteur Film Festival, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Black filmmakers in Texas, is hosting its third annual film festival to showcase short films directed by Black Texans at AFS Cinema on Saturday. One filmmaker will win the $1,000 “Best of Fest” award, and attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win Austin Film Society memberships and movie tickets. The festival runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $14.
Juneteenth Social Ride, June 21
Black History Bike Ride, an Austin nonprofit teaching people about the city’s Black history through cycling, is hosting its seventh annual Juneteenth ride starting at the Haskell House on Saturday at 10 a.m. Austin-based historian Harrison Eppright will serve as the ride’s guide. Registration is required for all attendees. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.
Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That
When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.
“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”
Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.
-
Illinois4 minutes agoIllinois has already broken the record for number of tornadoes in a year — and it’s only June
-
Indiana6 minutes agoHamilton County teen is youngest delegate at Indiana Republican convention
-
Iowa12 minutes agoReynolds orders flags lowered for funeral of Iowa Sen. Julian Garrett
-
Kentucky22 minutes ago
Louisville celebrates Juneteenth with parade honoring history and culture
-
Louisiana27 minutes agoFrom ‘not pageant people’ to Miss Louisiana stage: Addison J…
-
Maine34 minutes agoMaine gubernatorial candidates trade barbs on first day of general campaign
-
Maryland37 minutes agoMaryland governor celebrates Juneteenth in historically-Black Montgomery County community – WTOP News
-
Michigan42 minutes agoWest Michigan celebrates Juneteenth
