Interstate 35 is congested. Nobody needs a study to understand that. The real question is what should be done about it. With as many as 140,000 vehicles traveling on I-35 each day between Austin and San Antonio, the Texas Department of Transportation says that the current traffic volumes exceeds the existing design configuration of the highway.

A new project study will identify safety and mobility improvements along 45 miles of I-35 through Travis, Hays, Comal and Guadalupe counties. As part of the project, the TxDOT will hold a virtual open house meeting with in-person options in three locations, including one in San Marcos, next week to share study information and get input from the community on the I-35 Austin to San Antonio Link Study.

The in-person and virtual open house meetings will provide an opportunity for the community to provide input on transportation alternatives to address the growing safety, mobility and connectivity needs along the corridor due to the project population and employment growth in the region. All comments must be received on or before March 8 to be included in the official meeting record.

The Planning and Environmental Linkage study is evaluating potential improvements along I-35 from SH 45 Southeast to CR 382/Cibolo Valley Drive. It will focus on how to best connect the I-35 Capital Express South project in Travis County to the I-35 Northeast Expansion project (NEX) in Guadalupe County and identify projects that can be developed in the future.

The I-35 Capital Express South project proposes to add two non-tolled high-occupancy vehicle managed lanes in each direction along I-35 from SH 71/Ben White Boulevard to SH 45 Southeast in Austin. The I-35 Northeast Expansion project consists of approximately four miles of non-tolled improvements along I-35 from I-410 South to I-410 North in San Antonio. The I-35 Austin to San Antonio Link Study is evaluating potential future projects between the two with a stated purpose of improving safety and mobility.

The study will explore a variety of alternatives aimed at addressing transportation challenges within the region. Among the options to be considered are strategies falling under Transportation System Management. These would be low-cost operational approaches aim to enhance safety, alleviate congestion and enhance traffic flow. Examples include the synchronization of traffic signals, implementation of changeable message signs and incident management protocols.

Additionally, the study will assess Transportation Demand Management strategies designed to either manage or decrease the demand for automobile- related travel. This encompasses initiatives such as promoting transit usage, encouraging carpooling, establishing high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, fostering bicycling, supporting telecommuting and implementing parking management measures.

The proposal also includes the exploration of two options that would add lanes to I-35. The first option involves the addition of one freeway lane in each direction, with the specific lane type yet to be determined, whether for vehicles, freight, rail, etc. The second option contemplates two additional freeway lanes in each direction, also with lane types to be determined.

The study will also examine what it would look like if there was no new improvements to the existing infrastructure, called a No-Build Alternative This would maintain the ongoing operation of the current roadway and serve as a baseline for the comparative analysis of the proposed alternatives.

The virtual open house will consist of a pre-recorded video presentation and will include both audio and visual components. The virtual open house will be posted online on Tuesday, Feb. 20 by 5 p.m. To review materials and make comments, visit www.txdot. gov and search for “I35 Link Study.”

The in-person open house meetings will be held on the following consecutive days at three locations within the study area:

• Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the New Braunfels Civic and Convention Center, located at 375 S Castell Avenue, New Braunfels, TX 78130

• Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Sunfield Station, located at 2610 Main Street #100, Buda, TX 78610

• Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the San Marcos Activity Center, located at 501 E Hopkins Street, San Marcos, TX 78666