Vote to support I-35 Caps – April 12

On April 12th we will call upon the Neighborhood Association to vote on whether to send this letter urging the city council to support the funding of the funding of roadway elements necessary for future development of the Caps over the expanded I-35 Central Expressway.

Please read the following, and if you have specific amendments please fill out the following form:

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Windsor Park Neighborhood Association’s Support for the I-35 Cap and Stitch Plan

The Windsor Park Neighborhood Association fully supports the Cap & Stitch initiative to create up to fifteen acres of community-focused space over I-35, helping to reconnect neighborhoods and reduce the negative impacts of the highway.

As part of the I-35 Capital Express Central project, which will expand the highway by up to 100 feet in north central Austin, this plan is crucial to mitigating the increased division, traffic congestion, air and noise pollution, and safety risks that come with a wider interstate. Caps provide a much-needed buffer, offering green space and community benefits while lessening the daily burden the highway places on nearby residents.

Austin and north central neighborhoods have long fought for a lowered I-35 main lane, and this is our opportunity to realize the vision we worked so hard to achieve. This is a once-in-a-generation moment to shape the future of our city, and fully funding the necessary roadway elements for caps is essential to ensuring long-term community and regional well-being.

We recognize that implementing this plan will take time and significant investment, but cutting corners is not the answer. Recent proposals to reduce cap lengths to just 800 feet fall short of meeting community needs and were made without public input. We urge city leaders to remain committed to a comprehensive solution.

Additionally, the I-35 reconstruction is a chance to make the frontage roads safer and more integrated with surrounding neighborhoods. The City of Austin must work closely with the Texas Department of Transportation to implement safer, more accessible street designs, including street trees, traffic calming measures, improved signal timing, and lower speed limits—ensuring that caps and crossings are not only functional but also welcoming and safe for all.

With that in mind, the Windsor Park Neighborhood Association urges the Austin City Council to:

• Fully fund all roadway elements needed to unlock the full potential of the caps, enhancing green space, economic growth, neighborhood connectivity, and multimodal transportation.
• Reject partial caps, “stitches,” or other scaled-back versions that fail to meet the needs of the community and were developed without resident input.
• Prioritize “complete streets” for frontage roads to create safer, more pedestrian-friendly corridors that align with neighborhood design standards, including street trees and other enhancements.

Now is the time to act boldly to create a more connected, livable, and sustainable future for Austin. Let’s ensure that this project truly benefits the communities it impacts the most.