Austin I-35 Expansion: What To Expect

I-35 is going to get even busier in the years to come, as more and more large cross-border trucks pass through Austin on their way to and from Mexico. In response, there are plans to widen the biggest—and most frustrating—road through town.

Are Austin drivers ready?

In 2023, Texas was the top exporting state in the nation for the 22nd year in a row, meaning we send more goods to other states and countries than any other state. 

Meanwhile, our neighbor to the south has become an even bigger trading partner. In fact, Mexico has overtaken China as the leading source of goods in the U.S.. 

(infographic courtesy of Statista) 

This means all of the big retail manufacturers are ramping up production at their factories in Mexico. Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, Google, Samsung, LG, GE, Mattel, and Lego are among the big names manufacturing consumer goods in Mexico and shipping them north.

Love it or hate it, I-35 is an impressive stretch of road when you think about how it connects three countries. Laredo, 235 miles south-southwest of Austin is at one end. The other end stretches north to Duluth, Minnesota, a stone’s throw from the Canadian border.

This key interstate supply chain corridor links Mexico’s border cities and Austin (and points north) to ensure the timely delivery of goods across the United States and Canada. On a typical weekday, the I-35 corridor is responsible for the flow of up to 20,000 trucks from the international bridges. Most of this traffic is northbound. 

Mexico is Texas’ top import and export partner, per the Texas governor’s office. In 2022, the U.S. imported nearly $476 billion from Mexico and shipped roughly $323 billion to its southern neighbor.

Many of Austin’s most dangerous intersections are on the I-35 corridor. Austin remains a bottleneck. In fact, the eight-mile stretch between Texas 71/Ben White Boulevard and U.S. 290 North is one of the most congested roadways for trucks in Texas. This is a place where so many car and truck accidents happen every day—many of them resulting in personal injury cases we take on here at Funk and Associates. 

State Highway 130 (SH 130), which passes Austin east of the interstate, is handling some of this traffic. Truck traffic on the section of 130 that runs between Austin and San Antonio has increased by 84 percent since 2019, per SH 130 Concession Co., the private company that operates and maintains SH 130.

In the next few years there’s going to be a lot of freight on a lot of trailers headed to Mexico or coming from Mexico.

What’s Being Done (And What Austin Drivers Can Expect)

The Texas Department of Transportation is planning the biggest transformation of I-35 in Austin’s history. The $4.5 billion project is formally known as I-35 Capital Express Central, or CapEx Central for short. The plan is to expand I-35 through Austin, a project intended to ease big rig traffic through the city.

You can see the I-35 project renderings here: https://my35capex.com/projects/i-35-capital-express-central/

Many properties along this I35 corridor are being taken by the State in an eminent domain taking.  

In the meantime, what should commuters in Austin know about the upcoming changes?

Tips For Drivers Sharing I-35 With Large Trucks

TxDOT asks drivers to slow down and stay alert during the upcoming expansion to prevent crashes, fatalities and serious injuries. Drivers need to use extra caution when driving through the I-35 work zones. They should always expect the unexpected by staying alert and watching for sudden changes in speed.

Here are some things to remember when you’re sharing I-35 (or any other road) with a big rig.

• Never cut in front of a truck.
• Don’t follow trucks too closely. Remember, they need more time to stop because they can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds.
• Leave at least four car lengths between the back of your car and the front of a truck as you pass.
• Avoid the truck’s four large blind spots.
• If you can’t see the driver in the truck’s side mirror, that means the driver can’t see you.

Now more than ever, being a safe, defensive driver is key to arriving safely to your destination when driving Austin’s roadways. Too many lives are being lost to preventable crashes. 

And When You Need An 18-Wheeler Accident Attorney …

Stretching more than 1,500 miles from Laredo to the upper Midwest, I-35 is a vital part of America’s supply chain, linking Mexico, the United States and Canada, and facilitating the flow of billions of dollars in trade annually. The I-35 corridor is positioned for continuous growth, but this brings challenges, especially for cities such as Austin.

As border ports expand, and as consumers continue to demand timely delivery of goods, maintaining this transportation infrastructure is an ongoing challenge where non-commercial drivers share the road with 18-wheelers.

Maintain defensive driving practices while sharing I-35 with the big rigs. But if there is an accident, remember—neither the truck company nor the truck driver will voluntarily admit fault up front. In the rare circumstance that they do, they will try and put some blame on you to minimize their liability.

Trucking companies and their lawyers are tough, but we are tougher. If you have been in a truck accident and suffered physical trauma, mental anguish, lost wages, etc., we are here to ease the legal process. 

When you need an experienced Austin-area 18-wheeler accident attorney, give us a call at 512-472-3865 or contact us online today for a free, no-obligation consultation.