Austin City Council votes to spend $104M on foundations of caps and stitches
The Brief
Austin City Council voted to fund some cap and stitches across Austin
There will be three downtown caps and two northern stitches. It will cost $104 million
The vote on cap designs could be postponed until November 2026
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin City Council voted to fund foundations for three downtown caps and two northern stitches. It will cost $104 million.
Council voted 8-2 with 1 abstaining. Council Members Krista Laine and Marc Duchen opposed the plan, while Mike Siegel abstained.
The decision came after a couple of proposed amendments.
What they're saying
The council was split into two subquorums.
Council Members Vanessa Fuentes, Mike Siegel, Krista Laine, Marc Duchen, and Paige Ellis had a more scaled-back spending plan, starting with $49 million for two foundations.
The other subquorum, Council Members Natasha Harper-Madison, Jose Velasquez, Chito Vela, Ryan Alter, and Zo Qadri, originally wanted to fund all five for about $200 million.
Qadri proposed a compromise of $104 million for foundations for caps at:
Cesar Chavez to 4th Street
4th Street to 7th Street
11th Street to 12th Street
Two 300-foot stitches from 41st Street to the Red Line or contiguous equivalent within the cost parameters set herein and with the intent to connect Red Line Parkway, the East Avenue Trail, and 41st Street, ensuring viable space for future buildings and trees, and subject to further refinement with the community.
"It's a once in a generation opportunity," Qadri said before the vote. "It's not just about parks. It's about what we can do with that space."
Ellis proposed another compromise that would cost about $72 million.
It would have foundations for caps at:
Cesar Chavez to 4th Street
11th-12th Street
1 stitch at the Redline Parkway north
1 stitch around 5th Street
That amendment ultimately failed 5-6.
"Today we voted on the initial investment for Caps & Stitches over I-35. One subquorum proposed more than $400M without a legitimate plan to pay for it. We proposed a more modest approach that we knew would deliver caps, stitches and still allow us to invest more dollars in our community in the 2026 Bond, as they asked for. We landed at $104M which will accomplish reconnecting our community and still leave enough for community investments," council member Ellis said in a statement.
The city's overall debt capacity is $750 million. Council members for the larger plan had proposed other funding sources.
"We still want to make sure that we maintain our bond capacity," Qadri said.
In a statement, Davon Barbour, president and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance, says:
"The Downtown Austin Alliance commends Mayor Watson and Austin City Council for their thoughtful leadership in committing funding for caps over I-35 between Cesar Chavez and 4th Street, 4th-7th and from 11th to 12th Streets. We'd especially like to acknowledge Council Members Qadri, Vela, Alter, and Velasquez for their leadership in championing these transformational projects.
This once-in-a-generation investment will reconnect East and West Austin, create vital public space and deliver lasting economic, cultural and mobility benefits.
Funding these caps is a critical step toward ensuring I-35 works for everyone—supporting connection, commerce and quality of life.
We look forward to continuing our work with public, private and philanthropic partners to bring this vision to life and help shape a more accessible, inclusive and resilient downtown."
What's next
The vote on cap designs could be postponed until November 2026.
The Source
Information from an Austin City Council meeting and statements from council members
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