Latest news with #I-35CapitalExpressNorthProject
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Crashes up 22% in north Austin I-35 construction zone
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Transportation is overhauling Interstate 35 through Austin from the north side to the south side of the Travis County line. Construction began on the I-35 Capital Express North Project in March 2023. TxDOT data shows total crash numbers were higher in 2024 compared to the previous two years. According to the data, there were 727 crashes in 2022 on that stretch of I-35. In 2023, crashes dropped to 701, but in 2024, crashes went to 858, a 22% increase from the previous year. 'It's unacceptable number one, and we all need to do our part,' said TxDOT Austin Spokesperson Bradley Wheelis. 'When we look at crashes in this particular work zone, the top contributing factors are driver and attention. So people not paying attention… they've been distracted. It's following too closely and speed, those are the top contributing factors. So while we try our best to make work zones as forgivable as possible, when people make poor decisions behind the wheel, we need drivers to do their part right,' said Wheelis. Driving through a construction zone is not a smooth experience. Shifting lanes and barriers can be overwhelming, but the barriers are a necessity. 'We do everything we can to protect our workers. Many times they're behind the concrete barriers, but sometimes they have to be out there, and you've got traffic whizzing by at 60-70, miles an hour or more, because people are not paying attention to the speed limit,' Wheelis said. The CapEx North project is not slated to wrap up until 2029, so the construction zone conditions are something drivers through Austin will need to get used to. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Deadly I-35 crash investigation underscores need for work zone safety
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Multiple agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board, are investigating the Interstate 35 crash that killed five people in north Austin. The NTSB said it expects to be at the scene for at least a week investigating what happened in the crash. 'I want to once again give my condolences to the families who lost loved ones and the friends who lost one loved ones and those who were injured in this tragic crash. It is the mission of the NTSB to ensure the safety of the traveling public,' said Alvin Brown, the Vice Chairman of the NTSB during a press briefing Sunday afternoon. Around 11:20 p.m. Thursday, southbound I-35 was reduced to one lane in a north Austin construction zone at Howard and Parmer Lane. Overnight lane closures are a common occurrence in construction zones, but that night, authorities said at least 18 vehicles including several semi-trucks were involved in a crash. According to an arrest affidavit, witnesses told investigators 'all traffic was nearly stopped' when the crash happened. The crash killed five people, including an infant and a child, and closed the highway for nearly 14 hours. The stretch of interstate, between Howard Lane and Parmer Lane, is within the construction zone of the I-35 Capital Express North Project. It's an area that currently has lanes blocked in by concrete barriers to protect construction workers. Truck driver in fatal I-35 crash allegedly under influence of drugs, affidavit says 'The design of the work zone in the roadway, that is a definite focus of this comprehensive investigation,' said Kenny Bragg, senior highway safety investigator. As part of the I-35 Capital Express North Project, the Texas Department of Transportation is constructing an HOV lane in both directions of I-35 between State Highway 45 North and U.S. Highway 290 East. KXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes asked TxDOT about the crash and if construction zone changes would be considered. Though they didn't answer that question directly, TxDOT told KXAN that drivers should continue to use caution in work zones, that pavement can be uneven, traffic patterns can and do change. The NTSB investigation will include a final report that may include recommendations for changes to the construction zone and protocol, but that could take up to two years to complete. Fatal I-35 crash: NTSB provides second update on its investigation 'Our objective is to find out what happened and why it happened so that we can make recommendations to ensure that it doesn't happen again,' said Bragg. The I-35 CapEx North project won't be done until 2029. The central portion is being done in phases, and it may not be done until 2033. The I-35 Capital Express South portion of the project is expected to last until 2028. Drivers should slow down and use extreme caution with I-35 through Austin under construction for for the better part of the next decade Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
