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CAMPO: Remove MoPac South Expansion from Regional Transportation Plan
The CAMPO (The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) 2050 Regional Transportation Plan comment period is open until April 15, 2025, and we need your voice to oppose the MoPac South expansion. This unnecessary project threatens Barton Springs, the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, the Barton Creek Greenbelt, Lady Bird Lake, and the health of the students at Austin High School and surrounding communities.
Key Dates:
Public Hearing – April 14, 2025, 2-4 PM
Location – 5330 Bluffstone Lane, Austin, TX 78759
Comment Deadline - April 15, 2025
Why Oppose the Expansion?
ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS
- This 8-mile expansion of MoPac South is entirely within the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, with Barton Springs located just ¼ mile downstream from the highway.
- Construction from the highway will increase sedimentation and send highway-related pollutants into the aquifer and Barton Springs, harming aquatic life, including the endangered Barton Springs salamander and Austin Blind salamander.
- The highway expansion would close the gap between the existing lanes over Lady Bird Lake, blocking out sunlight to Roberta Crenshaw Pedestrian Bridge and would limit access to the lake during construction.
OUTDATED TRAFFIC MODELS AND MINIMAL BENEFITS
- The expansion plan relies on pre-pandemic traffic data, ignoring how hybrid work schedules and remote jobs have reduced peak-hour congestion since 2019.
- CTRMA projections show minimal travel time savings: 5 minutes, that’s it. After years of construction-related delays, the projected benefit to commuters is a whopping 5 minutes during rush hour traffic for those that travel the entire 8-mile stretch from Slaughter Lane to Cesar Chavez.
YEARS OF DISRUPTION FOR AUSTIN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
- Austin High School is directly impacted, with its entrance on Cesar Chavez—a corridor that would see more diverted traffic under this plan.
- Construction would last at least four years, disrupting student safety, increasing air pollution, and exposing children to noise and dust.
- The expansion increases vehicle emissions, worsening air quality near schools and residential areas.
Take Action: Speak Up Against MoPac South Expansion
Submit Comments to CAMPO before April 15th!
Support Austin's Last Shred of Direct Democracy
The City of Austin Charter Commission, composed of appointed representatives from the City Council, is pushing forward a proposal to increase signature requirements for voter-initiated measures. Council Members, fearing recall, aim to raise the signature requirement from 10% of qualified votes, falsely claiming it "raises the price" for entry, when in reality, it undermines democracy. These efforts lack practical basis, with zero successful recall efforts in Austin's recent history. Now, a few powerful individuals seek to strip Austin voters of their direct democracy power. Take action now to preserve Austin's last bastion of direct democracy by urging the Austin City Council to reject these harmful proposals.
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