by: Annalisa Peace 4-20-26
We’ve never understood why highway authorities keep wanting to build freeways in one of the most precious and fragile places in the Austin area — the Barton Springs recharge zone. So, of course, GEAA is opposed to the huge multi-lane expansion of MoPac (running south from Enfield Road to Slaughter Lane) over the recharge zone. That’s why we’re urging you to join GEAA member groups in opposing the new MoPac South project by taking these two steps:
Attend the MoPac South Town Hall
WHEN: Wednesday, April 22, 6-8pm
WHERE: Austin High School Cafeteria,
1715 W. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, TX 78703
Join us on Wednesday to listen, learn, ask questions, and take action against the MoPac South project. Free pizza, drinks, and childcare will be provided. Speakers will include Brigid Shea, Travis County commissioner; Lynn Boswell, Austin ISD trustee; Bill Bunch, Save Our Springs Alliance executive director; Bill Oliver, environmental singer & songwriter; and Dr. Lauren Ross, water expert & Ph.D. civil engineer. You can register in advance for the Town Hall here. Save Texas Streams is a member of the Better MoPac Coalition, which is sponsoring the Town Hall.
Submit comments on MoPac South to CTRMA
DEADLINE: Sunday, May 3
ONLINE COMMENT FORM: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MPSPHComment
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) is proposing to add 6-8 new lanes to MoPac (including 4 toll lanes) from Lady Bird Lake to Slaughter Lane. The authority is also trying to take a shortcut in getting its project approved. Given the size of the highway expansion and the fragility of the Barton Springs area, CTRMA should be preparing a Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which would require thorough assessments by relevant experts. Instead, CTRMA is trying to slip by with a shorter Environmental Assessment, which is largely drawn from remarks submitted at stakeholder meetings that CTRMA previously held for the MoPac South project.
You can submit comments on the MoPac South project here by May 3. Tell CTRMA that it has to prepare a full-scale Environmental Impact Statement for MoPac South before it proceeds any further with the project. The Environmental Assessment ignores or downplays the major effects that the MoPac South expansion will have on air and water quality, noise and light pollution, parks, endangered species, and neighboring communities. Plus, it won’t even solve the problem it’s supposed to solve. We’re repeatedly seen that highway expansions usually make traffic worse, not better.
You can learn much more about the problems with CTRMA’s plans by going to bettermopaccoalition.org, the website for opponents of the project. You can find additional information at CTRMA’s website, mopacsouth.com. Community voices are crucial to ensure that safer and more sustainable alternatives are considered for this 8.8 mile corridor over Lady Bird Lake and down the centerline of the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer recharge zone.
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