Reconstruction of the MLK Boulevard bridge is set to begin this week, and the bridge will likely be demolished early next year, said Jeffrey Barker, a Texas Department of Transportation public information officer.
The reconstruction of the bridge is a part of the I-35 Capital Express Central Project, a series of improvements along portions of Interstate 35 within Austin. The bridge construction is anticipated to be completed in early 2026.
According to TXDOT’s website, the project will widen the MLK Boulevard bridge to improve connectivity and safety. The project will also add sidewalks, shade structures, a safety barrier along the bridge and exit ramps.
The bridge crosses over I-35 and connects the main campus to East Campus. Joshua Martinez, a communication and leadership junior, said he drives and walks on the bridge around twice a week to park in the East Campus Garage because it is one of the more affordable parking garages on campus.
He said the construction would impact his daily commute from the garage. Martinez said he expects the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge to add more traffic on I-35, because that part of the highway already experiences a lot of traffic.
“I haven’t (thought) about it, because I never thought (the bridge) was gonna get demolished,” Martinez said. “I would say it would add at least another mile and a half to whatever I have to walk already. So honestly it will be really bad.”
Civil engineering sophomore Jose Julian Rojas Zamora said he’s been parking in East Campus Garage since last year and did not expect the bridge reconstruction. Rojas Zamora said he typically walks over the bridge to get to campus because the buses sometimes take a long time.
“It would probably inconvenience my journey to get my car,” Rojas Zamora said. “I didn’t even know (the demolition) was something that was going to happen in the future.”
Originally published Sept. 30, 2024, in The Daily Texan
By Erika Pernis
Photo by Alex Luevano
