Our Future 35 Newsletter: Welcome to the Club!

Welcome to the very first edition of the Our Future 35 newsletter! We're excited to start this monthly adventure with you, bringing you the latest updates, project details, and tips on how you can get involved to make Austin’s Cap and Stitch project a success for all Austinites.

We'd love to hear what you want to see in future editions, so drop us a line at OurFuture35@austintexas.gov with your feedback. Know someone interested in Our Future 35? Send this newsletter to them and tell them to subscribe at www.ourfuture35.com/get-involved. 

Okay, March has been a whirlwind of activity, so let's get into it. 

Need a Quick Refresher?

It's been a while since we've been in touch, so Cap and Stitch may have slipped off your radar a bit. No problem, we're here to catch you up. Check out this explainer video for all things Our Future 35.

We Got the Grant! 

We're thrilled to share that Our Future 35 has been awarded a phenomenal $105.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program! This funding will cover the infrastructure and basic amenity construction costs for the East Cesar Chavez Street to Fourth Street Cap. 

We love this cap, because not only is it next to the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood, one of Austin's oldest neighborhoods, but it also enhances connections to amazing locations like Palm Park, the Austin Convention Center, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, and more. The Cesar Chavez cap also provides the potential to travel across the I-35 corridor by walking or biking completely uninterrupted by auto traffic. 

The city's commitment of a $45 million grant match ensures we're on solid ground to bring the Cesar Chavez cap to life, ready for everyone to enjoy. To dive into the exciting details, check out our full media release here. 

Building Support(s): City Council's Bold Move with the SIB Loan

Council moves forward with pursuing project financing

Thursday, March 21 marked a pivotal moment for Cap and Stitch. The Austin City Council approved a resolution for the City of Austin to apply for a State Infrastructure Bank loan of $191 million. If approved, this strategic investment will fund all necessary vertical support structures for all identified cap locations. This move allows us to keep up with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT's) Capital Express Central construction schedule but also allows us to jump on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have cap supports integrated into TxDOT’s construction. Because of the significant changes to the highway to have the supports built in, constructing after the TxDOT project would be expensive and disruptive. 

If approved this loan will also cover the costs for decks at Holly Street and between 11th and 12th Streets, giving us a solid foundation to build upon. The project team is actively exploring additional funding avenues to bring the Our Future 35 vision to life. Keep an eye on this newsletter for more updates as we continue to navigate this journey together.

Join the Movement: Making Cap and Stitch Yours

Get involved in Cap and Stitch this year!

2024 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Our Future 35, and your voice is key to its success. We're launching an ambitious six-month communications and engagement campaign in April, aimed at gathering your invaluable feedback on the project's guiding Vision and Goals. From envisioning amenities you'd love to see on top of freeway caps and stitches to equitable development strategies to help ensure that Our Future 35 provides benefits to surrounding communities, your participation directly shapes the future of Austin's urban landscape. Plus see the reveal of preliminary conceptualized ideas of what caps could be. 

With a lineup of Open Houses, engaging social media campaigns, Stakeholder Engagement initiatives, and pop-up events, there are countless ways for you to get involved and make your mark. Don't miss out on this opportunity to contribute to this transformative project. Keep reading this newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest on upcoming events and engagement opportunities. Are you part of an organization or event and want to engage with us? Get in touch at ourfuture35@austintexas.gov. 

Thanks and Looking Ahead

As we wrap up this edition of our newsletter, we want to extend our deepest gratitude for your interest in the Our Future 35 project. Your input and engagement are the lifeblood of this initiative, driving us forward toward a vision of a more connected, vibrant, and inclusive Austin. Should you have any questions, want more information or just want to share your thoughts, visit our website at www.ourfuture35.com, or get in touch with us at ourfuture35@austintexas.gov. Together, we're not just dreaming of a better future for Austin; we're actively building it, one step at a time. Thank you for being an essential part of this journey.