Downtown Austin Alliance and Public City led a series of community conversations called Our Future 35 in partnership with a local radio station, KAZI.

The series delved into the legacy of segregationist policies in Austin, reflected on the impact I-35 has had on people, and envisioned what new spaces and connections over the highway could provide for the community.

Following the engagement series, the Downtown Austin Alliance and Life Anew Restorative Justice convened a community-based Scoping Working Group representing over 50 organizations in Austin directly impacted by past and present freeway construction efforts. 

 This webpage captures these early community conversations about the future of I-35 and summarizes the collective work of the Scoping Working Group which was co-chaired and led by Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette and Ms. Linda Guerrero. The Scoping Working Group initiated several calls to action during the early stages of the NEPA process to ensure that the reconstruction of I-35 addresses the highway’s legacy of segregation and creates opportunities for BIPOC residents to share in the benefits of the freeway project. 

 Now, the City of Austin’s Corridor Program Office is championing the next phase of this once-in-a-generation effort to create new caps and stitches over the freeway. Get the latest information about Austin's Cap and Stitch Program at ourfuture35.com.