## Noise Walls > [!summary] > - **Why this is coming up**: TxDOT has reconfigured their design along the east side of I-35, between Holly and E Cesar Chavez, and they now can offer residents walls to help reduce noise pollution. > - **What they look like**: ~20 ft tall permanent concrete walls, similar to those requested and built along Mopac. A few blocks south, the Community Garden/Food Forest has requested noise walls, which TxDOT is providing. The walls would also help block out the view of the ~40ft tall overpass for the frontage road in the area. > - **Action Required?:** ==Yes!== TxDOT will only move forward with sound walls if they hear back from enough impacted property owners — the only people who have a vote. ### Background As part of required process for building a highway, TxDOT had to do a study about how much noise pollution the new road would generate. The study showed noise pollution levels would be above the allowed federal standard. Initially, TxDOT wasn't able to offer any solution, but as a result of community feedback and design improvements, they have updated their plans in early 2026 to make the noise walls possible. ### Timeline *Provided by TxDOT on 25 March 2026* | Date | What | | ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 28 Jan 2026 | Invitations and information mailed to owners<br>*Followed by block walks and other outreach* | | 18 Feb 2026 | Noise workshop at Sanchez | | 4 Mar 2026 | Deadline for votes | | 18 Mar 2026 | Re-vote issued (not enough responses) | | 15 Apr 2026 | Updated deadline | ## What the Highway Will Look Like The highway will be largely in the same footprint as it is today, but the highway lanes will take up much more of the area (for example: there won't be a large grassy strip along the frontage road any more). - The highway will be above ground as it crosses the lake, and then slope down into a deep trench reaching ~40ft below the surrounding area as it approaches E Cesar Chavez St. - There will be a ~40 ft tall overpass above Holly St for the northbound frontage lanes roughly in line with the existing frontage road lanes. - As with all of the I-35 crossing, there will be wider sidewalks I've annotated the materials below, using renderings provided by TxDOT in [[Holly Street Walkthrough Materials_Combined.pdf|this PDF]] on 14 Aug 2025. These renderings do not show all surrounding buildings, instead just filling spaces with trees/made up features. ![[06 annotated.webp]] ![[05 annotated.webp]] ![[07 annotated.webp]] ### Additional Renderings TxDOT also provided some more before/after comparison images. | Before | After | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | ![[09 - Existing NB Frontage Road South of Holly Street looking North.jpg\|250]] | ![[08 - Northbound Frontage Road South of Holly Looking North.jpg\|250]] | | ![[11 - Existing Holly Street looking West from San Marcos.jpg\|250]] | ![[10 - Holly Street looking West from San Marcos.jpg\|250]] | | ![[13 - Existing Holly Street looking East from River.jpg\|250]] | ![[12 - Holly Street looking East from River.jpg\|250]] | ## Holly St Intersection > [!summary] > TxDOT has updated the design of the intersection at Holly to improve safety. ### Background As a part of another meeting, we spent ~1 hour with the TxDOT project team standing at the corner of Holly St and the Northbound Frontage road, across the street from Sanchez Elementary. ### Outcome From TxDOT's [[FINAL_Holly Street Walkthrough Questions_081425.pdf]]: > **Can the right-turn lane on the northbound I-35 frontage road be changed from a smart right turn to a traditional right turn due to drivers disregarding the full stop and treating it as a yield?** > > This request has been approved by the project team and is reflected in the updated schematic (see below). The right turn will be signalized. > > ![[Holly Street Walkthrough - NB Bypass Lane and Frontage Road Map.jpg|400]]