Perpetual construction! This north/south highway will never, ever be finished. The head of the Texas Department of Transportation recently came out and said that there are no end game plans for highway 35. They're going to just keep tacking on more and more and more lanes! I-35 goes all the way from Laredo to Minneapolis, and even further north into Canada. This section of it through Austin is especially perilous, as the entrance ramps are so tiny through the section where I-35 splits into two levels near University of Texas. You need some get up and go power in your hoopty to get up to speed, if and when the section is up to speed. Otherwise, prepare to sit and wait and wait. I try to avoid I-35 when I can. There's even a new toll road that will help you get around this mess of a highway. Be sure to listen to Pat Green's "Southbound 35" while travelling upon this infamous roadway. read more

A gleaming Buick with Iowa plates glides up to a dusty service station on the outskirts of Georgetown. Two grizzled men in grimy flannel shirts watch from a bench out front. The older man with beady rat-eyes and ears like Mickey Mouse, strums a banjo and chuckles; "Looks like we got another one gonna try The Road" The younger man gazes at the car, now parked. "Maybe we should send him the other way. He don't know no better. He don't understand." "That ain't our problem. And they never listen anyway." The gas pump clicks and stops, and the driver, a smiling middle-aged man in pressed slacks and polo shirt, calls out to the men. "Excuse me, but is this the road to Austin ?" A pause hangs uncomfortably for several long seconds. "Yep. The Road...." Another pause as the older man leans forward: "Big rigs that'll crush you flatter'n Ashley Olsen's rear end without even slowing down. On ramps that you might as well just jump headfirst into a woodchipper. Lawmen just lookin' for trouble. Towed cars held to hitches by duct tape and wishes. Traffic jams that can drain the very soul out of you, leaving a shriveled lifeless husk. Oh, that's The Road to Austin alright." "Oh, that'll work just fine, sir. It can't be that bad. I've got Apple Maps and GPS. You all have a great day." As the Buick pulls away, the older man strums his banjo. "I told you." The younger man nods,"You tried to tell him. Maybe we could have just sent him to Mopac. Maybe this one will make it. He'll be better than the others." "Maybe," said the older man. And he laughed. read more

If you're traveling between Austin and Fort Worth, I-35 is quite literally a nightmare. Two lanes of "stop and go" is the best way to describe it ... Listen up fellow motorists: THE LEFT LANE IF FOR PASSING ONLY! It's the law, look it up (see Sec. 545.051). It doesn't matter how fast you are going, I don't care if you are reaching near light speed or have somehow altered the laws of physics to go even faster, when a car pulls up behind you, you are obliged to pull over. Impede the flow of traffic by continuing to drive in the left lane and you could be fined $200. Yes, this means you! If you can't travel fast enough to keep other drivers off of your tail, then you should move over and get into the right lane. The slow lane. The pokey, puttery lane reserved for all the unemployed, sightseeing, Airstream pullin', recreational vehicle drivin' fools that haven't a care in the world nor a schedule to match. This is the lane reserved for little old ladies, people driving VW microbuses, eighteen wheelers, gravel trucks, dump trucks, garbage trucks, nuclear waste transports, junk haulers from across the border, landscaping rigs with debris flying off the back, the Oscar Meyer weinermobile, and every other highway miscreant who thinks that it's clever to drive the speed limit and slow down everyone else behind them that chooses to speed between cities at high rates of speed. Why can't you get out of our way? Why do you continue to clog the interstate with your self-righteous motoring habits? Why do you insist on being the speed governor for everyone else who wants to go faster? YOU are what makes I-35 the bad dream that it is today. read more

Interstate Highway 35 - Interstate 35 Parking Lot - Public Services & Government Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I have most certainly experienced better. This is a tough review, as I think that our town's infrastructure was designed to handle max occupancy of 190,000. In layman's' terms, if you have to travel this road during any peak hours of the day, settle in and hope your air conditioner works. Last memorable experience I had on this abortion of a road was a few months ago. It was around 6 PM on a Friday, 110 degrees and I had been sitting sandwiched between two eighteen wheelers for about twenty minutes breathing diesel fumes and talking myself out of a panic attack. They need to have a drive by Xanax dispensing station every mile or so if they expect people to not go psychotic. Praise Jah that I don't have to travel this road during peak hours. If so, I would probably not be sitting here writing this review right now. I would either be six feet under or in the clink for a serious case of road rage. If for some strange chance you see me on 35...please don't honk at me or give me the bird. If you do, you're asking for it. Fair warning. ;) read more

If you've ever ridden with me in my car, involving a venture on I-35, you know how much I hate it. I can't help proclaiming my hatred for it pulling onto the on ramp... sometimes, even when I'm alone. Traffic sucks, more often than not. I thought that maybe, just maybe going to work at 6am would allow me to flow easily through minimal traffic... but no, it's still a happenin' place to be, I suppose. I must admit, though, and this is one of two reasons it gets 2 stars instead of one, my commute time is made shorter than driving through the middle of town or on Red River. Sometimes, though, commute time doesn't matter to me... overall, I try to avoid I-35 AT ALL COSTS. The split levels are nifty, one (I'm not going to disclose my preference, I don't want it more congested than it already is) is much, much faster flowing than the other in general, and you don't have the douchebaggery of people getting on and off like they own the place. The road is pretty well maintained, new signs have been added within the past couple weeks indicating lane closures/ slowdowns and traffic updates/ Amber Alerts. Shoulders are pretty small, there's not enough room to get out and change a tire if you have to without getting your ass run over. Exits sometimes come up quick, causing people to cut through 3 lanes of traffic to get off (teehee). And, of course, you always have the slow drivers or the people with p.o.s. cars that can't exceed 30mph. Ugh. The other reason I-35 earns two stars instead of one, is that it keeps me employed and busy at work. Dumbasses with their fast, reckless driving habits... unaware that they are not, in fact, the only people on the road... crashing into whatever there is to be crashed into, only to be StarFlighted or ambulanced to Brackenridge hospital. And I've seen a lot of them, a handful every two weeks or so. Another reason I try to avoid I-35. It's a blessing and a curse... mostly a curse. read more

Here's the best part about this interstate: it connects San Antonio and Dallas to one of the coolest cities in the United States. I'm sure that's why the traffic can be heavy most times of the day and night. We also didn't allow it to grow into the concrete monstrosities that cities like Dallas and Houston have, so we have more green space and more time to appreciate that green space while we're stuck in traffic. There's lots of big rigs on the road, which means that all of your favorite big box stores will be fully stocked when you get there tomorrow. Occasionally, they're responsible for a pretty terrible accident, which means you'll have even more time to fully appreciate the sights and sounds of our wonderful city. Speaking of, it goes right by the UT football stadium and on the right days, you can listen to the game while you're parked on I-35! Such forward thinking! How can you not love it? read more

I-35? I admit it has its ups and downs, but as far as I can tell, it's still the best interstate highway we've got going in Austin. I think they've become conscious of their reputation, because they're pretty good about providing exits at regular intervals now. read more

I avoid IH35 every time I can, especially during rush hour. That's hard to do when getting around in the Round Rizzle. It is the only Interstate that I know of that gets used like Main Street. I am an impatient driver and I do have road rage. So, when I'm stuck for hours in bumper to bumper traffic cause of some unnecessary and avoidable wreck, it ain't a good thing. I'm often yelling obscenities or flipping people off. My other artery for travel is MOPAC. Guess I'll yelp them next. read more

What can I say about 35 that hasn't been said a thousand times everyday by anybody who has to deal with this highway. 35 and I have a love /hate relationship that has it's struggles 5 days a week. Pros: It connects me to the downtown area easily (for work), but of course there are other options. If at any point I can escape to San Antonio--tis the only way. Cons: Who designed this highway? Why would you build an exit that forces you to slam on your breaks and do an immediate cross over that is nearly impossible to make. Need to get on the lower deck during 5 oclock traffic---good luck! Cross your fingers and pray that the traffic gods are in a generous mood. There are sections of the highway that severly need to be redesign/reconstructed but OMG I can't imagine how long that would take! Oh 35 what are we to do? read more

OK it does eventually get me where I'm going, but does it have to be so ugly? First they took away the low-flying airplanes when they moved the airport. I miss that! Best way to wake up an early morning commuter or big rig long hauler with the thrill of impending death! Now, they have that massive rock and debris pile right by the upper deck that once was the green, collegiate Concordia. What is the image we are putting out there for visitors?? Post-apocolyptical?? Welcome to Austin! Home of the H-Bomb?? What happened to our green city??? read more

My mother, who hails from Austin, told me that by the time they finished construction of I-35 in Austin in the '50s, Austin's traffic had already outgrown the freeway. And they have yet to do anything to address the continually increasing problem. I now have more 2-star reviews than 5-star ones. Thanks, I-35. read more

I35 is terrible. Oh so terrible and I've even turned down a job because I'd have to take I35 on a daily basis. I've structured my life so I don't have to drive on this awful excuse of a highway. Semi's every where, traffic, no merge lanes, just terrible. Back in the day when I was a poor college student and I had to live off Riverside, I would take the service road just to not drive on this crappy road. Now I know better and take Mopac or 360 or I just don't go there. read more

I try so hard to avoid 35 at all costs - so what was I thinking moving to an apartment right off Riverside and 35?!? Now I'm stuck on this gigantic parking lot WAY more than I would like to be. How is it that there's rush hour traffic 23 hours of the day?!? (I'm assuming it's still pretty clear between 3:30-4:30 am, however I haven't tested this in a few years.) We have millions of Californians storming their way to Austin, driving up the home prices and turning our highways in to parking lots. 35 was bad enough years ago, but it's getting so much worse. It's WAY past time to improve public transportation with more rail lines and service to San Marcos, Pflugerville/Round Rock and the freaking airport!!! http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/05/04/worst-traffic-cities/2127661/ -WE BEAT NYC FOR WORST TRAFFIC! WE'RE #4! *SMH!* read more

35 has one thing going for it. It is a vivid, unique presence slicing through the city. It basically puts the death star trench in the middle of Austin. If you drive on either tier, it is a distinct, memorable oddity. Bureaucracy and the conformist, lockstep mindset of the 50s virtually guaranteed that something memorable was not going to happen when it was built. But somehow the drones that created all the other stupid highway decision in Texas came up with something that really didn't look like anything else. Not easy. But aside from that, it is crap. Drivers put up with it exactly 7 times, before finding other ways to cross town. Half the entrance ramps provide no more than 90 feet of space to merge before terminating abruptly. The bizarre, needless split into two levels causes traffic jams all day long, as newb drivers panic, & try to figure out where they should be. It is backed up even in non-Rush hours (probably because of the split). It physically divides the city in half; into areas of privelege and non-privelege. My least favorite experience is being stuck behind stupid asshole UT students texting while driving (twittering "I M A hopeless asshole?" ...watching tv? I can't tell from the blue glow on their faces). I want them to drive into a support pylon at high speed, and die. No, I will not be sending flowers to the funeral. 35 is a scar on the face of Austin. read more

I hate to burst everyone's bubble but first, rating a highway is silly. Yes, the traffic sucks. It's awful. I can't stand it. With that being said, the highway isn't the problem. Research shows that traffic is literally 100% human error caused. It's not the size of the road, or the amount of lanes, or anything else. Every time someone feels the need to stop in the middle of the road to change from the left lane to the middle (for no apparent reason other than they need to RIGHT THEN), slam on the breaks for no reason, slow down to stare at stuff on the side of the road, drive in the left lane while going 40 MPH, driving in any lane going way OVER the speed limit zipping in and out of lanes, etc, the car behind them stops suddenly. This ripple effect compounds with each driver's slow reaction times. Traffic is a complex problem, but it's not the roads. I applaud Google's self-driving cars and although I'm a car enthusiast and love driving I would gladly trade it all in a heartbeat for a world where all of the automobiles are automated. Remove the human driver from the equation and you fix the traffic problem. Period. Until that point, people should to learn to pay attention and drive carefully. read more

I-35 is that ugly kid you knew in school. The one that you were "friends" with but not friends with. You like that the highway actually exists, as I guess in the olden days everyone cruised down Congress and Lamar stopping at traffic lights every 2 minutes while listening to Sinatra. And you know that the ugly kid could totally be awesome if it got rid of his horrible acne and blemishes. You know, if they totally upgraded I-35 instead of just patching it up. true story: One time between Austin and Waco the traffic was so bad that I parked my car and turned off. The Fedex driver in the lane over got out of his rig and was just standing on I-35, eating a sandwich. read more

Dear I-35, I believe we have a love/hate relationship... Correct me if I'm wrong. Considering the fact that you are "the route" from one end of Austin to another coupled with the fact that you alone take me home to see my mother in Dallas, I can't completely hate you. However, you have given me headaches, heartache, nausea, unnecessary stress, thoughts of suicide, thoughts of murder, etc. For those reasons plus countless others, I hate you. But you won't let me go, will you? I need you. I have to use you. You give me no other option... You are evil and you toy with my emotions and mind. Could you at least stop the construction? You always have so many issues! Maybe if you could get rid of that baggage, we could have a decent co-existence... Just maybe... For now, we will just have to learn how to get along (as I cheat by taking small town country roads whenever I can). Sincerely, Sara read more

I-35 is good for one thing. Relaxing - Its no different than sitting on your couch. You don't move or anything. Also, if your suicidal. . I recommend using I-35 several times a day . . . eventually you will get what you want. read more

Ugh it's gross. So gross. McGross. I am a Dallasite not used to NOT having 4-lane highways. In fact, I'm not used to having less than 4 highways to choose from. In fact, Austin traffic just sucks. And '35, the big Three-Five, is like a big river of s l o w . Perhaps the one thing I don't regret about losing my car this past year was knowing I wouldn't be 'that guy' who has the car but doesnt wanna lug everyone down to the Wal-Mart on Rundberg because traffic's no fun. Srsly. Teleportation. Either that, or a big GIANT laser [like the one in James Bond and the Fake-White Asian General's Son] on the front of my car. Both will work, and yet neither will truly fix the monstrosity that is I-35. read more

A small version of what I imagine hell to be like. Truck Drivers with gigantic rigs everywhere. Narrow lanes. Construction EVERYWHERE. Prepare to get flat tires and broken windshields. That's if you make it through the traffic. read more

IH 35 connects some really great cities in TX, DFW, Austin and San Antonio. It's a necessary evil that people love to hate. I try to avoid it, but sometimes you just gotta use it, and at those times I'm glad it's here. Love it or hate it, it's here to stay. read more

You get two stars because I hate Mopac more than you, as you normally move traffic slightly faster. I get claustrophobic when sitting on your upper deck. I hate your flyovers, and am still holding a grudge about the mess that was the I-35/Ben White intersection during their construction. You are one of the main reasons I'm happy I don't have a car. read more

If you don't leave your house by 5 AM have fun sitting in traffic!

If we can review the Freezing Arctic Blast, surely we can review the I35 which is the major corridor from Texas to Minnesota. It's jammed because of people moving into Austin nowadays. The highway wasn't built to take on the increase of the population. Luckily I live close by to work, I don't even get on the freeway. Even with the toll road being built and no one taking the toll road, I35 is still jammed. I think someone would understand why this does not get 5 stars. read more

I've never lived anywhere where rush hour begins at 3 pm! One star for originality?

To spite anyone that writes a serious complaint and expects to be taken serious about a highway. I would say ride a bike if you don't like the highway, but Austin's Carpet Bagging bicyclists have ruined bike riding for anyone and everyone. 35 is a great highway. Would give 7 stars if possible. Would be better if we could keep all the Prius, Volvo, and Subaru drivers on the frontage road. read more

ermg i can yelp the 35?!!? this day can't get better. oh god can i yelp the missouri pacific too, don't call it the mopac. the one star is for the asses who thought to divide the up and down part with the fast lanes going down to the slower moving traffic and the slow lanes are rewarded with no on ramps. genius, except that it's not. read more

There was a car fire around 11 30 am today. It burned the grass for 50 feet on either side of the car. Thank goodness for the fire department. In this heat and drought it could have been a disaster. read more

I like it! The upper deck gives you a cool view of the city. The lower deck is like driving through a piece of highway history, with outdated and fascinatingly dangerous engineering. Don't hate the road, hate the drivers. read more

I-35 is the best example of why our government is terrible at managing anything. God forbid they are in charge of anything important. And to think our gas is taxed an extra 50 cents a gallon, every damn time, and we still have potholes and massive congestion. read more