Behind Those Walls Along I-35, TxDOT is Building one of the Largest Tunnels Austin's Ever Seen

The Texas Department of Transportation is building a 6.5-mile drainage tunnel along I-35 that will cause ground vibrations affecting nearby structures, including nearly 100 historic properties along East Cesar Chavez Street. Professor Debra Laefer reviewed technical documents for the project and explained that while vibrations may be felt, significant structural damage is unlikely. "People will feel vibration in the same way if there was a big truck running down the road, they might feel it," Laefer said. "But what we know is it actually takes quite a bit of dynamic action for buildings to move and for them to be damaged."