Federal Defendants Dismissed From Case Targeting I-35 Expansion

Federal agencies and officials were dismissed from a lawsuit challenging the expansion of Interstate 35 in Texas over its alleged effects on marginalized communities.

They included the Department of Transportation, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the Federal Highway Administration, and FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt.

Rethink35—a nonprofit opposing the I-35 expansion through Austin—and other groups claimed in January that the Texas Department of Transportation and federal agencies didn’t properly consider the environmental consequences when authorizing the project.

They expressed concerns over it potential social harm, saying expanding I-35 will increase the disproportionate health disparities—such as asthma—from car emissions and pollutants stemming from ...