South Austin residents may need to adjust their commutes as Texas Department of Transportation officials prepare to close I-35 northbound main lanes nightly for three weekends beginning June 26.

The big picture: The northbound lanes will be blocked off between Slaughter Lane and SH 71/Ben White Boulevard for construction crews to work on elevated managed lanes as part of the I-35 Capital Express South Project.

The lanes will be closed on the following days from 11 p.m.-9 a.m.:

• June 26 and 27

• July 10 and 11

• July 17 and 18

• July 24 and 25 (if needed)

The northbound flyover to SH 71 will also be closed. TxDOT encourages drivers to remain alert and expect delays.

The project: Construction on the I-35 Capital Express South Project began in 2022. The total cost is $548 million, which was funded by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and TxDOT, according to TxDOT’s website.

Dripping Springs ISD’s State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness results show a mixture of gains, losses and stability compared to last year’s results. The district surpasses state averages.

The overview: The TEA administers the STAAR test each year to assess student achievement in a given subject.

“Approaches grade level” is considered a passing grade. This indicates that a student is “likely to succeed in the next grade or course with targeted academic intervention,” according to the TEA.

DSISD surpasses the state average in every subject. The greatest decline for third through eighth grade scores year over year was in fourth grade reading. Despite a six-percentage-point decline from last year, the district still outperformed the state by 10 percentage points.

The greatest improvements were in third and eighth grade math, with a six-point increase in the number of students approaching grade level from 2025 to 2026 in each category.

A closer look: The TEA also administers end-of-course exams for high school students. All DSISD end-of-course results met or surpassed passing rates from the previous year.

Austin will strip markings from several roadways in response to state and federal safety directives, ending months of local planning and opposition to mandates.

A national transportation safety program launched in 2025 led Texas officials to mandate the removal of all roadway markings deemed to be potentially distracting and unrelated to traffic control. Cities and counties that didn't comply risked losing significant funding and mobility partnerships, prompting Austin to begin a local compliance process that includes prominent installations like rainbow painted crosswalks downtown and a roadway mural dedicated to Black artists in East Austin. 

A city review found crashes around more than a dozen targeted roadways weren't impacted by street art or paintings, and sought exemptions from the state process. However, the city learned this spring that no exceptions would be made and all markings will now be stripped this summer.

City leaders had also convened a resident-led task force to propose alternative installations at the identified locations, a process that is continuing after public celebrations at those places in June.

State lawmakers are considering water use impacts tied to the spread of new data center developments across Texas, and recently heard input from industry representatives and residents as they plan for next year's legislative session.

The initial review may preview proposed state laws regarding data centers and their local impacts. Ahead of the hearing, Gov. Greg Abbott also stated his "bottom line" expectations for data centers going forward: providing their own power, reusing water and reducing electricity costs for their neighbors.

Testimony from regulators revealed that Texas lacks accurate information about the water use of most data centers now operating statewide, despite mandates to submit those details. Representatives suggested data centers' self-reporting on utility use could be one topic to address next year. Many impacted residents and elected officials also raised concerns with public notice and local regulatory authority in relation to the high-profile developments.