ATX-NCA: Impact 10/16/2025

A 21-foot-tall noise wall will be built along the northbound I-35 frontage road between 30th Street and 38 1/2 Street after residents in the Cherrywood neighborhood voted in favor of the project, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

The big picture: TxDOT said 64% of eligible property owners returned ballots, with 92% voting in support of the wall’s construction. The barrier will be included in the upcoming University Segment of the I-35 Capital Express Central Project, which stretches from Hwy. 290 to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and is expected to begin construction in mid-2026.

Sound barriers are typically installed when traffic sound levels reach 66 decibels or higher—roughly the volume of a normal conversation—or when future traffic is projected to double current noise levels, according to TxDOT documents. For comparison, a vacuum cleaner registers around 70 decibels, a whistle 80, and a blender 90.

According to Federal Highway Administration regulations, sound barriers should reduce noise levels by at least 5 decibels.

Austin’s newest hot pot-style Chinese restaurant B2J Tasty Pot has opened off Airport Boulevard in North Austin.

One the menu: Known as a “Chinese sauerkraut fish” concept, the menu centers on its signature dish: tender fish fillets in a tangy broth of pickled mustard greens—called Chinese pickles—chilies and Sichuan peppercorns. Its bold sour-and-spicy flavor profile has made it a rising star on Chinese restaurant menus. Additional broth options are also available.

The restaurant also offers authentic Chinese appetizers, such as spiced chicken with chili sauce and pickled chicken feet.

• 6929 Airport Blvd., Ste. 167, Austin

Austin ISD is seeking to generate more funding through offering naming rights opportunities at its shared facilities.

What you need to know: Businesses and organizations may provide sponsorships to earn naming rights at six major district buildings and athletic spaces. The new initiative—launched in partnership with the Austin Ed Fund—is expected to generate AISD tens of millions of dollars as it faces a projected $19.7 million budget shortfall and plans to close 13 schools.

The details: AISD is offering naming rights at the following facilities:

• AISD Performing Arts Center
• House Park Field
• Nelson Field
• Burger Center
• Delco Center
• Noack Sports Complex

The Texas House and Senate are launching new legislative committees to “get to the bottom of exactly what occurred” during this summer’s deadly Central Texas floods, state leaders announced Oct. 13.

The details: The bipartisan panels, known as the House and Senate General Investigating Committees on the July 2025 Flooding Events, will meet jointly to conduct “a comprehensive and thorough review” of the floods, House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said.

Lawmakers will be tasked with:

• Identifying strategies to strengthen Texas’ disaster preparedness
• Helping communities respond to future floods
• Examining actions taken at summer camps in the flood zone