Austin City Council approved a resolution Oct. 8 directing city staff to plan the city’s next comprehensive bond elections for fiscal years 2028 and 2034, aiming to return Austin to a six-year bond cycle.

The resolution passed less than a month before voters decide on $295 million in parks and library bonds on the Nov. 3 ballot. It doesn’t change that ballot.

The details: Bonds let the city borrow money for projects such as parks, roads and libraries. A comprehensive bond package covers many types of projects at once.

The planned packages would cover transportation, parks, affordable housing, libraries, public safety and drainage. Specific projects, amounts and election dates haven’t been set, and voters would still have to approve each package.

Cost to the taxpayers: Bonds are repaid through property taxes. Every $100 million borrowed costs a typical homeowner just over $14 a year, and the city has almost $2.4 billion in outstanding debt, Community Impact reported in August.

Last fall, Gov. Greg Abbott deemed Texas "the epicenter of AI development" during an event about Google's data center investments in the state.

Since making that remark, the Republican governor has issued several directives aimed at regulating AI-powered data centers. Meanwhile, state agencies are expanding their use of artificial intelligence in government services.

The overview: At the state level, one of the primary uses of artificial intelligence is to improve government efficiency, said Tony Sauerhoff, who leads the Texas Department of Information Resources.

Down the road, that will likely mean reducing the number of staff members at state agencies, Sauerhoff said, noting that agency leaders are being "intentional" about those changes.

Zooming in: When asked which state agencies will be most impacted by AI in the coming years, Sauerhoff pointed to the Texas Department of Transportation.

TxDOT uses artificial intelligence in a variety of forms, including to analyze transportation infrastructure, determine which construction projects should be prioritized, optimize road safety plans and manage the flow of traffic, according to its AI strategic plan.

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro.

Upcoming projects

Centerpoint Road Crossing Overpass

Project: Crews will construct an overpass over the Union Pacific Railroad crossing on Centerpoint Road in San Marcos. The project will feature a widened roadway with a median and shoulders and shared-use paths on both sides.

Update: The project secured a $39.23 million federal award through the Federal Railroad Administration.

• Timeline: 2026-30

• Cost: $52.9 million

• Funding source: Hays County, FRA, UPR

Completed projects

I-35 Capital Express Central: MLK Jr. Boulevard Bridge Segment

Project: The project included reconstruction and widening of the MLK Jr. Boulevard bridge over I-35 in East Austin, adding sidewalks, shade structures, a safety barrier, and rebuilding I-35 entrance and exit ramps in both directions.

Update: The bridge is now fully operational, as two lanes reopened in each direction in early August. Crews are finishing shared-use paths and wider sidewalks this month.

• Timeline: 2024–26

• Cost: $34.4 million

• Funding source: TxDOT and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

Travis County commissioners approved $5.65 million Oct. 6 for repairs and legal costs at a closed county landfill beneath the Austin Country Flea Market at 9500 E. US 290.

What’s happening: The landfill has produced polluted liquid, called leachate, since it closed in 1982.

Most of the money will go toward repairs, according to a county memo, with the rest covering legal costs in the county’s effort to take the property.

Zooming in: The county is in three lawsuits over the site, according to a county court filing:

• The state sued the county in May 2025 over its care of the landfill.

• Landowner Moo Moo Meadows LLC and Graham Development Corp. sued the county in federal court in July 2025.

• The county sued Moo Moo Meadows in December 2025 to take the property through eminent domain.