Editor’s note: The video above is previous coverage from April 22, 2026.

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Save Our Springs Alliance filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA), accusing the toll road agency of unlawfully withholding public comments submitted on its proposed Mopac South expansion project.

The Austin-based environmental nonprofit said it filed suit in Travis County District Court seeking an expedited hearing and a court order compelling CTRMA to immediately release public comments made as part of the agency’s official public input process for the project.

Save Our Springs argues CTRMA is violating the Texas Public Information Act by treating the comments as confidential. The comments were submitted during a required public comment period on a draft environmental assessment for the proposed 8.8-mile expansion of MoPac, also known as Loop 1, from Enfield Road to Slaughter Lane.

The public comment period began March 9 and is set to close at midnight Sunday, May 3. Save Our Springs said the comments are part of a legally mandated process and should be publicly available.

The nonprofit previously asked CTRMA to extend the comment period, citing the release of roughly 2,500 pages of supporting technical documents. CTRMA Executive Director James Bass denied that request.

In its lawsuit, Save Our Springs contends that labeling public comments as confidential “tears the Texas Public Information Act into shreds” and undermines public participation in infrastructure decisions.

CTRMA also hosted a single public meeting at Bowie High School but did not allow attendees to speak or ask questions in an open forum, a decision that further drew criticism from opponents of the project.

Save Our Springs representatives said they plan to attend CTRMA’s board meeting Wednesday morning to again request the immediate release of the public comments.

CTRMA responded to KXAN by saying they do not comment on pending litigation. They also added the statement below regarding the public comment period.

“At the conclusion of the public comment period, as is the typical and required practice, the Mobility Authority will review and respond to all submissions and publish for public access. This practice follows NEPA and TxDOT requirements established to ensure fairness, transparency, and integrity in the decision-making process. Please note, other than redacting profanity and personal information, all comments are published as submitted.”

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