Six important things to keep in mind for court battle over Texas 45, MoPac

A challenge by environmentalists to the construction of three highway projects in Southwest Austin comes before a federal court Wednesday, the culmination of decadeslong resistance to building Texas 45 Southwest. Here are some key things to know about the dispute:

Who’s involved: The challenge was filed in February 2016 by a dozen plaintiffs, including the Save Our Springs Alliance, Save Barton Creek Association, Clean Water Action, singer Jerry Jeff Walker and former Austin Mayors Frank Cooksey and Carole Keeton.

The central argument: The

STEPHEN RAMIREZ Environmental groups argue that the MoPac Boulevard intersection project planned at Slaughter Lane (above), along with the Texas 45 Southwest project to the south and the MoPac toll lanes to the north, should have been studied as one big project in...