The Travis County Commissioners Court on Tuesday took a preliminary step toward enlarging the property tax exemption for homeowning residents over the age of 65 or living with a disability. The court voted 3-2 to direct Planning and Budget Office staff to begin preparing next year’s budget based on the assumption that the exemption will […]
Caleb Pritchard
Posted inWhispers
Capital Metro board OKs new trail for Leander Station
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s board of directors on Monday authorized $390,000 to build a trail connecting Austin Community College’s new San Gabriel Campus in Leander to the MetroRail station just a quarter-mile away. Of the nine bids received for the work, Clearfield Construction came in the lowest. The trail’s price tag includes a bridge […]
Posted inWhispers
Voters could decide on a portion of Project Connect this November
In 2014, boosters of Project Connect’s original light rail proposal campaigned under the slogan of “Rail or Fail.” Now, just four years after that vision went down in flames, voters might get another chance to weigh in on the renewed search for high-capacity transit investments. At Monday’s Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors meeting, […]
Posted inTransit
Capital Metro board hits pause on MetroAccess contract proposal
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors on Monday sent back to its committees a staff proposal to readjust a paratransit provider’s contract to the tune of $25.7 million. Chad Ballentine, the agency’s vice president of demand response and innovative mobility, presented to the board the proposal that would extend Capital Metro’s agreement with […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 2.27.18
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda here. The County Clerk’s Office hosts a copy at its website. 1. Receive comments regarding a resolution of no objection for Travis Flats to be located at 5335 Airport Boulevard, Austin, Texas […]
Posted inPlanning
Staff overrules Design Commission on downtown tower
A controversial downtown tower is moving forward despite the Design Commission’s declaration that it violates the city’s urban design guidelines. The project at 405 Colorado St. would replace a surface parking lot with a 25-story structure with 13 levels of parking. The building would feature 11 floors of office space on top of 13 floors […]
Posted inWhispers
State dedicates new downtown historical marker
A brand new Texas Historical Marker will officially post up in downtown Austin today. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, Texas Historical Commissioner Wallace Jefferson and Travis County Historical Commissioner Joe Ramirez will headline the event put on by the Texas Historical Commission at 600 Wood St. The marker will account for the long-lost Wood Street Settlement […]
Posted inWhispers
Bike council says Transportation Department is right on the buttons
The Bicycle Advisory Council on Tuesday evening gave its support to the Transportation Department’s use of concrete buttons to physically separate bike lanes on roads with moderate to low speeds and volumes. Also known as “tortoise shells,” the white cake pan-shaped buttons are affixed to the ground with bituminous or epoxy adhesives and, at $2 […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County takes brand-new tack in courthouse search
Travis County’s search for a new site on which to build a new civil courthouse has taken an unprecedented turn after the Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted to solicit proposals from potential private partners interested in both putting up land for the project and building the facility. The decision adds a new wrinkle to the […]
Posted inWhispers
Capital Metro puts out pretty pictures ahead of Downtown Station open house
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released a final set of shiny renderings showcasing the reconstructed MetroRail Downtown Station. The images feature various angles of the double-sided platform that will be able to accommodate three pairs of its Stadler-produced rail cars. The project is now budgeted at $39.4 million, almost double the original $22 million […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 2.20.18
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday. In the interest of space, we’ve decided not to post the entire agenda here. The County Clerk’s Office hosts a copy at its website. 7. Receive update on DNA issues related to the closure of the Austin Police Department Forensic Sciences Center’s DNA testing lab, […]
Posted inWhispers
UTC puts free parking in its crosshairs
The Urban Transportation Commission on Tuesday night approved a recommendation for City Council to revise parking regulations that encourage the widespread use of single-occupant vehicles. The recommendation, sponsored by Commissioner Kelly Davis, calls on Council to consider “reducing the number of vehicular parking spaces and allowing parking requirements to be met through alternative approaches demonstrated […]