Emergency Services District 8 in western Travis County will soon be giving voters a chance to pay more taxes in exchange for much-needed service improvements. Following a public hearing Tuesday morning, the Commissioners Court unanimously approved ESD 8’s petition to hold an election this May for an overlay ESD that will bring in additional tax […]
Ryan Thornton
Posted inPublic Safety
Group forms to mediate conflict over sexual assault cases
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt and former Texas state Senator Wendy Davis held a press conference Tuesday announcing their partnership in the creation of a Travis County Sexual Assault Prevention and Healing Work Group. Eckhardt and Davis were joined in support by Travis County Commissioner Margaret Gómez and SAFE Alliance co-CEO Kelly White. Eckhardt said […]
Posted inTransit
Capital Metro cuts back on downtown station plan
A nationwide shortage of skilled labor and a tariff-induced spike in the cost of steel have raised estimated construction costs for Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s downtown rail station. Instead of looking for extra project funding, the agency has decided to simplify the station’s design to remain within the project budget. Capital Metro’s downtown station project […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 1.29.19
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a selection of interesting items from the voting session agenda. The full agenda can be found on the Travis County website. 1. Receive comments regarding a petition for an election to create Travis County […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
County pushes for progress amid state’s political battles
Travis County has already filed bills for a third of its dozen legislative priorities for the 86th Texas Legislature since the session began Jan. 8. One of these priorities is to ensure that sobering centers are authorized to assume responsibility for publicly intoxicated individuals. The city of Austin has been diverting people out of jail […]
Posted inTravis County
No opposition to county food inspection frequencies update
In the absence of County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, the Travis County Commissioners Court talked food Tuesday morning. Following the city’s implementation of a risk-based food inspection system last November, Austin Public Health is now asking Travis County to do the same. Don Hastings, APH assistant director of Environmental Health Services, presented the model to the […]
Posted inTransportation
Study addresses mobility needs along I-35 corridor
The Texas Department of Transportation is putting the finishing touches on its Capital-Alamo Connections Study, a collaborative effort between TxDOT, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization that began in 2017. By analyzing inter-regional travel patterns, market conditions and future growth projections, the study is meant to improve mobility […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County, 1.22.19
The Travis County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a selection of interesting items from the voting session agenda. The entire agenda can be found at the Travis County website. 3. Receive update on the Travis County Snapshot from the 2017 American Community […]
Posted inWhispers
Enough scooters, for now
The city has so far given permits for 15,650 individual dockless mobility units – mostly scooters – to be distributed across the city. That may seem like a lot for a city of Austin’s size, but only 4,650 of those units are licensed to be distributed in the downtown Austin project coordination zone, Austin’s core. […]
Posted inTravis County
County to issue non-voter approved debt for courthouse
The Travis County Commissioners Court approved the use of Certificates of Obligation to fund its new civil and family courthouse Tuesday morning. “This is not something that we just want,” said Commissioner Jeff Travillion. “This is a statutory responsibility that is given to us.” According to the Planning and Budget Office, the total amount of […]
Posted inRoads
Oak Hill Parkway project approved for construction
The Oak Hill Parkway project was added to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s 2019-2022 Transportation Improvement Program by unanimous vote at the Transportation Policy Board meeting Monday evening. The decision places the 12-lane elevated highway at the congested intersection of U.S. Highway 290 and State Highway 71 on track to begin construction in the […]
Posted inTransportation
Conley to resign as CAMPO chairman
Before adjourning Monday’s meeting of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, chair Will Conley, who has held the chairmanship since first being elected in January 2012, announced his intention to resign from the Transportation Policy Board in the coming weeks. Citing life changes and new directions as reasons for his resignation, Conley noted that, according […]