Stories by Ryan Thornton
Council orders transit election, $460M active transportation bond for November ballot
City Council is giving voters an opportunity to transform the city’s mobility infrastructure on Nov. 3 with a tax rate election for a $7.1 billion investment in a mass transit rail system, and a $460 million active mobility bond. Voters…
Elections • By Ryan Thornton • Aug 14, 2020
Council floats competing active transportation bond options
Between the transportation portion of the 2018 bond and the $720 million 2016 mobility bond, the city has over $200 million allocated for planned safe mobility projects like protected bike lanes, sidewalks and urban trails. Almost all of that money,…
Transportation • By Ryan Thornton • Aug 13, 2020
City, Capital Metro agree on Austin Transit Partnership ahead of transit election
After approving an interlocal agreement with the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority to create an Austin Transit Partnership – the local government corporation that would guide administrative, financial and some technical components of Project Connect – City Council posted a draft ordinance…
Transportation • By Ryan Thornton • Aug 10, 2020
Council seeks $5 million for park facilities and trails
As it heads into next week’s budget hearings, City Council is searching for ways to add millions in programs and services to a proposed budget that is already nudging up against the 3.5 percent property tax increase cap Council committed…
Budget • By Ryan Thornton • Aug 6, 2020
Council talks six-month delay for bulk of police budget reform
As City Council struggles to comprehend what it would mean to cut approximately $100 million from the Austin Police Department’s budget for Fiscal Year 2020-21, Council members are floating a temporary fix: approve half of the department’s budget during next…
Budget • By Ryan Thornton • Aug 5, 2020
City to loosen enforcement on food donation charities
Covid-19 has increased food insecurity across Travis County while creating further operational complications for local food banks, soup kitchens and other charitable feeding organizations. To help meet the rising demand, the city is looking to remove some of its structural…
City Council • By Ryan Thornton • Aug 3, 2020
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Council advances St. Johns site redevelopment
After over a decade of holding on to the vacant St. Johns site in Northeast Austin, City Council has moved to rezone and open bids for redeveloping the 19-acre property into a mixed-use, mixed-income residential neighborhood and community space. The…
Development • By Ryan Thornton • Jul 30, 2020
Council, Capital Metro settle on Project Connect investment with anti-displacement measures
City Council and the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors have landed on an 8.75-cent tax rate election as the best tool to fund the bulk of the Project Connect mass transit system as well as a variety of…
Transit • By Ryan Thornton • Jul 28, 2020
Council members consider merits of separate safe mobility bond
Responding to a concerted push from local mobility advocates, City Council has opened up the discussion about placing active mobility funds on the November ballot alongside the $7 billion-$10 billion public transit system Project Connect. Five weeks ago, a coalition…
Bonds & Propositions • By Ryan Thornton • Jul 27, 2020
Capital Metro offers alternative investment timeline for Project Connect vision
Since June 10, when City Council endorsed the $10 billion Project Connect system, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been considering which of the transit components is most essential for an initial investment to place before voters in November. “Every…
Transit • By Ryan Thornton • Jul 23, 2020
Capital Metro board OKs MetroBike partnership for bus-oriented bike system
The city’s B-cycle program is set for expansion and rebranding this fall with the rollout of MetroBike, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s concept for an integrated bike-share and public transit system. The Capital Metro Board of Directors approved the MetroBike…
Transit • By Ryan Thornton • Jul 22, 2020
Capital Metro to link transit trips with personal payment accounts
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority ticket-based fare system is due for an upgrade. Currently it lacks the flexibility to offer benefits like fare capping while encouraging more points of contact between customers and bus operators than contactless account-based ticketing can…
