On Monday, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors unanimously approved the implementation of a new system that caps the amount riders pay for fares. Another part of the system provides reduced fares for people with lower incomes, called Equifare. But before they voted, some Austinites voiced their concerns saying the reduced fares do not go far […]
Samuel Stark
Posted inTransportation
Trouble finding a parking spot on South Congress Avenue? The city is working on it.
Those of us who have braved the journey to find parking on South Congress Avenue during peak hours know it is not for the faint of heart. You might be circling, searching for an open spot for what feels like hours. Euphoria fills your spirit when you think you have finally found that perfect spot. […]
Posted inTransit
Capital Metro hosts groundbreaking ceremony for its new station outside of Austin FC stadium
On Monday evening, following a compelling rendition by the Austin FC marching band of Camila Cabello’s “Havana” (singing “McKalla, ah la-la” instead of “Havana, ooh na-na”) state and local officials and Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority staff participated in a groundbreaking ceremony in front of what will be the new McKalla Station, located on the east […]
Posted inTransit
Capital Metro budget talk raises concerns of a looming recession
A potential recession has many industries feeling wary going into the 2023 financial year, which begins on Oct. 1. At its finance committee meeting Wednesday, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority executives discussed the agency’s budget for the upcoming financial year and concerns they have about a recession affecting sales tax revenue, which funds 69 percent of […]
Posted inTransportation
Boost in funding from Biden’s infrastructure law propels AUS closer to its goals
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport received an additional $15 million in funds yesterday from President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law to go toward its ambitious airport expansion plan. The airport received $17.3 million from the same pool of funds last year. The funding comes amidst an incredibly busy summer for the airport, with officials recommending passengers arrive […]
Posted inAustin
Capital Metro partners with HEB for back-to-school campaign
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority will be partnering with HEB and its beneficiary, For the Children, to host school supply drives ahead of the upcoming school year at various HEB stores. Capital Metro will park buses in two HEB parking lots from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 23 (2508 E. Riverside Drive and 14208 […]
Posted inCity Hall
City-funded study examines disparities in minority business contracting
A disparity study aimed at examining the effectiveness of Austin’s women and minority business enterprise procurement program found it to be largely successful. But while the program – intended to create more opportunities for minority- and women-owned firms – has had success, the study also found that in Austin, women- and minority-owned businesses still face hardships. […]
Posted inTransit
Capital Metro announces leader of transit police force
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors has approved Eric Robins, the former chief of police of Sugar Land, Texas, to become the new chief administrator of the Capital Metro transit police. Robins will serve as chief administrator starting Aug. 1, until the nascent transit police department is certified by the Texas Commission on […]
Posted inRoads
Lawsuit alleges TxDOT’s I-35 expansion project is ‘clearly violating the law’
Three Texas organizations – Texas Public Interest Research Group, Environment Texas and Rethink35 – have come together to file a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Transportation over its plans to expand Interstate 35. At the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization transportation policy board meeting on June 13, TxDOT reported that the three multibillion-dollar projects […]
Posted inTransportation
Cap Metro deploys ‘tricked-out’ electric vehicle to help drum up community enthusiasm
MEEP isn’t just the sound made by a popular Muppet; it’s also Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new portable community engagement vehicle created to involve Austinites in programs like Project Connect, the expansion of Austin’s municipal transit system. The Austin Transit Partnership, the entity overseeing Project Connect, relies a great deal on community engagement, such as […]
Posted inTransit
Cap Metro courtesy-stop pilot program likely to be codified
After a successful trial run, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority hopes to extend the expanded version of its courtesy stop pilot program, which was started earlier this year. Capital Metro first implemented the initiative to help riders with mobility impairments deboard between stops to make their commutes a little smoother. But earlier this year, the transit […]
Posted inPlanning
Cap Metro makes progress with equitable transit-oriented development project
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority updated the Urban Transportation Commission last Wednesday on the progress it has made on the equitable transit-oriented development project. The eTOD project uses $1.65 million in federally awarded grant money to study ways to reduce gentrification and encourage new economic opportunities for traditionally underserved communities along the new Project Connect transit corridors. […]