Stories by Tyler Whitson
Mobility Committee considers taxicab regulations
While taxicabs have served Austin for decades, the entrance of Uber and Lyft into the picture has prompted a ground-up re-evaluation of how the city regulates the seasoned industry. The City Council Mobility Committee considered a set of amendments to…
Transit • By Tyler Whitson • Apr 2, 2015
Council staff proposal up in the air ahead of vote
Despite committee efforts and new cost projections, a conversation among City Council members Tuesday revealed that they still have some work to do on a proposal to increase staffing and resources for the mayor and Council offices ahead of a…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Apr 1, 2015
CTRMA stalls proposal to double-deck MoPac
A plan that could transform MoPac Boulevard now appears to be trudging rather than speeding along, though it still may reach its destination in due time. The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority announced Monday that it is delaying its proposal…
Local Government • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 31, 2015
AE to seek new solar contracts by mid-April
Since City Council adopted a set of goals last year that will shape Austin’s future energy portfolio, most discussion has focused on how to fill a 500-megawatt power gap in the plan. This week, the focus shifted to a goal…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 27, 2015
Mobility Committee considers future of Lyft, Uber
Transportation network companies such as Lyft and Uber have come a long way since they launched outside of Austin’s regulatory framework last May. Still, they have more distance to travel before they can be considered a permanent part of the…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 26, 2015
Council discusses legislation that targets Austin
With the Texas Legislature’s March 13 filing deadline behind them, city staff are busy tracking the 6,400 or so bills that state legislators have filed this session. They joined City Council at a work session Tuesday for an update on…
Austin • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 25, 2015
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EUC pushes for generation plan's solar component
The Electric Utility Commission passed a resolution Monday urging that City Council direct Austin Energy to issue a request for proposal for 600 megawatts of utility-scale solar energy by April 15. “I feel like Austin Energy, in making their agreement…
Energy • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 24, 2015
Critics say CAMPO 2040 Plan doomed to fail
Those wondering what Austin-area roads might look like in 25 years need look no further than the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan. Many of those who have, it seems, do not like what they see. The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization…
Roads • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 19, 2015
Austin Water reports on water-related legislation
As Central Texas continues to face its worst drought on record, state legislators are considering several bills this session that could affect water supplies in Austin and throughout the state. Austin Water Utility Legislative Coordinator Heather Cooke briefed the Water…
Texas State Legislature • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 17, 2015
CAMPO says buses should skip highway traffic
Most highway drivers resist the urge to cruise alongside a traffic jam on the route’s shoulder — it is illegal, not to mention rude. Some buses in Texas, however, may soon get a pass to jump the line. The Capital…
Hays County • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 16, 2015
Council funds AISD software, debates relationship
When it comes to using tax dollars to serve children in the Austin community, there can be a fine line between education and health and human services. Before passing an agreement Thursday to help fund truancy tracking software for the…
Budget • By Tyler Whitson • Mar 13, 2015
House bill could restrict local voter initiatives
A voter-led initiative that banned hydraulic fracturing — also known as “fracking” — in Denton last fall appears to have inspired a Texas House bill that could quash similar measures in the future. House State Affairs Committee members heard arguments…
