Though Austin residents can only vote for one Council member to represent their geographic district this Election Day, everyone in the city gets a say in who becomes the next mayor. Five of those in the running showed up for the Civic Summit Mayoral Candidate Forum, Wednesday, presented by KLRU, Austin’s PBS station and the Urban […]
Transportation
Posted inTransportation
County postpones parking decision again
Travis County Commissioners once again postponed a decision on the new county employee parking plan, to the chagrin of the employee parking committee Tuesday. In March, commissioners approved the expansion of free zoned county employee parking in all county-approved parking facilities and an optional commuter benefits program. The parking committee, made up of four county employees, […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: Travis County Commissioners Court
After an entire week of budget hearings, Travis County Commissioners aren’t too interested in dealing with any heavy duty issues this week. But there are a couple of items on the agenda that piqued our interest: Item 27. Commissioners will finalize comprehensive changes to the parking plan for Travis County employees. Item 35. Commissioners will […]
Posted inLocal Politics, Transportation
Council OKs rail ballot tweak; foes protest
Austin City Council members Thursday approved what they called a clarifying language change to what is now a November mobility bond ballot question. As they did so, they continued to hear vocal opposition from a handful of opponents to the item, which is set as a $600 million bond question and a “covenant” to construct […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government, Transportation
Few changes as aquifer board OKs SH45 SW comments
The Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District board approved its staff’s written comments on the State Highway 45 Southwest draft Environmental Impact Statement on Tuesday night amid heated discussion over the district’s role in future iterations of the project. Though the district approved only two minor changes to the comments during the meeting, which was […]
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The Blow-by-Blow: @MKanin’s tweets from Thursday’s rail bond vote
For All Access users: A handy rundown of @mkanin’s twitter feed from Council’s vote on the 2014 rail bond. [gview file=”https://austinmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ATXCouncil-and-the-rail-bond-vote.pdf”]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government, Local Politics, Transportation
Leffingwell keeps his seat on BCCP coordinating committee
Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell will stay on as the City of Austin’s representative to the Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan’s coordinating committee. His presence there — as one of only two representatives — had irked some of his colleagues in the wake of recent apparent forward movement for the long-debated State Highway 45 Southwest extension. Travis […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics, Transportation
Council OKs $1 billion transportation bond measure
The Austin City Council unanimously approved a $600 million bond proposition Thursday on the Nov. 4 ballot to help fund a rail initiative, while promising to put an additional $400 million into roadway improvements through other means, probably certificates of obligation or similar financial instruments. Through its bond language, the city is also attempting to promise […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government, Transportation
TxDOT won’t withdraw draft of SH45 SW environmental study
The Texas Department of Transportation has refused to suspend or withdraw the draft environmental impact statement, called an EIS, for the roadway design of SH45 Southwest, as requested by Austin City Manager Marc Ott July 23. In addition, TxDOT has declined to extend the period of time during which citizens can comment on construction of […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Government, Transportation
Austin Monitor Radio, Show 10
Shady Hollow resident and SH-45 proponent Pam Baggett and Democratic Travis County Pct. 2 Commissioner nominee Brigid Shea join the Monitor‘s Mike Kanin to talk SH45SW. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/162003774″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Posted inTransportation
Rideshare supporters meet to discuss ways to legalize services
Supporters of a potential pilot program for commercial rideshare companies to be legally implemented in Austin gathered Wednesday at the Chicago House. The event featured short lectures from two keynote speakers about how Austin could accommodate these companies, followed by a question and answer session with attendees. It was sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity […]
Posted inDevelopment, Environment, Local Government, Transportation
Supporters jam hearing on SH45 SW environmental impact statement
Supporters of the State Highway 45 Southwest toll road project showed up in the of hundreds Tuesday night at a Texas Department of Transportation public hearing on the project’s draft environmental impact statement. While vocal opponents of the project – including the City of Austin and Save Our Springs Alliance – denouncing the draft’s conclusions […]