The on-demand, app-based transportation service Pickup has become an increasingly central piece of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s service network in recent years, beginning with a pilot in 2017 and expanding into seven neighborhoods today. As the program expands into new areas over the coming years, Capital Metro plans to prioritize the service for low-income and […]
Capital Metro
The city’s urban transportation system.
Posted inTransportation
Austin B-cycle rebranded as MetroBike
Transportation contributes more to local air pollution than any other economic sector and will soon be the largest source of local greenhouse gas emissions heating up the planet. Yet three-quarters of all work commutes in Austin are still made by private car. In one small effort to resist this trajectory, the city has teamed up with Capital […]
Posted inTransit
Capital Metro committee recommends pedestrian and transit connections agreement
At about $130,000 each, pedestrian hybrid beacons have been shown to reduce crashes by 29 percent, car-pedestrian crashes by 69 percent and serious injuries and fatal crashes by 15 percent. The city has 84 of these crossings around the city and a new federal grant program could help install 10 more near local transit stops. […]
Posted inTransit
County works out budget snags with Cap Metro in transportation blueprint
Travis County has nearly finished its second year of partnership with Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide transit operations into unincorporated parts of Travis County. In the process, transportation staff has uncovered a few unanticipated costs that will affect the rollout of the overall long-range plan. “We are looking at increased costs to the county […]
Posted inPlanning
ULI proposes affordability-centered upgrade to transit-oriented development
Housing costs in Austin are skyrocketing, bringing the average home sale price from $179,250 in 2010 up to nearly $385,000 this year. Factor in the transportation costs of car ownership, and median income isn’t even close to keeping up with the increase. A new report from Urban Land Institute Austin proposes a partial solution to […]
Posted inTransit
Broadmoor rail station to break ground in September, replace Kramer station
A new Red Line commuter rail station will break ground next month, directly servicing the Domain and the future $2 billion mixed-use Broadmoor development by summer 2022. The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority board approved a public-private partnership with Brandywine for the $24 million double-platform station on Monday, committing to pay no more than $12 million, half […]
Posted inTransit
Capital Metro electric buses running longer than predicted, cutting emissions
By the end of the month, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority will have received all 12 battery-electric buses that make up its initial investment in what will become a zero-emission public transportation fleet. With two of those already in service and eight others now being tested at the North Ops bus yard, Chief Operating Officer […]
Posted inTransit
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 efforts to prevent transit-related displacement. “We can’t do everything that we want to do, but […]
Posted inTransit
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 city, every state starts out with a portion; it’s not built all at once,” said […]
Posted inTransit
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 co-management partnership with the city of Austin and Bike Share of Austin in a 7-1 […]
Posted inTransit
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 provide. Even before Covid-19 highlighted the public health risks of ticket payments, Capital Metro planned […]
Posted inTransit
Capital Metro to bring fleet electrification experts on board
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority has purchased 12 electric buses this fiscal year, half of which have been delivered to the electric bus yard under construction at the North Operations facility. With the other six scheduled to arrive in the next four weeks, the agency is now ready to bring in technical assistance to help […]