Though it is not what either side wanted, the Historic Landmark Commission voted Monday night in favor of a compromise at Pine Street Station. Historic Preservation Officer Steve Sadowsky explained that the owner of the land, the Capital Metro Transportation Authority, does not object to landmarking the building. It does object to landmarking the land. […]
Capital Metro
The city’s urban transportation system.
Posted inTransit
CapMetro board to vote on new bus routes
The Capital Metro Operations, Planning and Safety committee has approved adding several proposed bus service changes to the full Capital Metro board’s regular March 23 agenda for a final vote. Lawrence Deeter, senior planner for Capital Metro, presented proposed June 2015 service changes, once in a public hearing and also to committee members last Wednesday. The […]
Posted inHays County, Transit, Transportation, Travis County, Williamson County
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 Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board narrowly recommended Monday that the Texas Legislature pass […]
Posted inTransit, Transportation
CapMetro committee to create partnership policy
Board members with the Capital Metro Operations, Planning and Safety committee directed staff to begin crafting a board policy that gives parameters around future sponsors and partnerships at their committee meeting Wednesday. On the heels of a presentation overviewing CapMetro’s 2015 South by Southwest operations, Marketing and Communications Vice President Dan Dawson revealed the agency […]
Posted inCity Council, City Hall
Council members get their assignments
On Monday, Mayor Steve Adler released a document naming the proposed City Council committee and intergovernmental body appointments, populating the 10 Council committees for the first time. The appointments are on the agenda for the upcoming Council meeting, and they will most likely be made official at that time. According to the document, Adler will […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics, Transit, Transportation
Council scales back Riley’s quarter-cent proposal
Austin City Council members Thursday declined to solely commit $20.4 million derived from Capital Metro quarter-cent funds to projects along the Airport Boulevard corridor. Instead, they opted to commit $2 million for various short-term improvements in the region. The $20.4 million in question is the last of $139.4 million raised as part of an agreement […]
Posted inAustin, Local Government, Transit, Transportation
Panel dusts off plans for Green Line rail
With the rail bond defeat in the rearview mirror, this week the City Council Comprehensive Planning and Transportation Committee took a look at a long-planned but almost forgotten rail line that could connect Austin will communities to the east. The proposed Green Line would connect Elgin, Manor, Decker Lake and downtown Austin. The route, which […]
Posted inPreservation, Transit
Landmark Commission delays fate of Pine Street
The future of East Austin’s Pine Street Station will remain in limbo for at least another month after last week’s postponement of a grass-roots bid for historic landmark designation. Though the Historic Landmark Commission again discussed the buildings at Fifth and Waller streets, the case was postponed again. Following public outcry about the proposed demolition […]
Posted inAustin, Elections, Transit, Transportation
Martinez to pitch bus rapid transit investments
City Council Member and Austin mayoral candidate Mike Martinez is looking to pitch multiple bus rapid transit lines as the next major transportation investment for the area. In an interview with the Monitor, Martinez nodded to the work done by Project Connect – efforts that led to a $600 million rail bond question that was […]
Posted inDevelopment, Land Development Code, Preservation
Crowd pleads with HLC to save Pine Street Station
The possible demolition of East Austin’s Pine Street Station drew impassioned pleas to the Historic Landmark Commission this week. On Monday night, a crowd of Austinites implored the commission to initiate historic zoning for the buildings located at 414 Waller St. and 1101 East Fifth St. Many spoke to the changing character of Austin and […]
Posted inResources, Transportation
Commissioners debate Capital Metro pass program
A relatively routine spending item at Travis County Commissioners Court Tuesday turned into an extended discussion of the value of providing free Capital Metro transit passes to county employees. The item, to approve a contract with Capital Metro for an initial $40,000 of an $80,000 expenditure, got the attention of Commissioner Gerald Daugherty, who is […]
Posted inDevelopment
Plaza Saltillo development raises concerns
The redevelopment of East Austin’s Plaza Saltillo area is just underway, and some residents are already worried. This summer, the Capital Metro Transportation Authority board selected Endeavor Group to head the redevelopment of the 10-acre tract of the former East Austin rail yard. The developer’s plans include 800 units of housing, parkland and a grocery […]