At its meeting last week, the Community Development Commission learned about a newly-launched $5 million grant opportunity aimed at combating displacement and promoting economic mobility near Austin’s Project Connect transit corridors. Housing Department staff explained that the current $5 million solicitation is the final portion of a $15.9 million allocation for fiscal years three through […]
Project Connect
This project brought together a series of Central Texas transportation agencies looking to build high-capacity transit options in the region in the wake of CAMPO’s 2035 regional transportation plan. The City of Austin’s much-discussed 2014 Urban Rail plan was part of Project Connect’s efforts.
Posted inPlanning
Neighbors push back on city plan to direct future land use around Cap Metro sites
A hearing at the Planning Commission on a proposal by city staff to change land use plans around two Capital Metro park-and-ride sites in North and South Austin was postponed during a March 25 meeting after neighborhood advocates raised alarm. The postponed plan revolves around the North Lamar and South Congress transit centers, which Capital […]
Posted inTransportation
East Austin’s ‘wishbone’ bridge takes shape as concrete beams almost span Lady Bird Lake
Massive concrete beams now extend over the water at the east end of Lady Bird Lake as a new three-pronged pedestrian bridge – the first of its kind in Austin – comes together next to the Longhorn Dam. Only one gap remains before the bridge’s skeleton is assembled. Once complete in mid-2026, this long-awaited “wishbone […]
Posted inTransit
Austin Transit Partnership presents pedestrian features, changes to stops in revised Project Connect plan
The Mobility Committee of City Council heard an update on plans for the Austin light-rail project that included a proposal for three new pedestrian features along the prospective system, as well as changes to stops, during a meeting on Feb. 20. The new pedestrian features would be a hike-and-bike greenway consisting of a tree-lined, trackside […]
Posted inTransit
Environmental Commission weighs Project Connect’s environmental impact and federal funding
In light of Donald Trump’s recent effort to freeze federal spending authorized by Congress – swiftly blocked by two federal judges – the question on every local policymaker’s mind is: What’s going to happen to all the local projects that rely on federal funding? There are concerns about the future of Austin’s proposed light rail […]
Posted inTransit
Objections arise over Project Connect’s plan to use parkland
Now that the Austin Transit Partnership has released its huge draft environmental impact statement for Project Connect, parks advocates are raising concerns about the proposed expropriation of city parkland by the rail system without the permission of Austin voters. Larry Akers, president of Friends of the Parks of Austin, along with parks advocates Steve Gerson […]
Posted inTransit
Austin unveils how light-rail could change the city in new report with detailed maps
The curtain is finally lifting on Austin’s long-planned light-rail system, as a newly released report from the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) reveals a more detailed vision for the 9.8-mile route. For the first time, Austinites can view block-by-block maps, see specific station locations and learn more about both the benefits and costs of the largest transit project […]
Posted inTransit
Project Connect trial to resume after Paxton appeal rejected
Editor’s note: The original version of this story contained an error conflating two of AG Ken Paxton’s opinions. The story has now been corrected. A little over a year ago, a group of prominent Austin citizens filed suit against the Austin Transit Partnership over Project Connect, the 2020 transit expansion that was originally designed to […]
Posted inElections
Where do Austin’s mayoral candidates stand on transportation issues?
When Austinites cast their ballots this election, transportation will be front and center – not just because it’s a major challenge for the region, but also because voters will have just navigated their way to a polling station. Austin’s mayor plays a powerful role in shaping how we get around the city and has an influential […]
Posted inCourts
Class action lawsuit targets Austin taxes over Project Connect
A new class-action lawsuit is seeking to block the city from collecting any property taxes, potentially starving Austin’s municipal government of almost all revenue, until it kills a tax approved by voters in 2020 to fund the largest public transit expansion in Central Texas history. The lawsuit is being brought by some of the same taxpayers […]
Posted inTransportation
Case study offers early praise for the structure and organization of Project Connect
A new report from an advocacy group in support of mass transit projects across the country has praised Austin’s Project Connect initiative, which is still roughly a decade away from realizing its goal of providing light-rail service through the city. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles-based group Accelerator for America Action released a “living case study” […]
Posted inHousing
Project Connect anti-displacement funding gets close look from Community Development Commission
Members of the Community Development Commission have requested more information from city staff about the decision-making process for spending Project Connect funds intended to preserve or create affordable housing near the mass transit system. Last week, the commission received a presentation that detailed how the city has so far spent approximately $120 million of the […]