Transit leaders agree: Shifting half of all local travel away from individual vehicles by 2039 will require an aggressive mix of land use reform and expansion of transit options, including the Austin’s forthcoming light rail line. Exactly how those changes play out over the next decade-plus was the focus of a recent Urban Land Institute […]
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.
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Capital Metro updates financial forecast, returns $130 million to contingency fund
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Finance, Audit and Administration Committee heard an update on the agency’s financial status at its meeting on Aug. 14. Catherine Walker, chief financial and risk officer, presented a financial report as of the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2022-23. According to the presentation, sales tax remittances received as of May are […]
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Red Line improvements add capacity, access for critical Project Connect transit option
The light rail line that’s planned to run through downtown Austin is the portion of Project Connect that’s drawn the most attention in recent years. But folks like Matt Geske, who regularly ride the Red Line commuter train that goes from Leander to the Austin Convention Center, are happy to give the long-running transit line […]
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Langmore appointed to Austin Transit Partnership board of directors
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors last week voted to appoint John Langmore to serve as the community expert director of finance on the Austin Transit Partnership’s board of directors. The Austin Transit Partnership is the entity tasked with implementing Project Connect. The nominating committee consisted of Board members Matt Harriss, Paige Ellis, […]
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City needs more planning staff to complete federal transit grant work for light rail
The Planning Department says it needs four new staffers to prepare for the first phase of light rail through downtown. That was one of the findings in a new memo outlining the department’s work to make equitable transit-oriented developments, or ETODs, a major piece of city planning for the next decade-plus. The new staffers would […]
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Transit and city leaders agree on final plan for Austin’s light rail system
Austin leaders on Tuesday gave an official thumbs-up to the city’s massive rail line project just two weeks after the plan was revealed to the public. The final vote taken by City Council, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors and Austin Transit Partnership sets in motion the next phase of the plan, which […]
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Austin’s light-rail plans set to advance after narrowly dodging Texas-sized wrecking ball
Austin’s light-rail ambitions are barreling ahead after narrowly escaping the clutches of Texas lawmakers determined to rein in the multibillion-dollar transit expansion. But the voter-approved plan, known as Project Connect, must still navigate a tricky track laden with potential legal and political hazards. “For now, we are going to take a deep breath,” Mayor Kirk […]
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Downtown alliance suggests Wooldridge Sq. station, sunken roadways to improve rail plan
The Downtown Austin Alliance has suggested a number of adjustments to the light rail plan unveiled to the public earlier this week, while also showing support for the route that moves through the downtown core from its endpoints to the north, east and south. The DAA has issued its own map for the route, which […]
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Austin light rail gets first approval amid looming Texas legislative threat
Austin’s newest light-rail vision – a $5 billion map set to redefine 10 miles of streets – is traveling two parallel tracks this week. On one track, city decision-makers are flashing the go-ahead signal, setting the stage for the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) to morph blueprints into steel and concrete. On the parallel track, a […]
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On-street light rail route selected as best option for city’s mass transit plan
Local transit leaders have selected an entirely on-street light rail line that runs through downtown and stretches mostly north and east with a spur that reaches somewhat into southern Austin as the route that will most likely be approved for construction. Austin Transit Partnership today announced that the two-train route running from 38th Street south […]
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Paxton opinion notes likely missteps, possible way forward for Project Connect
Many questions remain about the path forward for Austin’s Project Connect transit plan following an advisory opinion from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that noted some likely legal hurdles related to the funding model created to pay for the system. Paxton issued his opinion on Saturday at the request of state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, […]
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ATP reports offer community insights ahead of selecting light rail option next week
A trio of reports from Austin Transit Partnership offer some insights into the shape of Project Connect as the local government corporation in charge of the transit initiative prepares to announce its selection next week of the preferred light rail plan that will service downtown and selected areas to the north, south or east. A […]