Discontent over a landmark transportation plan drove Travis County Commissioners to draw distinct battle lines Tuesday between two competing visions. The hour-long discussion on the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s developing 2040 Regional Transportation Plan featured a rare crack in the court’s usual comity. In the end, the court voted 3-1-1 to ask CAMPO to […]
SH45SW
A controversial road project that supporters argue would ease traffic traveling through areas of far Southwest Travis and far Southeastern Hays County. Opponents argue that the environmental impact of the effort, which runs close to sensitive land, is not worth that risk. The debate over the issue goes back as far as the mid-1980s.
Posted inLocal Government, Local Politics, Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: Pct. 2 Commissioner Brigid Shea
Travis County Pct. 2 Commissioner Brigid Shea joins Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to talk about SH45, property tax appraisals, the potential new Travis County Civil and Family Courthouse and more. This podcast version includes a bonus discussion about water policy. Sponsored by Kerby Lane Cafe. The show is embedded below: [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/188386980″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ […]
Posted inAustin, Environment, Roads, Transportation, Travis County
Conservation District delays vote on SH45 SW agreement
Representatives of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District voted to put off a decision on an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation that is intended to provide greater environmental protection for the construction of State Highway 45 Southwest. District residents, civic organizations and representatives of Austin and Travis County urged the aquifer district board […]
Posted inEnvironment, Roads, Transportation
Aquifer district cancels SH45 meeting with TxDOT
The Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District postponed a planned meeting Thursday at which the district’s board planned to consider a controversial agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation regarding construction of State Highway 45 Southwest. Aquifer board officials said they called off the meeting because of a posting error and rescheduled it for next […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Local Politics
Partisan politics arise at new Commissioners Court
Travis County Commissioners met for the first time Tuesday with new County Judge Sarah Eckhardt and Pct. 2 Commissioner Brigid Shea on the court. The spirit of cooperation and goodwill present when the new court convened lasted about an hour before partisan politics emerged. During a discussion of commissioner appointments to various boards and commissions, Shea tried […]
Posted inAustin, Bonds & Propositions, Courts, Development, Elections, Environment, Local Politics, Public Safety, Resources
2014: An Austin Monitor review
This past year was a dynamic one in Austin, and though the future promises to be just as interesting, at the close of 2014 we invite you to take a trip back over the past 12 months. Though a lot went on in the city and this list is far from comprehensive, from our ever-particular […]
Posted inLocal Government, Radio, Travis County
Austin Monitor Radio, Show 24: Judge-elect Sarah Eckhardt
Travis County Judge-elect Sarah Eckhardt joins Monitor publisher Mike Kanin for a look ahead to her tenure on Commissioners Court. Topics include Secure Communities, SH45, video-conferenced jail visits and much more. Program is below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/176628557″ 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 inElections, Local Politics, Travis County
Eckhardt, Shea, Gomez win Travis County seats
There were no surprises Tuesday in the elections for the Travis County Commissioners Court. Sarah Eckhardt handily defeated Republican Mike McNamara for County Judge by about a 2-1 margin. In Precinct 2, Brigid Shea defeated Republican Raymond Frank, also by about a 2-1 margin. And in Precinct 4, incumbent Margaret Gomez polled about 85 percent […]
Posted inDevelopment, Local Politics
Council members still skeptical about SH45 SW
City Council members raised several questions during Tuesday’s work session about the effectiveness and environmental sensitivity of the Texas Department of Transportation’s recommended route for State Highway 45 Southwest. The conversation took place as part of a joint briefing by the Transportation and Watershed Protection departments on a report that Council requested in a May […]
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 […]
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” /]