AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[freerover]

Originally Posted by papertowelroll

Ug, it would be amazing if they could do this. Probably could even live without #1 as long as the new stations are double tracked?

I feel like this should be relatively cheap compared to project connect. Between these problems and the fact that the orange line is ending at 38th (and not making it to Crestview) it's really a shame how much the red line is getting neglected.

100% double track opens up the possibility to do late night service along side the freight schedule. We can't have freight and commuter trains running along a segment unless there is complete double tracking for that segment. It also just makes logistics less complicated. When you only have double tracking at the stations and one train gets behind then the train coming in the opposite direction has to wait at the next station before proceeding.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by Novacek

It's great and all, but I swear when CapMetro got the grant for their second set of trains (like 10 years ago) they said then that it would give them 15 minute frequencies.

I'm not sure if PTC threw a wrench in those plans or what, but I've never seen them actually explain the huge delay.

This seems to be the money quote from CapMetro CEO Watkins from this Austin Monitor article:
“We have done some studies and identified one additional piece of double tracking north of the station area, as well as double tracking the stations of Crestview and Saltillo, as necessary to be able to get to our goal, which is 15-minute frequencies between the Broadmoor Station and downtown all day,” Watkins said. “And so we’ve got a very long-term plan to get us there, including the recent announcement of federal investment to help us on the Plaza Saltillo side.”

I assume the "additional piece of double tracking north of the [McKalla] station area" portion is the Adelphi Ln to Mcneil Dr piece that is currently under design and planned for construction in 2025-2027. More info on that one is here: https://publicinput.com/CapMetroRailImprovements#1. I don't understand why such a seemingly simple project would take so long. Maybe it's just prioritizing/timing funding for more impactful stuff first.

The Plaza Saltillo one is clearly the recently announced one: http://www.austintexas.gov/East5th. I don't know if I've seen completion dates associated with it but late 2024/early 2025 construction start dates sound about right.

A Crestview double tracked station most likely doesn't happen until and unless the grade separation issue is addressed. Does Watkins' quote imply that there is a firm plan for this, even if it's a "very long-term plan"? There is double tracking north of Crestview but it's not a very long section. I guess it's not enough? I noticed an ABC filing in recent weeks that I can't seem to find now that referred to CapMetro, grade separation, and Project Connect for that part of N Lamar/Airport. It sounded like drilling or something to that effect.

Either way it kind of sounds like we'll never get 15-min frequency on the central portion of the Red Line until the Project Connect LRT officially gets extended to Crestview. Perhaps rightfully so, I don't know.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by atxsnail

I assume the "additional piece of double tracking north of the [McKalla] station area" portion is the Adelphi Ln to Mcneil Dr piece that is currently under design and planned for construction in 2025-2027.

I'd assume it's something between McKalla and broadmoor. I don't see why something north of Broadmoor would prevent frequencies between BM and downtown.

Which is a new idea sounds like, and is a further backslide from the original plan to have 15 minutes frequencies all the way out to Leander.

At least my reading of that would be enhanced frequencies only between those stations, presumably with some trips never going north of Broadmoor? Maybe I'm wrong.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I'd assume it's something between McKalla and broadmoor. I don't see why something north of Broadmoor would prevent frequencies between BM and downtown.

Which is a new idea sounds like, and is a further backslide from the original plan to have 15 minutes frequencies all the way out to Leander.

At least my reading of that would be enhanced frequencies only between those stations, presumably with some trips never going north of Broadmoor? Maybe I'm wrong.

In my mind I just have Broadmoor and any associated double tracking as a single project. You may be right - maybe that's what she's referring to there by that "additional piece of double tracking" instead of just calling it part of the Broadmoor station development.

[Riverranchdrone]

The Double tracking across Braker is pretty much done. Just need to go south of there. Couldnt see to the north. I will be in the area tomorrow. I will try to get drone shots

[freerover]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I'd assume it's something between McKalla and broadmoor. I don't see why something north of Broadmoor would prevent frequencies between BM and downtown.

Which is a new idea sounds like, and is a further backslide from the original plan to have 15 minutes frequencies all the way out to Leander.

At least my reading of that would be enhanced frequencies only between those stations, presumably with some trips never going north of Broadmoor? Maybe I'm wrong.

I don't think that's it. Broadmore starts at the double tracking north of Kramer and goes until just north of the broad more station. That's full double tracking from Q2 to Broadmore currently under construction. How do you do higher frequency service only part of the line? Wouldn't you need to create a new "line" so people know if the train is turning around at Broadmore or maybe Howard?


Has anyone heard anything about the Pleasant Valley station? I thought they were going to build that out before the green line for a connection to the PV BRT line?

[lzppjb]

I noticed that I35 in South Austin is about to go vertical. I saw the rebar going up for the columns that will support the elevated middle lanes. Just south of Ben White.

[Riverranchdrone]

[IMG]DJI_0418-HDR by Jason Luebbe, on Flickr[/IMG]
The double tracking hasnt extend toward Broadmore yet.

[ATX2030]

AUSTIN
Calls re-emerge for passenger rail connecting Austin, San Antonio
by: Kelsey Thompson

Posted: Aug 1, 2023 / 02:12 PM CDT

Updated: Aug 1, 2023 / 06:16 PM CDT

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aust...n-san-antonio/

[electricron]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

AUSTIN
Calls re-emerge for passenger rail connecting Austin, San Antonio
by: Kelsey Thompson

Posted: Aug 1, 2023 / 02:12 PM CDT

Updated: Aug 1, 2023 / 06:16 PM CDT

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aust...n-san-antonio/

Lone Star Rail Union Pacific dealt a major blow to a proposal to connect San Antonio and Austin with passenger rail by pulling one of its tracks from a possible plan.

UP ended its agreement with the Lone Star Rail District to study the feasibility of running passenger trains on a freight line that parallels Interstate 35. The idea underpinned the district’s plans to build the passenger rail line, known as LSTAR, between San Antonio and Georgetown.

The agreement, signed in 2010, allowed UP and the district to study the corridor and the possibility of relocating the freight line. But Jeff DeGraff, spokesman for Union Pacific, said the district’s proposals didn’t adequately address concerns about how the passenger rail would affect the company’s freight operations.

Lone Star’s demise had been a foregone conclusion since the CAMPO board voted 17-1 in August to ask the Texas Department of Transportation to withhold any more funds from the district, which had been overseeing various studies of a possible rail line since 2003 (some occurred before Lone Star’s formation) and spent about $28 million doing so. That August vote brought to a halt an ongoing environmental study of the line.

17-1 vote being completely ignored by pundits less than 10 years later. Democracy not working as it should.

[austin242]

I hope they are successful in getting us back on track with Lonestar Rail. This probably would have the biggest impact on Central Texas out of all the transportation projects imo. It would allow the car culture to change into something new. You could go tubing or go to wurstfest with friends and not have to worry about who is going to be the designated driver. Students who live in Austin or San Antonio would take the Train to get to Texas State and Texas State students would take the train to go to the cities. Then all the cities and towns could start beefing up public transit around the train stations. It would be a huge game changer for the region and public transit. It seems there is such a huge interest by the public in making this happen. Amtrak had a booth during SXSW and I asked them if they had any plans to have a real line between Austin and San Antonio and they said that they were getting asked that question by every single person who talked with them. They said that was the main feedback they were getting and that they should look into it. I absolutely agree. I hope this happens so bad. Restart Lonestar Rail now.

[freerover]

I just don't think we will make progress on Lonestar until we have the support of the Texas executive branch. Railroads are just too powerful.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by Riverranchdrone

[IMG]DJI_0418-HDR by Jason Luebbe, on Flickr[/IMG]
The double tracking hasnt extend toward Broadmore yet.

bc the site plan hasn't been approved by the city yet.

[lzppjb]

If the Spurs get their wish of a new arena downtown, then I'd LOVE to ride a train down there for games.

[drummer]

Anecdotally, it does seem like more people that I talk to are open to trains. I feel as though the public support is beginning to shift. For some, it's environmental, others it's traffic/parking, others it sounds fun. Others still look at the economics of it - they see that even if they wouldn't use it, it would be a benefit to the crazy growth in Austin and San Antonio. That said, there are still those handful of folks who say that they wouldn't ever use it because it doesn't drop them off at their couch...so there's that.

I, for one, would use it often. I signed the petition.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

If the Spurs get their wish of a new arena downtown, then I'd LOVE to ride a train down there for games.

I thought they wanted a new arena by Fiesta?

[OfficialPBreton]

Originally Posted by atxsnail

I assume the "additional piece of double tracking north of the [McKalla] station area" portion is the Adelphi Ln to Mcneil Dr piece that is currently under design and planned for construction in 2025-2027. More info on that one is here: https://publicinput.com/CapMetroRailImprovements#1.

Hi there! I'm actually the guy who's coordinating that whole website you'll see me in the videos lol. While I'm not particularly knowledgeable about the operations and capital projects side, I can say with 99% certainty that Dottie was referring to the Adelphi project, yes. It's not Broadmoor.

Originally Posted by atxsnail

I don't understand why such a seemingly simple project would take so long. Maybe it's just prioritizing/timing funding for more impactful stuff first.

Spot on. What I've learned from running the engagement for these projects is that it's all about money, money, money. That means not just that CapMetro has it, but going through the right processes to make sure it is spent correctly.

Originally Posted by atxsnail

A Crestview double tracked station most likely doesn't happen until and unless the grade separation issue is addressed. Does Watkins' quote imply that there is a firm plan for this, even if it's a "very long-term plan"? There is double tracking north of Crestview but it's not a very long section.

Inside baseball - but those are one in the same, to my understanding. More will be added to the website about all the projects we're mentioning, so I would sign up for the newsletter

Originally Posted by atxsnail

Either way it kind of sounds like we'll never get 15-min frequency on the central portion of the Red Line until the Project Connect LRT officially gets extended to Crestview. Perhaps rightfully so, I don't know.

I wouldn't link them together, but it's possible the timelines end up matching up with LRT completion, so not a bad assumption that if Crestview gets confirmed for an extension that it'll help move along Red Line projects..

[OfficialPBreton]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I'd assume it's something between McKalla and broadmoor. I don't see why something north of Broadmoor would prevent frequencies between BM and downtown.

Limited number of train cars, if I understand right - CapMetro has 10 DMUs (IIRC). Basically, they might need all 10 DMUs to offer service frequencies faster than 15 minutes, but they need to bring service out to Leander. So say they dedicate 6 DMUs to Broadmoor->Downtown only, and rely on the 4 DMUs that run Leander -> Downtown route to provide the extra trips for the bump to 15 minute frequencies.

How fast you can get those 4 DMUs up and down from Leander to Broadmoor, then, affects the frequency of the full line.

Just my understanding though, and doesn't take into account a myriad of additional concerns that I'm sure are influencing the ability to run the service as needed or wanted.

[ATX2030]

Austin's I-35 plans revised to include new cap and a $25 million boardwalk

KUT 90.5 | By Nathan Bernier
Published August 3, 2023 at 8:00 AM CDT

https://www.kut.org/transportation/2...lion-boardwalk

[Werdman89]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

Austin's I-35 plans revised to include new cap and a $25 million boardwalk

KUT 90.5 | By Nathan Bernier
Published August 3, 2023 at 8:00 AM CDT

https://www.kut.org/transportation/2...lion-boardwalk

We really need to push for higher height limits over the 35 cap. No reason why we can't sell the air rights both help subsidize the cost and build housing or mixed-use on top of it. It's happening in other American cities over highways, and we should be doing it too.