AUSTIN | Transportation Updates - Page 411

freerover · #**8201** Posted **Dec 10, 2021, 8:49 PM**

Q2 Station:

Maximusx1 · #**8202** Posted **Dec 10, 2021, 10:59 PM**

But does it have the soccer ball lights?

drummer · #**8203** Posted **Dec 13, 2021, 4:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximusx1

But does it have the soccer ball lights?

I sure hope not.

StoOgE · #**8204** Posted **Dec 13, 2021, 5:36 PM**

I will smash all soccer ball lights in the middle of the night.

freerover · #**8205** Posted **Dec 13, 2021, 6:08 PM**

No, sadly it looks really boring.

Bike groups are trying to force the red line parkway along the ROW there but there just doesn't look like there is enough space.

Novacek · #**8206** Posted **Dec 13, 2021, 7:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freerover

No, sadly it looks really boring.

Bike groups are trying to force the red line parkway along the ROW there but there just doesn't look like there is enough space.

There’s enough space, notice in the diagram above that there’s 13’ available. But CapMetro only wants to use 8’ of that for a sidewalk, and use the rest for a drainage ditch. Improving that would free up space for the full trail.

Dariusb · #**8207** Posted **Dec 13, 2021, 7:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drummer

I recall a swarm in the early 90s that was pretty bad, but can't recall if it was on the same scale as 2011. However, they are a mess and I wouldn't want to walk through dead cricket bodies to get to the metro, so point taken on that being a problem that would require mitigation...

When I lived in KS there was a locust swarm. I know I sound like a big baby but I can't stand locusts or crickets. My mom believes crickets bring good luck. I'm like no they don't, lol!

freerover · #**8208** Posted **Dec 15, 2021, 4:11 PM**

Groundbreaking at the metro rapid expo line taking place right now. Pretty cool the LBJ band is playing before. Lots of good feelings around.

JAM · #**8209** Posted **Dec 15, 2021, 7:26 PM**

Aurora said it began autonomously transporting loads for Uber Freight customers between Dallas and Houston last week. The company plans to launch its commercial autonomous trucking business by the end of 2023, starting in Texas.

https://www.reuters.com/article/auro...-idUSKBN2IU1MB

kingkirbythe.... · #**8210** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 2:42 PM**

Protected Bike Lanes and Other Goodies Are on the Way at East 51st Street

https://austin.towers.net/protected-...t-51st-street/

The streetscape improvement plan by the Austin Transportation Department known as the East 51st Street Mobility Project is moving towards a groundbreaking after presenting its completed site plan by global engineering firm Atkins to the city’s Design Commission earlier this week, with a number of significant mobility and pedestrian features on deck for East 51st Street between I-35 and Berkman Drive.

JAM · #**8211** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 8:13 PM**

Out working in downtown Austin today

paul78701 · #**8212** Posted **Jan 7, 2022, 2:45 AM**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dn6ZVpJLxs

I'm not sure if this has been posted here before or not. It ends up being more about advocating for public transit than about Musk's "loop". It's long, but entertaining and worth watching all the way through.

freerover · #**8213** Posted **Jan 7, 2022, 8:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul78701

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dn6ZVpJLxs

I'm not sure if this has been posted here before or not. It ends up being more about advocating for public transit than about Musk's "loop". It's long, but entertaining and worth watching all the way through.

Funny timing since this came out:
https://twitter.com/adamtranter/stat...253238790?s=21

Novacek · #**8214** Posted **Jan 10, 2022, 8:38 PM**

So Leander has been making noise for a while now about withdrawing from CapMetro. IMO, this would be short sighted, now they they finally have TOD coming online (Leander Northline) and with Project Connect upcoming in a few years (light rail connections from the red line, Broadmoor and McKalla red line stations, etc.).

The CM board has a special meeting this week to discuss it

https://www.capmetro.org/docs/defaul...rsn=a9212441_2

The Leander city council paid for a study on this
https://destinyhosted.com/leanddocs/...2021_Final.pdf

Among other things, the consultants claimed that Leander could contract for rail service for $10M /year. Problem is, they didn't actually ask CM about that.

atxsnail · #**8215** Posted **Jan 10, 2022, 9:52 PM**

Got a few Capmetro project connect meetings coming up:

1/12 @ 5pm - Blue Line / Waller Creek Boathouse

2/7 @ 5:30pm - Crestview Station / Orange + Blue + Red Lines

Also the I-35 modified proposal has a meeting scheduled for
1/25 @ 6pm
https://my35capex.com/events/i-35-ca...capex-voice-3/

Novacek · #**8216** Posted **Jan 13, 2022, 3:12 PM**

I didn't attend the boathouse meeting, and the slides don't seem to be posted yet, but clicking through their facebook live recording:

they seem to be proposing the retrofit the former youth hostel off of Lakeshore as the new boathouse.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/22...!4d-97.7232758

A claimed advantage is that this site (as it's east of I35) helps to spread out traffic on the lake which is currently concentrated west.

drummer · #**8217** Posted **Jan 13, 2022, 3:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Novacek

I didn't attend the boathouse meeting, and the slides don't seem to be posted yet, but clicking through their facebook live recording:

they seem to be proposing the retrofit the former youth hostel off of Lakeshore as the new boathouse.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/22...!4d-97.7232758

A claimed advantage is that this site (as it's east of I35) helps to spread out traffic on the lake which is currently concentrated west.

I really like the idea of retrofitting the hostel for that purpose, personally. Seems like a good idea.

paul78701 · #**8218** Posted **Jan 13, 2022, 8:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Novacek

I didn't attend the boathouse meeting, and the slides don't seem to be posted yet, but clicking through their facebook live recording:

they seem to be proposing the retrofit the former youth hostel off of Lakeshore as the new boathouse.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/22...!4d-97.7232758

A claimed advantage is that this site (as it's east of I35) helps to spread out traffic on the lake which is currently concentrated west.

Also, there aren't any places over there which rent kayaks or canoes. Not that I can think of anyway.

freerover · #**8219** Posted **Jan 13, 2022, 8:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul78701

Also, there aren't any places over there which rent kayaks or canoes. Not that I can think of anyway.

Except for the place next door at the Amli unless it closed in the pandemic.

8ofspades · #**8220** Posted **Jan 15, 2022, 9:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Novacek

So Leander has been making noise for a while now about withdrawing from CapMetro. IMO, this would be short sighted, now they they finally have TOD coming online (Leander Northline) and with Project Connect upcoming in a few years (light rail connections from the red line, Broadmoor and McKalla red line stations, etc.).

The CM board has a special meeting this week to discuss it

https://www.capmetro.org/docs/defaul...rsn=a9212441_2

The Leander city council paid for a study on this
https://destinyhosted.com/leanddocs/...2021_Final.pdf

Among other things, the consultants claimed that Leander could contract for rail service for $10M /year. Problem is, they didn't actually ask CM about that.

I am really struggling to see how they came to the $2,830/hr for rail. The only way I was able to make the math work based on the FY2020 NTD data that they claim to source is to combine the 2020 rail operations, 2020 rail capital expenses, and 2020 light rail capital expenses which is pretty bogus. I pulled a bunch of data from the FTA website to compare 2020 and 2019, and there are some interesting numbers here:

https://imgur.com/a/wI2T3sy

Interesting to note that service hours were not that much higher in 2019

Key take aways, if you only account for operations, you end up with a cost per revenue hour of only $1000. Its bs to add the light rail capital expenses to the calculations. Not sure about the hybrid rail expenses for 2020 (how much of that is Prop A financed? Is leander paying for prop A?)

Regardless that entire study seems to be based on the idea that eliminating rail would save the city a bunch of money which I think misses the point. I think the greater issue here is that 1¢ tax burden ends up being pretty high compared to the service that Leander actually gets from Capmetro, so I can understand Leander wanting to re-evaluate, but making their own system is gonna set them back so much time (and maybe not even save them that much).

I think Capmetro should base Leander's cost on what services are actually given + amortization of the improvements that were made. Sure, it would be a loss of potential revenue, but I think it would be much more valuable to the ATX-metro area in the long run. I imagine this would make having a commuter rail connection for other cities/communities on the rail that capmetro already owns more attractive.