AUSTIN | Transportation Updates - Page 362

austin242 · #**7221** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 1:04 AM**

What expansions should we expect for the Red Line because of Prop A? I knew what they were but then they downgraded prop A so what are they now?

freerover · #**7222** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 2:02 AM**

Delete

atxsnail · #**7223** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 2:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by austin242

What expansions should we expect for the Red Line because of Prop A? I knew what they were but then they downgraded prop A so what are they now?

This article said $25 mil for the Red Line in the smaller package. https://www.austinmonitor.com/storie...onnect-vision/

That sounds like enough for McKalla station and Broadmoor/Uptown station and probably that's about it. Parts of those stations are also funded privately. I guess there will also be costs associated with decommissioning Kramer station. I think the trimmed expenses were related with additional double tracking.

I'm interested to see how service hours and frequency change now that the downtown station is finished. (Assuming we eventually stop the raging pandemic)

freerover · #**7224** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 3:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atxsnail

This article said $25 mil for the Red Line in the smaller package. https://www.austinmonitor.com/storie...onnect-vision/

That sounds like enough for McKalla station and Broadmoor/Uptown station and probably that's about it. Parts of those stations are also funded privately. I guess there will also be costs associated with decommissioning Kramer station. I think the trimmed expenses were related with additional double tracking.

I'm interested to see how service hours and frequency change now that the downtown station is finished. (Assuming we eventually stop the raging pandemic)

They also wanted to build a new heavy maintenance center to replace the one on Burnet but that was cut. I think they are at capacity at Burnet for the number of trains. The big thing I was looking forward to was the lengthening of the stations to allow double trains to run. Bummer.

atxsnail · #**7225** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 4:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freerover

They also wanted to build a new heavy maintenance center to replace the one on Burnet but that was cut. I think they are at capacity at Burnet for the number of trains. The big thing I was looking forward to was the lengthening of the stations to allow double trains to run. Bummer.

That's right, I forgot about the station lengthening part. Hopefully the new stations are already designed with that in mind - pretty sure Downtown station can handle linked trains. McKalla with double capacity on match days would be nice. Red Line will eventually need higher capacity, though to be fair the double length would only be useful at a handful of stations. Crestview and the Park and Rides would need it most. Probably Plaza Saltillo?

freerover · #**7226** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 4:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atxsnail

That's right, I forgot about the station lengthening part. Hopefully the new stations are already designed with that in mind - pretty sure Downtown station can handle linked trains. McKalla with double capacity on match days would be nice. Red Line will eventually need higher capacity, though to be fair the double length would only be useful at a handful of stations. Crestview and the Park and Rides would need it most. Probably Plaza Saltillo?

Downtown can handle 2 linked trains and 1 non-linked train. I'm positive the 2 new redline stations will be the right length. Plaza Saltillo needs lengthening and double tracking. The thing is that all the stations need to be lengthened before you can run double trains. The eventual plan for highland is to move it to the south a bit so that would be a brand new station whenever they find the money for it.

ahealy · #**7227** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 5:14 PM**

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...in-austin.html

"There were eight Austin jobs posted on The Boring Co.'s website by press time, including five engineering positions and openings for an accountant and lead technical recruiter. There was also a listing for a business development lead, which will be tasked with creating 'new revenue-generating tunnel projects for The Boring Company by persuading key stakeholders that a TBC tunnel meets their needs,' according to the job posting.

Voters recently approved a major transportation plan — Project Connect — which will add at least two rail lines in the city, plus an underground stop downtown. Capital Metro spokeswoman Mariette Hummel said she didn't know of any plans for Musk's company to be involved in the city's new transit system.

'At this time, I'm not aware of any conversations that have happened,' Hummel said. 'But, we’re always looking to work with public or private partners to help with the future of mobility in the city.'"

freerover · #**7228** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 5:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahealy

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...in-austin.html

"There were eight Austin jobs posted on The Boring Co.'s website by press time, including five engineering positions and openings for an accountant and lead technical recruiter. There was also a listing for a business development lead, which will be tasked with creating 'new revenue-generating tunnel projects for The Boring Company by persuading key stakeholders that a TBC tunnel meets their needs,' according to the job posting.

Voters recently approved a major transportation plan — Project Connect — which will add at least two rail lines in the city, plus an underground stop downtown. Capital Metro spokeswoman Mariette Hummel said she didn't know of any plans for Musk's company to be involved in the city's new transit system.

'At this time, I'm not aware of any conversations that have happened,' Hummel said. 'But, we’re always looking to work with public or private partners to help with the future of mobility in the city.'"

Keep the boring company the fuck away from our tax dollars. Project Connect is a mass transit project. The boring tunnels are not mass transit.

freerover · #**7229** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 6:14 PM**

slippi · #**7230** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 6:58 PM**

How does anyone at TXDoT take themselves seriously while proposing designs like this? We need to be shrinking I-35, not coming up with absurd ways to add more lanes with the existing ROW.

Echostatic · #**7231** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 7:05 PM**

The tunnels are pretty cool for the narrower ROW south of the river. I wonder what they'll do with the new bridges over the river. I also like the triple-stack section where the existing double decks are, but we knew that design was already coming.

Where did you find these schematics?

freerover · #**7232** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 8:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Echostatic

The tunnels are pretty cool for the narrower ROW south of the river. I wonder what they'll do with the new bridges over the river. I also like the triple-stack section where the existing double decks are, but we knew that design was already coming.

Where did you find these schematics?

I think it'll look like the new bridge in Waco. Txdot is giving these out to reporters that interview them. They'll be out to the public when the open house starts on Thursday.

chinchaaa · #**7233** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 8:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by slippi

How does anyone at TXDoT take themselves seriously while proposing designs like this? We need to be shrinking I-35, not coming up with absurd ways to add more lanes with the existing ROW.

I agree, but when you're beholden to NIMBYs, Y'all Queda and the rest of the mix, you end with shit like the Katy Freeway.

Mikey711MN · #**7234** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 8:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by freerover

Keep the boring company the fuck away from our tax dollars. Project Connect is a mass transit project. The boring tunnels are not mass transit.

It's interesting to see the order of your posting above with the one immediately following.

I, for one, have never thought that TBC has any interest in building train tunnels unless they were a tunneling sub for the eventual heavy civil contractor for the LRT lines.

If I'm TxDOT, I would at least entertain entering into some sort of PPP to enable TBC to build those tunnels, i.e. similar to the concession agreement on the southern portion of SH 130.

That seems to set up a downtown travel "product" range of options that are good (expanded general purpose lanes over the coming decade), better (new LRT w/ downtown tunnels as recently passed with Prop A), and best (new express, single-vehicle lanes for autonomous EVs only, i.e. Tesla or compatible, as implied by TBC's push into Austin).

sentinel1588 · #**7235** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 9:23 PM**

What cities have a light rail system similar to what we are trying to do here? I just want to see what ours will look like in the future.

freerover · #**7236** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 9:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sentinel1588

What cities have a light rail system similar to what we are trying to do here? I just want to see what ours will look like in the future.

Seattle.

We vs us · #**7237** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 10:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikey711MN

It's interesting to see the order of your posting above with the one immediately following.

I, for one, have never thought that TBC has any interest in building train tunnels unless they were a tunneling sub for the eventual heavy civil contractor for the LRT lines.

If I'm TxDOT, I would at least entertain entering into some sort of PPP to enable TBC to build those tunnels, i.e. similar to the concession agreement on the southern portion of SH 130.

That seems to set up a downtown travel "product" range of options that are good (expanded general purpose lanes over the coming decade), better (new LRT w/ downtown tunnels as recently passed with Prop A), and best (new express, single-vehicle lanes for autonomous EVs only, i.e. Tesla or compatible, as implied by TBC's push into Austin).

I agree with this. TBC is much more likely to be interested in the highway tunneling than with the downtown subway.

Though . . . isn't TBC arriving here waaaay prematurely for either project? We've got years of planning and prep work before bids go out, right?

Why would they open an office here now?

ATX2030 · #**7238** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 10:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

I agree with this. TBC is much more likely to be interested in the highway tunneling than with the downtown subway.

Though . . . isn't TBC arriving here waaaay prematurely for either project? We've got years of planning and prep work before bids go out, right?

Why would they open an office here now?

I could envision the Tesla Tera factory complex being connected with tunnels since the site is so massive and on both sides of 130. Similar to what they are doing with the Las Vegas CC. Also if Tesla moves their HQ here and settles in DT they could connect the HQ and factory complex by tunnel. The Republic sure would make for a nice underground transit hub.

freerover · #**7239** Posted **Nov 10, 2020, 10:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ATX2030

I could envision the Tesla Tera factory complex being connected with tunnels since the site is so massive and on both sides of 130. Similar to what they are doing with the Las Vegas CC. Also if Tesla moves their HQ here and settles in DT they could connect the HQ and factory complex by tunnel. The Republic sure would make for a nice underground transit hub.

Tunneling in Clay will not be easy.

H2O · #**7240** Posted **Nov 11, 2020, 12:43 PM**

I think it is more likely that they are planning a tunnel from the factory site to a railroad loading yard somewhere.