AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[OfficialPBreton]

Originally Posted by ROCrot

Anyone want to wager on whether Bill Bunch from the SOS Alliance will try to put a wrench in the works in an attempt to regain relevance, but only slow down the project with lawsuits and court cases, resulting in more years of wasted time, continued congestion, and air pollution from traffic standstills?

One thing I can actually appreciate is that the SOS crowd has finally gotten their heads in the game and started opposing building more infrastructure for the most common, inefficient, polluting transportation option available.

If the billions of dollars that this costs was put into actual transportation demand management through sidewalks/trails/bike lanes/bus lanes & more, especially if we actually start building denser housing so that we can put that infrastructure to good use, we would be far better off as a city.

[Croon]

Light rail work could start as soon as 2027. I'm considering a job adjacent to Guadalupe/29th area this summer and possible move into the neighborhood by the end of the year to eliminate commute and parking concerns: Yes to walking to work, no to sitting in traffic.

I haven't seen any detailed renders for that rail project portion from 29th to 38th st, but I know the work will be disruptive eventually for years to come- shutting down middle turn lane that allow people to turn into business lots or streets in between lights (Wheatsville closing that location in-part due to this, by the end of the year because that work will impact big delivery trucks bringing in the goods. ).

Has anyone seen/heard anything?

[OfficialPBreton]

Originally Posted by Croon

Has anyone seen/heard anything?

This document has all of the roll plots:

https://www.atptx.org/wp-content/uploads...ppendix_C_Project_Design_May_2025pdf.pdf

The area you're mentioning starts around pg 59.

[Croon]

Good find. I missed this previously in searches.

I see this will have a bigger, adverse impact on the organization role I'm considering. This would change how they have engaged and conducted business with clients over the decades - in a way I'm not sure the CEO is aware of. On the other hand, this will be make the area even more desirable once this rail project is delivered to completion. I like how they've planned to redo the disconnected 30th St at Guadalupe, into alignment.

[Urbannizer]

Burnet Road Corridor Project

[Urbannizer]

Congress St Improvements

[drummer]

Ok, so I'm not on Facebook, but my wife showed me an April Fools joke by CapMetro about a ferry circulator on the river with stops alongside the north and south side of the river. It spoke to a ferry every ~15 minutes.

While this is an April Fools joke, it's actually one of the better ideas in a while, in my opinion, especially as we have all of these areas developing with increasing levels of density. The only issue is the speedbumps (SUP and kayak) along the route.

But seriously, while obviously not budgeted, water taxis and circulators are super common all over the world - even in many US cities.

Thoughts?

[chinchaaa]

Originally Posted by drummer

Ok, so I'm not on Facebook, but my wife showed me an April Fools joke by CapMetro about a ferry circulator on the river with stops alongside the north and south side of the river. It spoke to a ferry every ~15 minutes.

While this is an April Fools joke, it's actually one of the better ideas in a while, in my opinion, especially as we have all of these areas developing with increasing levels of density. The only issue is the speedbumps (SUP and kayak) along the route.

But seriously, while obviously not budgeted, water taxis and circulators are super common all over the world - even in many US cities.

Thoughts?

this would be such a fun idea for stuff like ACL. the city should partner with the bat tour boats and have some kind of ferry situation set up. people would love that! a good transportation network is multimodal.

[ATX2030]

CapMetro Ferry, a downtown circulator concept connecting Austin by water.

https://x.com/CapMetroATX/status/2039328253266026845

[Armybrat]

The San Antonio Rio Taxi?

[drummer]

I wouldn't see it as a tourist thing (only), so the Riverwalk comparison isn't quite what I'm thinking. I would prefer to see it with small pedestrian ferries (perhaps with the ability to take bicycles also).

This could become a normal "line" along the river, even if its frequency was adjusted based on the season and what events are happening.

[Croon]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

CapMetro Ferry, a downtown circulator concept connecting Austin by water.

https://x.com/CapMetroATX/status/2039328253266026845

You got April Fooled.

But I wish it were true...
I could hop on the Red Line rail on a hot Saturday, get off at Downtown Station, walk a few blocks to the ferry, get off at Zilker and go for a dip in the Springs for a couple of hours, take the ferry back to downtown for dinner, hit a show and take the rail back home after a nice long day.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by drummer

I wouldn't see it as a tourist thing (only), so the Riverwalk comparison isn't quite what I'm thinking. I would prefer to see it with small pedestrian ferries (perhaps with the ability to take bicycles also).

This could become a normal "line" along the river, even if its frequency was adjusted based on the season and what events are happening.

Let's have small tourism focused water taxis a la Victoria, BC. They wouldn't serve much transit purpose at all but they would be fun and awesome. In Victoria they serve a few main tourist attractions along with a few hotels, for $15 (CAD) / ride. Use the Capmetro joke map for the stops, add the Four Seasons/Line Hotel, Hyatt Regency, Holiday Inn, and AAS bat viewing area/future south shore district. Get the hotels to pitch in, maybe even become eligible for hotel tax dollars?

There's my elevator pitch. Who's in?

[Armybrat]

Originally Posted by drummer

I wouldn't see it as a tourist thing (only), so the Riverwalk comparison isn't quite what I'm thinking. I would prefer to see it with small pedestrian ferries (perhaps with the ability to take bicycles also).

This could become a normal "line" along the river, even if its frequency was adjusted based on the season and what events are happening.

Kinda like the Dillo “trolley” that used to make regular circuit routes around downtown….free for the riders?

[ATX2030]

Originally Posted by Croon

You got April Fooled.

But I wish it were true...
I could hop on the Red Line rail on a hot Saturday, get off at Downtown Station, walk a few blocks to the ferry, get off at Zilker and go for a dip in the Springs for a couple of hours, take the ferry back to downtown for dinner, hit a show and take the rail back home after a nice long day.

Not quite. Read the thread before posting so you're caught up on the topic being discussed.

[Croon]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

Not quite. Read the thread before posting so you're caught up on the topic being discussed.

Go fully read Cap Metro's full post, dated on April 1, 2026 on Facebook, Instagram and X - they clearly state in hashtags they're posting this on April Fools. Don't lecture me.

[ATX2030]

Originally Posted by Croon

Go fully read Cap Metro's full post, dated on April 1, 2026 on Facebook, Instagram and X - they clearly state in hashtags they're posting this on April Fools. Don't lecture me.

What are you talking about? Lecture you? Go up thread to Drummer's post #9987. They were talking about how it was an April Fool's joke. I posted a link from X to show pics of the imaginary ferry. After I posted that you posted I was April Fooled. You lost me with the hashtags thing but whatever.

[wwmiv]

Have any of y’all used Subway Builder?

[ATX2030]

‘Inappropriate’: Mayor pushes back on $47M light rail office relocation plan

by: Grace Reader
Posted: Apr 13, 2026 / 02:29 PM CDT
Updated: Apr 13, 2026 / 10:08 PM CDT

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/i...n-47m-light-rail-office-relocation-plan/

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed concern Monday about two items on the Austin Transit Partnership Board agenda later this week, one to negotiate an office lease in a downtown office building for up to $32 million for roughly 8 years and another to furnish the space for $15 million.

The Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) is the entity in charge of building Austin’s voter-approved light rail.

According to an ATP spokesperson, the items are now postponed.

“This proposed action comes even as the City of Austin faces serious budget challenges and is cutting important, critical programs. AISD is facing tough decisions with the closure of schools while addressing continued deficits. A Travis County tax increase to cover needs following a flooding disaster is being challenged. In this context of restraint by taxing entities, the proposed action from the local government corporation would be inappropriate,” the mayor wrote in a message board post.

ATP’s current building is near Colorado and 3rd Streets. The building it hopes to relocate to is on Congress between 2nd Street and Cesar Chavez.

The mayor suggested ATP should look at how it can co-locate with Capital Metro instead. According to CapMetro’s website, it’s headquarters are located near North Pleasant Valley Road and East 5th Street, in east Austin.

The Austin Transit Partnership responded:

“The ATP Board Chair has asked that this item be postponed to allow for additional information and a better understanding of the proposal. ATP has been located downtown near the alignment since day one, and at 200 people, has outgrown its current space. With plans to expand to around 300 people by the end of the year, ATP requires an additional 15,000 square feet of office space. We will work with the Board to come back and provide a recommendation as requested.“

“Co-locating two public entity partners, even if only partly, makes sense because it should be more cost-effective than leasing 2.5 floors in the downtown area for 10 years. Plus, co-location would enhance partner relationships,” Watson said.

[lonewolf]

simply incredible lol