AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by freerover

It's a real shame we aren't going to get the republic square mega station. Fucking state man. We weren't even asking them for money.

It's possible that the money that was to be spent on the bigger station is being redirected...and thus could be part of the reason why we're now getting the "green spine".

I'm very curious as to what the green spine will be. Will it just have upgraded sidewalks? Added bike and scooter lanes? No more street parking? Will it be a full blown pedestrian plaza with no car traffic at all (where possible anyway)?

[drummer]

Originally Posted by paul78701

It's possible that the money that was to be spent on the bigger station is being redirected...and thus could be part of the reason why we're now getting the "green spine".

I'm very curious as to what the green spine will be. Will it just have upgraded sidewalks? Added bike and scooter lanes? No more street parking? Will it be a full blown pedestrian plaza with no car traffic at all (where possible anyway)?

The "aspiration" renderings on either KVUE or KXAN (can't remember which) seemed to indicate a full blown pedestrian plaza east-west with the north-south streets continuing across at the intersections.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by drummer

The "aspiration" renderings on either KVUE or KXAN (can't remember which) seemed to indicate a full blown pedestrian plaza east-west with the north-south streets continuing across at the intersections.

Good to know. I never saw those renderings. I'll have to look for them.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by drummer

The "aspiration" renderings on either KVUE or KXAN (can't remember which) seemed to indicate a full blown pedestrian plaza east-west with the north-south streets continuing across at the intersections.

This is the benefit of going out and getting a guy like Peter Mullan (formerly of Waterloo Greenway and NYC High Line) in charge of design. I don't even know if he's an architect/designer by training, but his involvement signals that they're serious about the human experience beyond the technical elements.

[Novacek]

Here's the document

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20989578-media-roundtable-presenation-61321

Regarding 4th, the "aspirational examples" may have been pedestrian only, but I kind of expect some vehicle access for local property access. Maybe a shared street/woonerf design.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Here's the document

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20989578-media-roundtable-presenation-61321

Thanks for sharing!

Originally Posted by atxsnail

This is the benefit of going out and getting a guy like Peter Mullan (formerly of Waterloo Greenway and NYC High Line) in charge of design. I don't even know if he's an architect/designer by training, but his involvement signals that they're serious about the human experience beyond the technical elements.

Agreed. I'm really excited about Project Connect as a whole, but the plans for the core area seem to merge aesthetics and functionality in ways that will transform Austin in huge ways. It's super encouraging to see.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by drummer

The "aspiration" renderings on either KVUE or KXAN (can't remember which) seemed to indicate a full blown pedestrian plaza east-west with the north-south streets continuing across at the intersections.

This must be the story which you were referring to? It was posted today.
https://www.kxan.com/news/under-project-...d-as-one-of-the-great-streets-of-austin/

If I'm interpreting this correctly, this would basically create one giant "Grand Central" station that runs the length of Fourth St from Republic Square to the Convention Center. Holy crap! That would be amazing. I have no problem trading the previous Republic Square station for that. (Not that we aren't losing out from the state not passing that damn bill though)

[drummer]

Originally Posted by paul78701

This must be the story which you were referring to? It was posted today.
https://www.kxan.com/news/under-project-...d-as-one-of-the-great-streets-of-austin/

If I'm interpreting this correctly, this would basically create one giant "Grand Central" station that runs the length of Fourth St from Republic Square to the Convention Center. Holy crap! That would be amazing. I have no problem trading the previous Republic Square station for that. (Not that we aren't losing out from the state not passing that damn bill though)

Yes, that's the one! And yes, that bill should have been passed. Why on earth didn't it pass? Does anyone know?

[Speculator]

Hopefully 4th and guard's replacement, whatever that will be, incorporates this into their design and has an entrance to the station from inside the building.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by drummer

Yes, that's the one! And yes, that bill should have been passed. Why on earth didn't it pass? Does anyone know?

The house passed it but not the senate. I think there is going to be a concerted effort to sabotage and try to cancel PC by GOP interests in and around Austin. This was an easy way to throw a wrench into it.

[H2O]

To me, this is all an improvement and much as I hoped would evolve through design development. I have been advocating for a 4th Street transit mall and a Congress Avenue Station for years. If the Gold Line is rapid bus instead of light rail in the initial phase, the buses could run on the surface of 4th Street. There is even some potential for the Red and Green Line trains to extend to Republic Square at some point in the future. I also like the potential of extending the tunnel and adding an underground station on SoCo. The initially contemplated surface station south of Mary does not serve the heart of SoCo very well at all. Very exciting to see the progression in thinking!

[H2O]

Additional media source: https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/20...wing-transit-under-parks-failed-to-pass/

[H2O]

Note that the 4th Street cross sections in the presentation are not to scale. Compare the 80' ROW width (Lavaca, Colorado, Brazos and San Jacinto) to the approximately 40' depth of tunnel and concourse and the height and length of the rail vehicles. The tunnel dimensions are graphically exaggerated to get the concept across rather than being completely accurate.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by H2O

Additional media source: https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/20...wing-transit-under-parks-failed-to-pass/

ATP is also speaking to the companies behind two developments under construction between Fifth and Sixth streets to see if they could incorporate station entrances, which Mullan described as a “very common process.”

This makes me think that something might finally be brewing at the post office site.

Local transit activist Zenobia Joseph urged state lawmakers to kill the bill based on her belief that Project Connect prioritizes wealthier white riders in Central Austin at the expense of lower-income riders of color who live closer to the periphery of Capital Metro’s service area.

“I thank the Republican senators for understanding my explanation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin,” Joseph said to Capital Metro board members during public comment at their June 28 meeting.

WTF kind of "transit activist" does this? My guess is that no viable plan would ever meet her expectations.

ATP will not rule out the possibility of changing its plans back if it can get a similar bill passed when the Legislature meets next in 2023. Plans for an above-ground stop at Brush Square Park won’t be affected, Mullan said.

So, it is still possible that they'll be able to build underneath Republic Square.

[Dariusb]

Cap Metro unveils plans for 6 underground rail stops downtown:
https://communityimpact.com/austin/centr...ground-rail-stations-in-downtown-austin/

[austintilIdie]

I'm so stoked about this 4th street concept. Would like to see some flex for underground amenities, merchants, etc across the concourse.

S. Congress Ave tunnel and return to grade on the approach to downtown would have a dramatic view of the skyline.

Wish list, bring back the ol' Dillo to run from Auditorium Shores station out to Zilker Park/Barton Springs during peak periods/events.

[lonewolf]

very pleased bill was shot down as this concept seems entirely better. constraints produce genius. taking an existing park and turning it into a subway entrance is lazy and it's easy to see why they wanted it. i would much rather seek to displace street real estate into a subway entrance than park real estate.

if it is indeed the case that money spent on rep square mega station is now being spread out across the 4th street line that would be even better.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by paul78701

WTF kind of "transit activist" does this? My guess is that no viable plan would ever meet her expectations.

Don't get me started on Zenobia Joseph.

If you've ever listened (or attended) one of CapMetro's board meetings, you've heard her.

Even when they met in person, she would attend every single meeting. And then at the beginning, she'd stand up and make the exact same speech. That CapMetro was racist, had not followed Title VI, and she (personally) had alerted the FTA to that effect. Literally the same thing, year after year.

Transit activist she aint.

[drummer]

The plan, as I understand it, did very little to impact the park above ground. That said, I like the pragmatism of Mullan from the Chronicle article posted above:

“It wasn’t our first choice, but it’s the hand we’re dealt with, so we’re adapting the plan to adjust for that,” Mullan said.

Everything is so polarized these days (and has been increasingly so for the past [forever] years), that without pragmatism and creativity, nothing will happen.

I do agree with Lonewolf's statement that constraint produces genius, but constraint shouldn't be fueled by partisan jabs from either side - and both sides are guilty of this. In any case, I'm glad that a workable solution was found. I'm still stoked for Project Connect.

[lonewolf]

Originally Posted by drummer

The plan, as I understand it, did very little to impact the park above ground. That said, I like the pragmatism of Mullan from the Chronicle article posted above:


Everything is so polarized these days (and has been increasingly so for the past [forever] years), that without pragmatism and creativity, nothing will happen.

I do agree with Lonewolf's statement that constraint produces genius, but constraint shouldn't be fueled by partisan jabs from either side - and both sides are guilty of this. In any case, I'm glad that a workable solution was found. I'm still stoked for Project Connect.

+1
yeah for the record idgaf about who or why this was voted down. the apparent reasoning used seems not just silly but also nonsensical. I was unaware it was even partisan. was it really a down the line vote?

i'm a fan of the cvc for most of the same reasons i was a fan of this vote, sure it is a pain in the ass in certain scenarios but it has created a unique downtown experience + vistas and forced people to get creative

we have a small amount of parkspace downtown. let's preserve the ones we do have as pure park spaces. not make combo transit stations/park space out of it.

it also does appear to me that this has 1 more shot to be reversed in time for construction planning and i'll be sad to see that regardless of why or whomever makes that happen