AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[ahealy]

[obemearg]

The Austin forum is my favorite to follow because it's got a great mix of consistent projects that feel impactful on the city and drama

[freerover]

Originally Posted by obemearg

The Austin forum is my favorite to follow because it's got a great mix of consistent projects that feel impactful on the city and drama

What is life without drama?

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by freerover

I don't think you are a nice person. Talking to other people like they are customer service that need to use vocabulary that you approve of isn't nice. It's not for you to say that I have to say "freaking idea" instead of "fucking idea".

I get that you think there is a universal standard of decency however it's cultural in more ways than one and honestly it speaks to privilege but I don't know anything about you so I won't assume.

I am a very nice person. If. by chance, we were to ever meet, you'd come away knowing that. I would never tell someone on a public forum that they think a certain thing because they are "getting older and closer to death." That's not only rude, it's also misinformed, and clearly doesn't add anything helpful to the conversation.

As I said, I thank you for the positive aspect of your contributions to this forum. You post a lot of articles with information that others (including myself) find interesting. So for that I thank you.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

I am a very nice person. If. by chance, we were to ever meet, you'd come away knowing that. I would never tell someone on a public forum that they think a certain thing because they are "getting older and closer to death." That's not only rude, it's also misinformed, and clearly doesn't add anything helpful to the conversation. (That wasn't you; it was someone else.)

As I said, I thank you for the positive aspect of your contributions to this forum. You post a lot of articles with information that others (including myself) find interesting. So for that I thank you.

I don’t need your thanks because I don’t do it for you. This isn’t about you. That’s the point. I am not customer service. I don’t care about your feedback. If you don’t like how someone speaks them don’t interact with them. My guess is you are an over 50 yr old or older white male who is middle class or above. I assume that bc that’s the kind of privilege that makes someone think they have a right to speak to other people like that (while telling yourself that you are a good guy) because those people likely lacked the power and security to tell you what I’m telling you right now. Maybe that’s WAY off and you aren’t a 50+ white male but that’s my guess.

So to review: please ignore me.

[freerover]

Anyway, a PC open house on the LRT maintenance facility is Tuesday. I assume we will see possible locations. Slaughter and Ralph ablanedo make sense but that’s out of the initial buildout scope. I’m guessing the location they are looking at is on riverside between 71 and 183 but it could be on airport grounds. I have to go check the master plan layout but I remember a transit facility being thrown around at one point in the process.

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by freerover

I don’t need your thanks because I don’t do it for you. This isn’t about you. That’s the point. I am not customer service. I don’t care about your feedback. If you don’t like how someone speaks them don’t interact with them. My guess is you are an over 50 yr old or older white male who is middle class or above. I assume that bc that’s the kind of privilege that makes someone think they have a right to speak to other people like that (while telling yourself that you are a good guy) because those people likely lacked the power and security to tell you what I’m telling you right now. Maybe that’s WAY off and you aren’t a 50+ white male but that’s my guess.

So to review: please ignore me.

1) You did not describe me correctly.
2) Please don't judge others for their age, race, gender, or any other demographic distinction that may differ from yours.
3) You are wrong when you say that my assuring someone that I am a good person is some kind of privilege other than just being human. In fact, telling someone else that is an attempt to preemptively negate their justification in saying anything positive about themselves.
4) You are the one who interacted with me, so I responded.
5) Why are you interacting with me? Why don't you take your own advice?

Generally, this forum is a great place to come. Most people treat each other with respect and behave in a friendly manner. There are bound to be a few bad apples, and they are the ones who try to belittle others with insults.

I will do as you wish and just ignore you.

To everyone else: I'm sorry that so much of this thread has been taken up with this nonsense. I've tried to respond to the comments directed at me properly and politely. I think I have done so. Let's move on.

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by ahealy

(like button)

[the Genral]

PM...just a suggestion.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

I will do as you wish and just ignore you.

To everyone else: I'm sorry that so much of this thread has been taken up with this nonsense. I've tried to respond to the comments directed at me properly and politely. I think I have done so. Let's move on.

Wonderful. Happy to see you’re willing to move on from a mess that you instigated when no one was talking to you. Very gracious


ANYWAY, thoughts about the LRT maintenance facility location?

[drummer]

Leander voted to stay in CapMetro.

58.52% (3,896) for
41.48% (2,762) against

https://www.kxan.com/election-results/


Ultimately I think this is good. I think it would have been fine for CapMetro as a whole to lose the Leander station, but I think it would have been bad for Leander, especially with all the growth. Glad it will remain.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by drummer

Leander voted to stay in CapMetro.

58.52% (3,896) for
41.48% (2,762) against

https://www.kxan.com/election-results/


Ultimately I think this is good. I think it would have been fine for CapMetro as a whole to lose the Leander station, but I think it would have been bad for Leander, especially with all the growth. Glad it will remain.

Agreed. If they had left, Austin transit would have actually been better off for it but the message that it sent would have been bad and certain anti-transit groups would have referenced it for the next 20 years.

Leander won't really see the benefit until at least 2023 though, when the mckalla double track is complete and they have more wiggle room for added frequency. The Orange/Blue lines really will be a game changer for them however with transfer at Crestview.

I'm kind of surprised no one in the leave camp ran a "let's catch the next one" campaign saying they could always rejoin after the Project Connect LRT lines were running. I'll add that I have no idea how onerous that process would be, but it still feels like it could have been a winning message.

[kingkirbythe....]

Dirty Martin's is among a cluster of businesses slated to be forced out by light-rail line

https://www.kut.org/austin/2022-05-0...-street-austin

When Austin voters approved the largest expansion of public transit in the city's history, they signed up for higher property taxes to help pay for it. But now another cost of Project Connect is coming into focus: the loss of local businesses in the path of a light-rail line.

One of the most eye-popping transformations of the streetscape is planned for Guadalupe Street between 27th and 29th streets. About a dozen businesses could be displaced, including one of Austin's most famous burger joints.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by kingkirbythe....

Dirty Martin's is among a cluster of businesses slated to be forced out by light-rail line

https://www.kut.org/austin/2022-05-0...-street-austin

When Austin voters approved the largest expansion of public transit in the city's history, they signed up for higher property taxes to help pay for it. But now another cost of Project Connect is coming into focus: the loss of local businesses in the path of a light-rail line.

One of the most eye-popping transformations of the streetscape is planned for Guadalupe Street between 27th and 29th streets. About a dozen businesses could be displaced, including one of Austin's most famous burger joints.

Infamous would be more correct IMO. In my 20 years in austin, I have never once seen Dirty’s on a single favorite or best burger places in town. It’s just existed. Also, it can lease space elsewhere. It’s the building that is going. Not the business.

[atxsnail]

Randy Clarke is leaving for DC (WMATA). Not sure when he starts (article says later in the summer) but this feels like it could be a big inflection point for Austin. The person we pick next will be hugely responsible for whether or not Project Connect is a success. I guess I can't blame him for leaving now. It wouldn't be as fun to be a construction manager for the next decade.

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Met...ndy-Clarke.cfm

[H2O]

Originally Posted by atxsnail

Randy Clarke is leaving for DC (WMATA). Not sure when he starts (article says later in the summer) but this feels like it could be a big inflection point for Austin. The person we pick next will be hugely responsible for whether or not Project Connect is a success. I guess I can't blame him for leaving now. It wouldn't be as fun to be a construction manager for the next decade.

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Met...ndy-Clarke.cfm

Yes! Major shake up in Austin transportation leadership going on. First Randy Clarke was removed as CEO of ATP. Then Rob Spillar resigned as Director of ATD. Now Randy has resigned from Cap Metro as well. There may be some major realignment of City of Austin mobility organization and leadership as a result and probably new outside leadership at ATP and Cap Metro.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by atxsnail

Randy Clarke is leaving for DC (WMATA). Not sure when he starts (article says later in the summer) but this feels like it could be a big inflection point for Austin. The person we pick next will be hugely responsible for whether or not Project Connect is a success. I guess I can't blame him for leaving now. It wouldn't be as fun to be a construction manager for the next decade.

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Met...ndy-Clarke.cfm

It's not like WMATA doesn't and won't have construction projects.

It's a much bigger, much more prestigious position. I don't know if we can/should read anything more into it than that.

117 miles of heavy metro/subway and counting, in a much bigger metro and service area.

[freerover]

Permit filed today for the new Cap Metro Park and Ride at the Expo center. This will support one of the new Rapid bus lines from PC.

[Novacek]

CM had a presentation last night about the PV/Riverside intersection station. The slides don't seem to be up separately yet, though you can watch the video on CM's facebook page.

They have a new option that (IMO) is the worst of the lot. ~minute 44 in the video

They got rid of the transit plaza in option 2, and now to get from rail to SB buses you have to cross 6 lanes of traffic.

[Echostatic]

Option 1/Underpass is still my clear favorite. It's the only one that's grade separated and that's about the only thing that matters.