AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[drummer]

I saw that also. It does seem like a pipe dream in a lot of ways...but who knows? I wonder if something like this (not just the airport, but the rest of it), makes more sense down by COTA. Not my dream to make or break, of course.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by drummer

I saw that also. It does seem like a pipe dream in a lot of ways...but who knows? I wonder if something like this (not just the airport, but the rest of it), makes more sense down by COTA. Not my dream to make or break, of course.

Agreed on the pipe dream stuff, though everything with the airport seems much further along than it rightly should be. Even some of the people they interview in the article make a point of saying "Dude's a dreamer, but this time seems different."

[freerover]

That’s a bunch of bs.

[drummer]

So freeover is in the pipe dream camp as well.

[GoldenBoot]

Fortune favors the bold...

[texboy]

Originally Posted by JAM

Ran across a statistic a few days back that showed transit ridership way down. not sure where this was, New York perhaps, but the point was its difficult to fund these public works when ridership is down. they have big fixed cost budgets. the stat more or less tracked downtown office habitation. moral of the story, wanna work from home, delete the trains. that's about all I took away from it, didn't really bother to look into it further. Our redline here in Austin is a nice train, but when you get on some of the trains around this country, it can be downright scary. especially if you are a women. that could also be a source of lower ridership.

Denver actually just nixed two light rail routes completely that ran from downtown south through DTC and combined them with another existing route due to extremely low ridership. RTD is struggling to just to find competent leadership. Our A line out to the airport from downtown is basically the only line that sees consistently high ridership.

[agsatx88]

Originally Posted by texboy

Denver actually just nixed two light rail routes completely that ran from downtown south through DTC and combined them with another existing route due to extremely low ridership. RTD is struggling to just to find competent leadership. Our A line out to the airport from downtown is basically the only line that sees consistently high ridership.

I agree the A Line seems to be the most solid offering in Denver, trains have been busy every time I have ridden it from Union Station to/from the Airport. They are clean and actually seem to be used by travelers and airport employees. I've also ridden the W line light rail multiple times and that one just seems like a meth head transport. Dirty trains and an all around awkward experience.

[ATX2030]

I-35 EXPANSION PROJECT
Austin City Council seeks changes to I-35 expansion proposal

https://www.kxan.com/traffic/traffic...sion-proposal/

[Urbannizer]

Austin Public Works Begins Construction of Zilker Park Multimodal Access Improvements

Austin (Travis County) — Austin Public Works recently kicked off construction of improvements to transform an intimidating .7-mile stretch of Barton Springs Road and Stratford Drive into a comfortable and walkable destination.

Once complete, these improvements will transform pedestrian, bicycle and transit access to Zilker Park, Zilker Botanical Garden and the Austin Nature and Science Center. The project includes:

Shared use paths along Barton Springs Road and Stratford Drive
A landscaped buffer between the shared use path and vehicular travel lanes along Barton Springs Road
Improvements to bus stops on both sides of Barton Springs Road including new concrete pads and benches
A pedestrian hybrid beacon and crosswalk across Barton Springs Road near the Zilker Botanical Garden entrance

[ATX2030]

TxDOT: Austin has until fall 2024 to identify $350M in funds for ‘Cap and Stitch’ project

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aust...titch-project/

[drummer]

Every person in the combined Austin and San Antonio metro areas pitch in a hundred bucks and we're good. Ok, I'm gonna go grab a beer.

[Urbannizer]

https://publicinput.com/ATXWBR?fbcli...yL97M9pSiZ38d4

[ATX2030]

CapMetro Broadmoor Station not under construction, despite 2022 groundbreaking

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aust...roundbreaking/

[papertowelroll]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

CapMetro Broadmoor Station not under construction, despite 2022 groundbreaking

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/aust...roundbreaking/

It's still insane to me that these red line stations cost so much and take so long to build. These things are pretty barebones, we aren't talking about subways here.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by papertowelroll

It's still insane to me that these red line stations cost so much and take so long to build. These things are pretty barebones, we aren't talking about subways here.

They aren't subways, which is why they're so cheap


It's not just the station, it's the track. I believe both McKalla and Broadmoor are double-tracking at the same time as station construction. There's also the requirement to keep the existing train service (passenger and freight) running the (almost) whole time. And of course, everything new has to be brought up to modern standards, unlike the existing track which was originally laid down over a hundred years ago.

Plus I believe that listed 35M cost would also include the structured parking they're doing for the broadmoor station, and bus infrastructure as well (one reason this would be more expensive than McKalla).
"Construction of new rail station for Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to include additional track, infrastructure requirements, bus stop area, parking and platform."

Edit/add: turns out the stite plan for the broadmoor station is online at the city's ABC site. As mentioned in the story it's still making it's way through the process.

Up to 178 pages. Submitted more than a year ago. The issue is that our development regulations and planning department are out of control.

[ATX2030]

Behind a 'messed up' process to pick Austin's next light-rail leader

https://www.kut.org/transportation/2...ht-rail-leader

[ATX2030]

TxDOT to seize part of Waller Beach Park for I-35 construction

https://www.kut.org/transportation/2...5-construction

[ATX2030]

From Nathan Bernier

https://twitter.com/KUTnathan/status...CwpaX_vaotAAAA

NEW: Republican state lawmakers filed bills today in the Texas House and Senate targeting Austin's Project Connect transit expansion. The bills would require a citywide election before the Austin Transit Partnership, which is building two light-rail lines, could issue debt.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

From Nathan Bernier

https://twitter.com/KUTnathan/status...CwpaX_vaotAAAA

NEW: Republican state lawmakers filed bills today in the Texas House and Senate targeting Austin's Project Connect transit expansion. The bills would require a citywide election before the Austin Transit Partnership, which is building two light-rail lines, could issue debt.

They're counting on selfish Austin voters to vote down small phases of light rail bc it doesn't come to their part of town which is a sentiment we've seen even on this board. It's frustrating and represents a giant waste of time and money in the form of multiple more elections, lobby efforts, campaigns and delays waiting for the next high turnout election. Basically, it would mean having to have a proposal ready for voters on presidential election years and freezing design for about a year while you wait for the election process to play out. It's not like they can decide what they want to do in October and put it in the November election and start up in December.

Troxclair is just the worst.

[chinchaaa]

Originally Posted by ATX2030

From Nathan Bernier

https://twitter.com/KUTnathan/status...CwpaX_vaotAAAA

NEW: Republican state lawmakers filed bills today in the Texas House and Senate targeting Austin's Project Connect transit expansion. The bills would require a citywide election before the Austin Transit Partnership, which is building two light-rail lines, could issue debt.

this is city is quickly becoming Houston 2.0. really sad.