Quote:
Originally Posted by JT5
Meeting replay from yesterday:
http://austintx.swagit.com/play/06172014-625
Notes:
-Martinez questions why ABIA is not included in the LPA (Item3&4 5:00)
-Riley brings up the Lamar/Guadalupe public support (Item3&4 54:00) and asks why LRT over BRT (Item3&4 58:00)
-Spelman asks why rail vs roads and buses (Item3&4 64:00) |
This meeting had some very good answers on why the rail route has been chosen this way as well as why it couldn't be the Lamar route. This over 1 billion project is going to be half funded by FTA if they can make it look attractive enough. The FTA has already partially funded the BRT route and would not go for a complete rebuild into LRT. So funding 10 miles on Highland route vs funding 10 miles on Lamar and Guadalupe would cost Austin $500 million less. As long as the line passes the environmental review I don't see it being a problem getting FTA funding along this route. The Houston north route received $450 million of its $750 million cost and has a much lower ridership projection.
I thought it was interesting that they could actually make a decent case for connecting to the airport. If airport funds can be used for the station and rail on the ABIA land the funding gap is fairly small. (in terms of light rail) While still not incentive enough to include in the initial system you could see rail out to the airport 5 years or so after the initial system is built out.