AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[freerover]

The cost estimate for this proposal is 5.9B plus 1.7B for all the other elements of project connect for a total os 7.6B. Local funding for project would be 4.6B.

[urbancore]

Do we have a commitment from the Feds on their part?

What happens to the bond if the Feds don’t come through?

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by ATXboom

Cap Metro recommends downtown subway system in multibillion-dollar light rail system

https://www.statesman.com/news/20200...ht-rail-system

well this honestly couldn't be any more perfect for me personally (crestview). if north central austinites don't vote 98% yes for this they should all be dragged screaming from their homes and dropped into the gulf from an air tanker.

it's pretty unfortunate however that they wouldn't expect to extend to tech ridge and slaughter until at least 2040. there's no good reason to exclude people north of 183 from direct access to fast transit.

also I feel like this is the first time we've heard about tunneling south of the river for the Orange Line. did I miss something? I remember a tunnel for the Blue Line was discussed as a possibility.

[ATXboom]

Originally Posted by atxsnail

well this honestly couldn't be any more perfect for me personally (crestview). if north central austinites don't vote 98% yes for this they should all be dragged screaming from their homes and dropped into the gulf from an air tanker.

it's pretty unfortunate however that they wouldn't expect to extend to tech ridge and slaughter until at least 2040. there's no good reason to exclude people north of 183 from direct access to fast transit.

also I feel like this is the first time we've heard about tunneling south of the river for the Orange Line. did I miss something? I remember a tunnel for the Blue Line was discussed as a possibility.

AGREE - I'm in Brentwood and love the idea of double frequency trains on the north side. I'll be curious how they separate track from traffic up here though. As we all know you lose votes if you take away traffic lanes and lose riders if trains sit in traffic.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by urbancore

Do we have a commitment from the Feds on their part?

What happens to the bond if the Feds don’t come through?

Probably (just spitballing) depends on whether it's a bond or a tax rate election.

If a bond, the project could be scaled back to fit within the size of the local commitment. Or they could just call it off and not sell the bonds.

If it's a tax rate election, the that rate increment probably would have already gone into effect by the time that was determined. City presumably could just lower the tax rate in the future. Or (not sure of the legality, might depend on exactly how the ballot was written) just bank the money or use it for other transit improvements. Or the same scale-down options as before.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Probably (just spitballing) depends on whether it's a bond or a tax rate election.

If a bond, the project could be scaled back to fit within the size of the local commitment. Or they could just call it off and not sell the bonds.

If it's a tax rate election, the that rate increment probably would have already gone into effect by the time that was determined. City presumably could just lower the tax rate in the future. Or (not sure of the legality, might depend on exactly how the ballot was written) just bank the money or use it for other transit improvements. Or the same scale-down options as before.

great answer, thanks for that.

Any thoughts on the whether the feds will come through? What is your gut? After the Cali rail disaster, are they shy?

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by urbancore

great answer, thanks for that.

Any thoughts on the whether the feds will come through? What is your gut? After the Cali rail disaster, are they shy?

California HSR you mean?

Doesn't seem to have slowed down other mass transit projects. It's really a different beast. Different (well known) technology, different cost scale.



Plus we wouldn't start building in Fresno.

[mtb_jeremy]

Originally Posted by freerover

The cost estimate for this proposal is 5.9B plus 1.7B for all the other elements of project connect for a total os 7.6B. Local funding for project would be 4.6B.

Thinking of the Waller Creek Tunnel, what was the original estimated budget and the final bill?

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by mtb_jeremy

Thinking of the Waller Creek Tunnel, what was the original estimated budget and the final bill?

Hopefully we won't wait 20 years on this one between that original estimate and doing it.

[freerover]

KXAN is reporting the Green Line would be built out from Downtown to Colony Park in phase 1. That would be HUGE for the area if true and it was a part of the 1st phase of projects. I've always thought it would be further down the line. We'll find out Monday I guess.

[freerover]

Update on the new Electric bus station at the old Serta site on Burnet:

Phase I: Serta Building Demolition
Phase II: Build Bus Yard Expansion
Phase III: Electric Infrastructure for First 12 Battery Electric Buses
Future Phases: Add Electric Infrastructure in Phases as Additional Buses are Delivered

[freerover]

[austin242]

Love the look of the new underground station. Think they literally tried to copy the look of the Airport.

[hookem]

Good lord that underground station. The thing of dreams. Take my tax money and make this happen in my lifetime.

[The ATX]

The Legos movie song Everything is Awesome comes to mind when I look at all the renderings. But I doubt the voters will approve any big ticket transportation items. I feel we have to start small and build a system incrementally over a long period of time.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by The ATX

The Legos movie song Everything is Awesome comes to mind when I look at all the renderings. But I doubt the voters will approve any big ticket transportation items. I feel we have to start small and build a system incrementally over a long period of time.

That didn't work in 2014. People want to see ink on a map that goes far. This will pass.

[austin242]

I agree. People see that nothing is happening in their area and say they don't want that. If they see that they get something out of it they will vote yes. I will Say three rail lines and an expansion of one, plenty of bus rapid lines is really going to be transformative. I'm voting yes and I'm going to canvass for this. We Need this.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by hookem

Good lord that underground station. The thing of dreams. Take my tax money and make this happen in my lifetime.

I was expecting something like the Seattle Transit Tunnel stations but this is way better.

I wonder which areas Cap Metro have in mind for those regional transit centers (Park and Ride, Mixed Use, Bus, Rail). I know these are probably just illustrative examples, but I don't think there are that many places where there is a combination of bus traffic, developable space, and planned Orange/Blue stations. Any guesses? Tech Ridge I suppose? North Lamar Transit Center seems too small but maybe I'm wrong.

I also see there's plenty of space somewhere near the airport on the Blue Line but I didn't think there was any significant bus nexus there.

[KevinFromTexas]

There's also a thread for this in the main transportation forum if anyone would like to contribute.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=242049

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by freerover

I don't know why, but I was picturing an actual huge building. It would have been cool if we could have had a mixed use vision here like with SFMTA's Potrero Yards. I think they're building a multi-level electric bus facility with housing attached.

Could have been a good way to inject some affordable housing stock into the area.