Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 Race Track - Page 35

JoninATX · #**681** Posted **Apr 26, 2012, 7:48 PM**

Aerial view of the track.

The ATX · #**682** Posted **Apr 26, 2012, 9:12 PM**

I went by the track today. (Not just to see the track, but to speed down SH130 since TXDoT raised the speed limit to 80.) It's one massive construction project. It may be the largest in terms of land area that Austin has ever had.

turn1 · #**683** Posted **Apr 27, 2012, 1:39 AM**

Thinking about parking offsite & then walking or cycling into COTA? Think again.

I'm thinking maybe this also means "no camping".

http://circuitoftheamericas.com/transportation

Quote:

A limited number of pre-paid parking permits—or the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) shuttle—will be the only way to access the COTA area during the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX™. There will be no cash parking at the venue, and roads leading into CoTA will be restricted to vehicles displaying assigned parking or residential permits..

The recommended transportation to COTA is by the official shuttle bus network operated by COTA in partnership with the City of Austin, Travis County and Capital Metro. Check here soon for details on where to pick up the shuttle throughout the greater Austin area.

...

Parking directions will be supplied with your parking permit and it is extremely important that these directions be followed! Not following instructions will mean your access into CoTA will be challenged.

Parking for Recreational Vehicles will require a pre-paid permit and will also be sold on first-come, first-served basis. Check back here for additional details starting in June 2012.

Parking for people with disabilities will require proper documentation submitted to COTA by Nov. 10, 2012. Please submit your request and your State ID toinfo@circuitoftheamericas.com. All documentation will be reviewed to assure authenticity.

Jdawgboy · #**684** Posted **Apr 27, 2012, 1:52 AM**

Well to be honest thats really the only way they can do it. I mean seriously, the roads out there cannot handle the kind of traffic that the track will bring in until the county upgrades the roads which they seem to be taking their sweet time.

The shuttling service alone is going to be an impressive feat in itself. Just the shear size and the ammount of people that will be shuttled to and from the track is going to be massive. Nothing like Austin has ever seen. Over 100,000 people!!!

turn1 · #**685** Posted **Apr 27, 2012, 2:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Well to be honest thats really the only way they can do it. I mean seriously, the roads out there cannot handle the kind of traffic that the track will bring in until the county upgrades the roads which they seem to be taking their sweet time.

The shuttling service alone is going to be an impressive feat in itself. Just the shear size and the ammount of people that will be shuttled to and from the track is going to be massive. Nothing like Austin has ever seen. Over 100,000 people!!!

So people living or staying the area, who could easily walk in, will have to either buy a parking pass they don't need and then drive through the traffic, or drive to the nearest shuttle parking area & ride back to the track on a shuttle, then reverse the process afterward? Either "option" is patently ludicrous. Is it even legal?

The COTA folks have nobody to blame but themselves for the roads. There was plenty of time to upgrade, but they wasted over a year haggling with them. All the while their bargaining position got worse and worse as they got deeper and deeper into construction.

Jdawgboy · #**686** Posted **Apr 27, 2012, 2:06 AM**

You got a point, the investores i.e. Red and Bobby have screwed this up bad but imo its Red thats done the most damage. They have caused a lot of problems but we cant clear Travis County completely off either

JoninATX · #**687** Posted **Apr 27, 2012, 2:59 AM**

Thats one thing I do not understand is why they need to take their sweet time in getting things done. I guess TXDot or whoever is waiting for an accident to occur before getting things done.

BevoLJ · #**688** Posted **Apr 27, 2012, 9:08 PM**

Here is a picture today of COTA with a view of downtown

http://www.facebook.com/CircuitofTheAmericas

hookem · #**689** Posted **Apr 27, 2012, 11:09 PM**

Can't wait to see the tower go up. Miro-Rivera is doing a lot of precast/steel construction on the grandstand that is making it go super fast. My guess is that they'll be moving over and doing the same thing with the observation tower once the grandstand is done. Should be neat to watch their technique and how fast it goes up.

turn1 · #**690** Posted **Apr 28, 2012, 5:12 PM**

Here are some nice new photos taken near dusk yesterday & posted by my buddy while I was out karting:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7614878&type=1

Road to future helipads:

Not sure what's going on here with some pretty big holes being dug on the track itself.

Turn 11 berm:

turn1 · #**691** Posted **Apr 28, 2012, 5:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hookem

Can't wait to see the tower go up. Miro-Rivera is doing a lot of precast/steel construction on the grandstand that is making it go super fast. My guess is that they'll be moving over and doing the same thing with the observation tower once the grandstand is done. Should be neat to watch their technique and how fast it goes up.

How much will that thing cost an already cash-strapped project? They've already lopped off 3 of 4 pedestrian bridges, the fire/ems station, permanent restrooms except in the main straight structures, and have done little to address roads to and parking at/near the circuit. They go on and on about having the essentials done before the race, but they're gonna build this arguably useless tower?

Something else makes me wonder about Miro-Rivera. They seem really cool & all, but I wonder why they were brought in to do the stadium structure when this really isn't their kind of ball game, and HKS was already involved.

Jdawgboy · #**692** Posted **Apr 28, 2012, 7:00 PM**

Well we know that John Paul Dejoria is now an investor in COTA so im sure he will be adding quite a lot of money into this project, infact having him sign on is just the sort of bost COTA needs and he is no stranger to racing. We dont know any details about his investment but he is a billionare so it wont be some chump change thats for sure.

turn1 · #**693** Posted **Apr 28, 2012, 7:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Well we know that John Paul Dejoria is now an investor in COTA so im sure he will be adding quite a lot of money into this project, infact having him sign on is just the sort of bost COTA needs and he is no stranger to racing. We dont know any details about his investment but he is a billionare so it wont be some chump change thats for sure.

Maybe. We don't really know how much DeJoria has invested. I haven't been out there today, but I wonder if they're still flying people (likely potential investors) around the place at the frenzied pace they were for at least two days earlier this week.

This shot is from COTA photos on 4/24: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7614878&type=1

hookem · #**694** Posted **Apr 28, 2012, 10:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

How much will that thing cost an already cash-strapped project? They've already lopped off 3 of 4 pedestrian bridges, the fire/ems station, permanent restrooms except in the main straight structures, and have done little to address roads to and parking at/near the circuit. They go on and on about having the essentials done before the race, but they're gonna build this arguably useless tower?

It's their money. They must want the tower more than the pedestrian bridges. Most of the renderings I've seen did not include the pedestrian bridges -- only 1 of them that I can recall. The vast majority didn't show any. So they may not have been anything but a wish-list item at some point.

Seems like as many bathrooms as possible would be good, though. Nothing worse than long lines at port-o-potties to make the fans miserable.

Quote:

Something else makes me wonder about Miro-Rivera. They seem really cool & all, but I wonder why they were brought in to do the stadium structure when this really isn't their kind of ball game, and HKS was already involved.

The tower has always looked like a Miro-Rivera design to me. It's very much their style, with lines and curved lines being an integral part of the architecture. In fact, it seems like the renderings I did see with the pedestrian bridges, they also looked like Miro-Rivera designs.

http://www.mirorivera.com/institutional.html

As I thought, Miro-Rivera wasn't just brought in:
http://www.statesman.com/sports/form...k-2099095.html

Quote:

The local architectural firm has been working on the racetrack project for more than a year. Last year, it was announced that Miró Rivera was designing a signature piece of the circuit, a 250-foot-high observation tower.

It turns out the firm also designed the main grandstand, even though the other architects employed by the circuit include Tilke GmbH and HKS. The German firm Tilke designed the 3.4-mile circuit in Southeast Travis County and has built striking Formula One tracks and grandstands around the globe.

turn1 · #**695** Posted **Apr 28, 2012, 11:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hookem

It's their money. They must want the tower more than the pedestrian bridges. Most of the renderings I've seen did not include the pedestrian bridges -- only 1 of them that I can recall. The vast majority didn't show any. So they may not have been anything but a wish-list item at some point.

Yeah, it's their money...or at least it's money they control. The problem is that this decision will have a huge negative impact on many fans' experience on race day. Unless you have at least two ways across the track, then fans coming from one side will have to walk all the way around the track to access the infield or even just to access the other side of the track.

What I've been hearing is that the lone remaining bridge is over on the east side, so how do fans on the front straight access the paddock? Are they going to walk over to the esses and back? How will fans coming in from the shuttle lots off McAngus Road access the east side? Looks like they'll be taking the long way around.

Quote:

The tower has always looked like a Miro-Rivera design to me. It's very much their style, with lines and curved lines being an integral part of the architecture. In fact, it seems like the renderings I did see with the pedestrian bridges, they also looked like Miro-Rivera designs.

I wasn't talking about MR in re: the tower or the bridges. I was referring to them being brought in to do the Main GS. Do they have prior GS experience? Everyone knows they designed the tower.

Quote:

As I thought, Miro-Rivera wasn't just brought in:
http://www.statesman.com/sports/form...k-2099095.html

Never said they were just brought in. I said they were brought in with HKS already on the team.

East7thStreet · #**696** Posted **Apr 29, 2012, 12:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by turn1

Yeah, it's their money...or at least it's money they control. The problem is that this decision will have a huge negative impact on many fans' experience on race day. Unless you have at least two ways across the track, then fans coming from one side will have to walk all the way around the track to access the infield or even just to access the other side of the track.

What I've been hearing is that the lone remaining bridge is over on the east side, so how do fans on the front straight access the paddock? Are they going to walk over to the esses and back? How will fans coming in from the shuttle lots off McAngus Road access the east side.

I wasn't talking about MR in re: the tower or the bridges. I was referring to them being brought in to do the Main GS. Do they have prior GS experience? Everyone knows they designed the tower.

Never said they were just brought in. I said they were brought in with HKS already on the team.

Are you Tavo Hellmund?