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  #3301  
Old Posted Sep 4, 2013, 1:32 PM
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Originally Posted by the Genral View Post
Yeah, there's a 39% chance you might collide with someone drunk on a bicycle, at an intersection, unless you're in the middle of the block in which case you are 61% likely to kill the dwi bicycler from the rear, during the afternoon, on a tuesday, unless of course its under the shade of a tree or building then you can add another 7.8% possibility of a collision unless you are in a school zone then the percentage goes down due to lower speeds, let's just say for the sake of arguement, 16%, but then add the distraction of changing the radio station, add 11%, and the cyclist sneezing while trying to navigate around a grease spot, then the possibility of a collision goes up to 87% according to my calculations. In the improbable event that the driver of the car gets stung in the eye by a bee while driving directly into the sun after downing 8 shots of Yokan Jack, and the cyclist stops his bike before the intersection to tie his shoe, then there would be a 100% chance of continuous blah, blah, blah...
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  #3302  
Old Posted Sep 6, 2013, 7:46 PM
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Rapid Bus

I went to the open house for the Rapid Bus priority lanes the COA had on Wednesday. They had the whole route of Lavaca and Guadalupe printed out and spread on tables. I had seen the pdf linked here or online and wanted to express my concern for a few intersections.

1. The UT stops that have been built out into the ROW rather than the bus pulling over to the sidewalk. Some cars have already hit these concrete curbings out in the ROW. They are hard to see, silver railings and light gray concrete.

2. The bus now stops in traffic stopping traffic for 30 sec or such rather than pulling to the old curb stops. I can only think that bigger buses = more people = more time. Cars approaching a stopped bus ("bus jumpers" I call them) ver sharply out from behind the bus into the other lane often not looking and very little room to spare. That will increase as the irritation increases from longer wait times.

3. The bicycle lane is now going to be moved over to where the bikers have to watch out for the people crossing the bike lane as its now between the bus stop and the sidewalk. How many times will the people be hit because they don't look for a bike coming, who will have the ROW to cross first.

4. At 15th street on Guadalupe south bound, the bus has its priority lane, the car has to cross that lane and the bike lane to get to a right turn lane, while at the same time the biker has to move left into the bus lane. To me this is a really bad design, who will have the right to move into their lane if at that crossing area. They plan a green bike area but that does not mean the bike has the ROW.

5. Currently the driving route is fairly straight. But they plan to have the road ver so many feet to the left or right like 3-4 times in either direction. People in the city are not wanting to pay attention to more lines moving them around, its just confusing.

6. The stupid train crossing at Airport and Lamar is at least 3min wait and then if your to far back another wait for the light to change. They need to fix that RR Xing soon its such a time waster when driving south on Lamar.

Ok enough venting for this post.
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  #3303  
Old Posted Sep 7, 2013, 1:38 AM
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http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne...could-get.html
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Sep 6, 2013, 5:40pm CDT
Austin-San Antonio rail line pushing for federal funds

Robert Grattan
Staff Writer-
Austin Business Journal

Planners in Austin and San Antonio are working with the U.S. Department of Transportation on a deal that could bring federal funds to a high-speed rail line between the two Texas cities.

The deal is in its initial stages, but has been called a high priority and a big potential growth generator by Austin's Mayor Lee Leffingwell and San Antonio's Mayor Julián Castro, the Texas Tribune reports.
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  #3304  
Old Posted Sep 7, 2013, 1:51 AM
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http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...ak-out-on.html
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Sep 6, 2013, 12:27pm CDT UPDATED: Sep 6, 2013, 2:57pm CDT
Austin's business leaders speak out on urban rail

Robert Grattan
Staff Writer-
Austin Business Journal

Today's Austin Business Journal cover story — exclusive for subscribers — features opinions of key business leaders that suggests the community push for urban rail is gathering momentum and support.

To really grasp what this community support means, it's helpful to understand where the push for expanded rail options has been, and where it's headed. After a previous attempt to create an urban rail system ended in a narrow defeat back in 2000, advocates for mass transit within downtown Austin were left adrift. Similarly, financial trouble at Capital Metro left the city's most influential planning agency without the chops to drive a vision true regional transportation.

Nearly a decade later, many of Austin's business leaders say that the program is back on track. Project Connect is doing a good job uniting the plethora of transportation acronyms behind transit plans in central Texas, business leaders say. Backers of the program say that Mayor Lee Leffingwell has guided the process well, and continues to work toward a solution that will meet the city's needs.
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  #3305  
Old Posted Sep 7, 2013, 3:48 PM
Novacek Novacek is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ivanwolf View Post
I went to the open house for the Rapid Bus priority lanes the COA had on Wednesday. They had the whole route of Lavaca and Guadalupe printed out and spread on tables. I had seen the pdf linked here or online and wanted to express my concern for a few intersections.

1. The UT stops that have been built out into the ROW rather than the bus pulling over to the sidewalk. Some cars have already hit these concrete curbings out in the ROW. They are hard to see, silver railings and light gray concrete.

2. The bus now stops in traffic stopping traffic for 30 sec or such rather than pulling to the old curb stops. I can only think that bigger buses = more people = more time. Cars approaching a stopped bus ("bus jumpers" I call them) ver sharply out from behind the bus into the other lane often not looking and very little room to spare. That will increase as the irritation increases from longer wait times.

3. The bicycle lane is now going to be moved over to where the bikers have to watch out for the people crossing the bike lane as its now between the bus stop and the sidewalk. How many times will the people be hit because they don't look for a bike coming, who will have the ROW to cross first.

4. At 15th street on Guadalupe south bound, the bus has its priority lane, the car has to cross that lane and the bike lane to get to a right turn lane, while at the same time the biker has to move left into the bus lane. To me this is a really bad design, who will have the right to move into their lane if at that crossing area. They plan a green bike area but that does not mean the bike has the ROW.

5. Currently the driving route is fairly straight. But they plan to have the road ver so many feet to the left or right like 3-4 times in either direction. People in the city are not wanting to pay attention to more lines moving them around, its just confusing.

6. The stupid train crossing at Airport and Lamar is at least 3min wait and then if your to far back another wait for the light to change. They need to fix that RR Xing soon its such a time waster when driving south on Lamar.

Ok enough venting for this post.
1. This _shouldnt_ be a problem once construction is finished and all lines are painted. Cars would have to be driving in a parking lane to hit the stop.

2. What are you talking about? The #1 and #3 have always stopped in traffic (and I've been stopped behind them a lot). Actually, boarding is _supposed_to go faster, since its now multi-door.

3. This is already discussed ad nauseum in this very thread.
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  #3306  
Old Posted Sep 9, 2013, 3:46 PM
tildahat tildahat is offline
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Originally Posted by ivanwolf View Post

6. The stupid train crossing at Airport and Lamar is at least 3min wait and then if your to far back another wait for the light to change. They need to fix that RR Xing soon its such a time waster when driving south on Lamar.
Ha.

I'm a gung ho rail supporter, but yeah, that intersection is a mess. During 5 days of dropping my kids off at a camp at Highland Mall, I *twice* waited 10+ minutes to take a left to go south on Lamar. In both cases the gates went down for a phantom train and then a minute later reset for the actual train. Even without that though, it would have been 5+ minutes.
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  #3307  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2013, 9:14 PM
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TxDOT could conduct transportation study of abandoned MoKan rail corridor

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The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is encouraging the Texas Department of Transportation to initiate a transportation study of the abandoned MoKan rail line that runs through East Austin and up through Pflugerville, Round Rock and Georgetown.
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  #3308  
Old Posted Oct 4, 2013, 6:30 AM
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Lightbulb

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Originally Posted by tildahat View Post
Ha.

I'm a gung ho rail supporter, but yeah, that intersection is a mess. During 5 days of dropping my kids off at a camp at Highland Mall, I *twice* waited 10+ minutes to take a left to go south on Lamar. In both cases the gates went down for a phantom train and then a minute later reset for the actual train. Even without that though, it would have been 5+ minutes.
The best solution for that train crossing is for CapMetro to spend $10 to $15 million and build railroad viaduct across Lamar. Obviously there's too much vehicle traffic for an at grade crossing to work. Use some of the 1/4 cent sales tax they reimbursed back to the City to fund it.
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  #3309  
Old Posted Oct 10, 2013, 1:18 AM
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New bike lanes on South First. On the bridge at least.


City of Austin Bicycle Program - Via Facebook
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  #3310  
Old Posted Oct 10, 2013, 3:51 AM
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Is the MoKan corridor that large valley that runs through 290 about a mile East of 183?
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  #3311  
Old Posted Oct 10, 2013, 2:52 PM
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Awesome news about the bike lanes on S. 1st bridge!

Also, the new buffered bike lane going northbound on Guadalupe between MLK and 24th has been completed. The protected cycle track going southbound will be completed by next week.

Here's the work on it:

Last edited by audiomuse; Oct 10, 2013 at 3:05 PM.
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  #3312  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2013, 6:47 AM
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They're planning bike lanes along US 183 near the airport.


http://www.bergstromexpressway.com/m...fabc-320240201
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  #3313  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2013, 2:48 PM
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Is the MoKan corridor that large valley that runs through 290 about a mile East of 183?
Yes, but more like a mile and a half east of 183 at 290. It runs basically half way between I-35 and SH 130 from Georgetown to Austin. It runs through Pflugerville adjacent to Railroad Street. I wonder which railroad the name that street for? MoKanTx? LOL

Last edited by electricron; Oct 13, 2013 at 3:22 PM.
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  #3314  
Old Posted Oct 14, 2013, 4:37 AM
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Some renderings of a new roadway connecting ABIA to the city that will relieve traffic on US 183. They're planning a tall cable-stayed bridge in one of the designs.

http://interactives.kxan.com/photomo...tin-abia-road/

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  #3315  
Old Posted Oct 14, 2013, 6:00 AM
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Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas View Post
Some renderings of a new roadway connecting ABIA to the city that will relieve traffic on US 183. They're planning a tall cable-stayed bridge in one of the designs.

http://interactives.kxan.com/photomo...tin-abia-road/

This..is...beautiful! Please don't say tolls..

Crap, there are tolls! They say "one plan includes tolls" which implies there is another one that might not have tolls, but I've read elsewhere that their other so-called "alternative" is a no-build....
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  #3316  
Old Posted Oct 14, 2013, 3:10 PM
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Originally Posted by DoubleC View Post
This..is...beautiful! Please don't say tolls..

Crap, there are tolls! They say "one plan includes tolls" which implies there is another one that might not have tolls, but I've read elsewhere that their other so-called "alternative" is a no-build....
Well, I'm hoping it IS a toll. Considering the alternative, "no-build," a toll makes sense. Besides, those who use a good or service should be responsible for covering its costs.

Tolls give us a way to actually build a proper road and maintain its upkeep. Those who utilize it should be paying for it.
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  #3317  
Old Posted Oct 14, 2013, 7:04 PM
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Originally Posted by hereinaustin View Post
Well, I'm hoping it IS a toll. Considering the alternative, "no-build," a toll makes sense. Besides, those who use a good or service should be responsible for covering its costs.

Tolls give us a way to actually build a proper road and maintain its upkeep. Those who utilize it should be paying for it.
Tolls are here to stay. No-one will approve an increase in gas taxes and TXDoT cannot afford to maintain the roads currently built, let alone new ones. More Roads + less relative revenue from taxes because of better MPG means need for new forms of money. Tolls are the best solution as they charge those who use the road. My only annoyance is how many toll roads Austin has compared to other cities in Texas. More roads in other cities should be converted to Toll, but that is as hard a sell as increasing taxes.
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  #3318  
Old Posted Oct 15, 2013, 2:57 AM
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Originally Posted by hereinaustin View Post
Well, I'm hoping it IS a toll. Considering the alternative, "no-build," a toll makes sense. Besides, those who use a good or service should be responsible for covering its costs.

Tolls give us a way to actually build a proper road and maintain its upkeep. Those who utilize it should be paying for it.
I've thought about that for a while actually. Besides, when we have large events like CoTa, I'm sure this raises quite a bit of revenue while I sit on my bum at home not paying a dime...not that I pay taxes yet.

It does make sense: pay cash to receive a good or service. The 290 toll has improved traffic since there are plenty of cars taking the expressway which empties traffic at the stop lights. I'm not sure if this would fare the same way with the poorer residents in the 183 area.
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  #3319  
Old Posted Oct 15, 2013, 2:59 PM
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I'm fine with toll roads generally, but I prefer that they be either a) alternative routes or b) primarily suburban affairs. This is neither. It is an inner city thoroughfare routed through a primarily poor part of town that also happens to serve the entire north metropolitan area as the primary route to the airport. This should not be tolled at all.
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  #3320  
Old Posted Oct 15, 2013, 3:02 PM
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I'm fine with toll roads generally, but I prefer that they be either a) alternative routes or b) primarily suburban affairs. This is neither. It is an inner city thoroughfare routed through a primarily poor part of town that also happens to serve the entire north metropolitan area as the primary route to the airport. This should not be tolled at all.
This is the alternative route. Feel free to take the non-tolled existing lanes.
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