AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[drummer]

Originally Posted by smt1

Williamson County is only growing a smidgeon slower than Hays County. And it has a LOT more population. It's a much larger contributor to the growth of the Austin MSA than Hays County is, and unless existing trends change significantly, Williamson County will have a larger population than Travis County... eventually. It wasn't that long ago that Williamson County topped the fastest growing list of counties list as well: http://www.forbes.com/pictures/edgl4...-county-texas/


Doubt this trend is going to slow down anytime soon:
http://urbanscale.com/wp-content/upl...Region-Map.png


I think Cedar Park is more likely to rejoin Cap Metro than Round Rock is. Both places have had a influx of priced out Austinites who might be more friendly to public transport, but Cedar Park was significantly smaller/more rural than RR was 20 years ago, so they've probably absorbed more transplants. There's also a lot of CP residents who use the red line to commute into Austin via the Lakeline station, so more might see the utility of Cap Metro. They also border Leander, which not only is served by Cap Metro, but also (I'm guessing) will inevitably grow larger than Cedar Park because of space to spawl alone (hopefully the TOD-zoned land there will be developed in a more dense way).

I'd like to see a Red Line stop in Cedar Park. There seems to be ample space for it just north of 1431 and I think it'd do pretty well with commuters.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by drummer

I'd like to see a Red Line stop in Cedar Park. There seems to be ample space for it just north of 1431 and I think it'd do pretty well with commuters.

I agree a station in Cedar Park would be nice. For that to happen Cedar Park would first have to join CapMetro and start charging a 1% sale tax to provide tax revenues to CapMetro. There's a valid reason why Cedar Park is ignored by CapMetro, as if it didn't exist, i.e. Cedar Park provides no tax revenues. Not willing to pay = not willing to service.

[drummer]

True. I still would love to see them be willing to join. It seems like they're truly trying to build up the city (not be just a suburban expanse of houses and strip malls). I hope public transportation is a sooner-than-later next step, at least with respect to the metro as a whole.

[drummer]

Kyle’s rural bus service ends Dec. 31
The only public bus service offered in the city of Kyle will cease operation Dec. 31.

Last year staff reported to Kyle City Council that fewer than 20 people use the CARTS service in a given month. The city of Kyle stated in an email Dec. 31 that it had about five regular users of the service.

“We understand people need transportation help. But at what point does it become the city’s responsibility to provide that service, particularly when the demand is low and the cost is relatively high?” Kyle Chief of Staff Jerry Hendrix said. “City staff will revisit the issue and follow any Kyle City Council direction on the issue.”

http://communityimpact.com/2015/12/3...e-ends-dec-31/

[jbssfelix]

Austin considering 6 options to revamp the roads through Lamar Beach

PDFs of the 6 options

[wwmiv]

I love how we were just talking about that the other day.

I really love the idea to bury Cesar Chavez, which would create an amazing and vibrant parkland, but it isn't really feasible at all. I think the one that'll get built is the elevated ramps, though.

[drummer]

Think of what could be accomplished if money weren't an option...


So, I think the Urban Street Alternative is probably the most likely to happen of any of these - unless they choose to do nothing, of course. It's the most financially viable option and provides opportunity by extending the grid, sort of. I do think that they could still better utilize the land in that area. Even in that plan, they have a large surface lot by the YMCA and "Potential Neighborhood Amenity." If they must have parking, I would love for it to be underground or something so the surface can be better utilized - apartments, retail, restaurants, offices, etc. I think that "block" south of the YMCA and the one at Pressler and Cesar Chavez have great mix-used opportunities. Of course, this is all hypothetical as of right now anyway.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by drummer

True. I still would love to see them be willing to join. It seems like they're truly trying to build up the city (not be just a suburban expanse of houses and strip malls). I hope public transportation is a sooner-than-later next step, at least with respect to the metro as a whole.

Unfortunately, they're doing the exact opposite (at least as far as non-road transportation is concerned). Their relocation/redevelopment of Bell Blvd would have been an excellent time to start considering rail. But of course, being Cedar Park they decided to move the road adjacent to the rail (permanently making it impossible to connect to in that section).

http://cedarparktexas.gov/Modules/Sh...ocumentid=5117

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by _Matt

Was this article on Lone Star Rail posted? Potentially in the works is a spur to ABIA (and Hutto and Taylor).

http://www.virtualbx.com/constructio...star-swap.html

I hadn't seen that before, thanks for the link.

I'm a bit confused by the wording of "That addition would allow LSRD to either provide rail service to and from the airport from the main line."

Either OR what?

I think commuter rail service to the airport is much better in the short term than trying to run electrified light rail there. Much better bang for the buck.



Expansion to Hutto and Taylor would definitely continue the growth there (well, really start it in Taylor).

wwmiv, if so, it will be interesting to see if that starts to put some commuters into Milam county (like we argued... discussed a while back

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by nixcity

More than 20,000 new people would be within 2-3 miles (not 5) of a park and ride.

Uh, no. Look at the map. The very, very, extreme corner of the pilot Knob development is at William Cannon and McKinney Falls. From there, it's 1.8 miles to WC/PV.

So approximately 0 people will be 2 miles away.

3 miles gets you out to a little bit along Colton Bluff Springs. Approximately 10% of the land of the Pilot Knob PUD will be within 3 miles. Presumably a lot less than 10% of the population, since all the dense development is in a different area of PUD.

Again, the PUD just isn't impressive. You can throw a dart at a map of Austin and have 20k people within 3-5 miles of a park and ride. You need density, and the pilot Knob project only has a little of it (~200 acres it seems).

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Novacek

wwmiv, if so, it will be interesting to see if that starts to put some commuters into Milam county (like we argued... discussed a while back

After that argument, I came away thinking it was an inevitability for Milam to be added to the MSA. I still think Burnet and Blanco are pretty sure bets long term as well.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

After that argument, I came away thinking it was an inevitability for Milam to be added to the MSA. I still think Burnet and Blanco are pretty sure bets long term as well.

Right, I saw. Sorry, I wasn't trying to be confrontational. I just thought this was an interesting addendum to that conversation.

Though conversely, the similarly positioned Red Line commuter rail doesn't seem to be adding commuter interchange with Burnet County (yet). Though I guess it's only been running 5 years (seems longer in my mind).

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Right, I saw. Sorry, I wasn't trying to be confrontational. I just thought this was an interesting addendum to that conversation.

Though conversely, the similarly positioned Red Line commuter rail doesn't seem to be adding commuter interchange with Burnet County (yet). Though I guess it's only been running 5 years (seems longer in my mind).

Oh I wasn't being confrontational either I was just agreeing with you here.

[drummer]

I like the idea of a spur from LSR's main line to the airport and to Hutto/Taylor. I think spurs like that would be helpful in the long run for this type of line in other areas as well - possibly up to Temple/Killeen some day. Of course, we need to get the main line built first....

[drummer]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Unfortunately, they're doing the exact opposite (at least as far as non-road transportation is concerned). Their relocation/redevelopment of Bell Blvd would have been an excellent time to start considering rail. But of course, being Cedar Park they decided to move the road adjacent to the rail (permanently making it impossible to connect to in that section).

http://cedarparktexas.gov/Modules/Sh...ocumentid=5117

Yeah, I forgot about that...I could still see it working, but not nearly as well as it could have with the original road alignment.

However, most of the Bell Blvd work is south of 1431, right? My thoughts/opinion on a station location would be north of 1431, literally north of the HEB there at the intersection of 1431/183, in that big empty lot (right where there's the little leg for the Hill Country train, but on the main line, of course). It seems more or less equidistant to the Leander stop and the Lakeline stop and is right along two main roads for commuters to get to and from the station. Of course, this wouldn't be an urban-style; it would be more of a park and ride for the rail given the suburban context. I don't personally like that 100%, but I think of the Long Island Railroad - a lot of their stops have huge parking lots going farther east and it works okay.

[Novacek]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne...riorities.html

"Adler suggested using tax increment financing to fund its development. Tax increment financing uses increases in property tax revenue in a particular area to fund public infrastructure development."

Which shows that Adler just doesn't understand.

If TIF on a much bigger, much more useful line wasn't going to even cover all the _operating_ costs of that line, how is just TIF going to cover the construction of a line.

[Tech House]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Either OR what?

This particular example hints at the broader issue: you can study English OR journalism.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Tech House

This particular example hints at the broader issue: you can study English OR journalism.

My great great grandfather founded the UT school of journalism, and my family has very deep and continuing roots in Texas journalism professionally... so I kind of take offense to that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Harding_Mayes

[Novacek]

I think this is new, looks like some files are up from the last transportation commission meeting:

http://austintexas.gov/cityclerk/boa...tings/50_1.htm


Including the lone star rail presentation

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=245018

(if that direct link doesn't work, it's available at the first link).

[drummer]

I hope LoneStar comes into fruition. I really like it. I was a bit confused at first when looking at the map as it didn't show any station(s) in Round Rock, but then the next slide or two mentioned TBD for stations in Round Rock - suggesting that a specific location is yet to be determined...am I reading that right? I remember older presentations/maps having one labeled, so I'm not too concerned. Not having a station or two in Round Rock would be a huge mistake. I do like the proposed spur to Taylor.


Edit: Just had another thought - the spur to Taylor could eventually be extended to Bryan/College Station and onto the Houston metro area. While it certainly wouldn't be HSR (the best method for connecting Austin to Houston via rail, in my opinion), it could still provide better connectivity than currently exists.