Bury+Partners

Blog

Posts Tagged: Mayor Lee Leffingwell

Community / Traffic — No Comments
11
Apr 12

MetroRapid Comes to Austin in 2014

MetroRapid

Just a few weeks after celebrating MetroRail’s two-year anniversary, Capital Metro made public their latest transportation initiative. So, what’s on the horizon for the City of Austin?

 

On Tuesday, April 10, the general public was invited to downtown’s Republic Square to hear from Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff about the next big thing in Austin transportation.

 

Capital Metro President and CEO Linda Watson, Capital Metro Chairman and Council Member Mike Martinez, and Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell were present for the event, during which Peter Rogoff announced the $38 Million Federal grant to provide MetroRapid service.

 

MetroRapid is Capital Metro’s bus rapid transit (BRT) with service scheduled to begin operating 40 buses in 2014.  BRT is a positive addition to Austin’s transportation infrastructure in many ways. Signal prioritization hardware is included in each MetroRapid bus, allowing for fewer delays at signal lights while driving on city roads. In some areas, the buses will likely have dedicated lanes. The buses are large and comfortable, and oftentimes have amenities that are attractive to business commuters, such as small tabletops and Wi-Fi.

 

Other cities, such as Houston, allow BRT vehicles to travel in HOV/HOT (high occupancy vehicle/ high occupancy toll) lanes to make trips in and out of the City core faster. When these lanes eventually do come to Austin, we can likely expect the same.

 

BRT focuses on commuter travel in and out of the City core and keeping connections available to other modes of transportation, including local bus service, rail, car rentals (such as Car to Go), or bike rental stations.

 

Valerie KaiserEngineer Associate Valerie Kaiser and Project Engineer Tony Estes, two of Bury’s transportation team members, attended Tuesday morning’s announcement and even had the opportunity to board one of the model buses. Valerie said, “As a traffic engineer, I am excited to see Austin take this next step. MetroRapid offers a convenient and affordable solution to what is too often a long and difficult commute to and from home and work.”

 

One viable solution to traffic woes would be to incorporate additional rail lines in Austin. However, the taxpayer benefit of the MetroRapid service is that more vehicles will be off the road as they choose to ride the BRT, without the expenses associated with purchasing and building on additional right of way.

 

On Tuesday, Administrator Rogoff also awarded Capital Metro a $3 Million grant to upgrade the existing local bus fleet, which has an average age of 15 years. Capital Metro was founded in January of 1985 and has the highest per capita ridership in Texas.

 

Read more from local news coverage of the event, or check out photos from the event on our Bury Facebook page.

 

KXAN – MetroRapid gets $38M federal grant
Austin Business Journal – MetroRapid bus project gets $38M grant
Community Impact News – Federal agency green-lights rapid transit bus routes

Industry — No Comments
2
Nov 11

Austin to Revamp Watershed Protection Ordinance

 

City of Austin Watershed Map

Click to view full size City of Austin Watershed Map

Earlier this year, Austin’s City Council approved a resolution that initatied an amendment to the Comprehensive Watershed Ordinance (CWO) originally adopted in 1986. The strategies behind the CWO was simply to use stream buffer setbacks and impervious cover limits along with structural controls to reduce the impacts of development citywide.  With 25 years under our belts, it is no surprise that the City has learned an additional thing or two about what they can do to provide better watershed protection, and maybe it’s time to take another look at their approach.

 

Mayor Lee Leffingwell said, “Over the course of 25 years things change, and we have to change along with changing conditions. There have been changes in growth patterns in the City, and there have been changes in the science of water protection, and we have to acknowledge those, and we have to look at our goals. Our primary goal of watershed protection [and] how can that accommodate our goals for growth in the City.” 

 

Matt Hollon, with Watershed Protection, says that the clear problem with our watershed ordinances is the “lack of protection for eastern headwaters streams.”  Eastern buffer zones are in poor condition and occur in some of the most erosive streams in Austin, which puts the area in serious risk of damage and at great expense to correct. One recurring erosion problem features developments placed too close to erosive clay stream banks. If we don’t address these issues quickly, we simply won’t ever be able to catch up.

 

Another thing to consider is the City’s desire to develop to the east. State Highway 130 has opened up many opportunities for undeveloped land and new developments, like Whisper Valley, are beginning to take shape. We need to be sure that adjustments made to the existing ordinance keeps continued development in mind.

 

Specific items under review are:

  • Creek Protection
  • Floodplain Protection
  • Development Patterns and Greenways
  • Improved Stormwater Controls
  • Mitigation Options
  • Simplify Regulations and Maintain Opportunity
  • Coordinate Regional Partners

 

For potential strategies surrounding these items, please see this Watershed Protection Ordinance Amendment sheet prepared by Melissa Neslund.

 

PowerPoint presentations have been prepared for each meeting topic:

 

Stakeholder meetings on this topic are held bi-weekly, with the next one scheduled for November 18th at 11AM in City Hall’s Room #1029. For a complete schedule of meetings, please click here.

 City of Austin Watershed Protection

Further information can be found here: