[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
OH ONE BY MY TIME.SO LET'S CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
GIVE US ANY TIME TO GET INTO THE, INTO THE ROOM.
UH, OUR FIRST ITEM IS THE CALLED ORDER, WHICH WE JUST DID.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP, UM, CHRISTOPHER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION OR ANYTHING? NO, SIR.
[1. APPROVAL OF November 2nd, 2021 MINUTES]
CHECK, UH, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 2ND.I WANT TO PUBLICLY SAY, UH, SORRY.
I THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE SECOND TUESDAYS AND I HADN'T, I HADN'T CHECKED AND, UH, I WASN'T LOOKING AT MY PHONE AND THEN I SAW TEXT MESSAGES AND, SORRY.
UH, THE MINUTES, UM, ARE NOT IN THIS PACKET.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE MINUTES OR TO, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? SURE.
DO YOU WANT ME TO CALL ROLL AT ALL? UH, NO, WE DON'T USUALLY DO THAT.
I PASS THEM ON THE ATTENDANCE SHEET AND THAT'S OH YEAH.
AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE A QUORUM.
I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES, SAY AYE.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY, UH, ZOOMING IN OR CALLING IN? UM, NOT, NOT AT THE MOMENT.
NO, JAMES, I BELIEVE WILL JOIN US LATER, BUT WE HAVE PETER MULLEN WHO IS, UH, GOING TO BE PRESENTING FOR PROJECT CONNECT ALONGSIDE WITH A NEED, SO.
JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T MISS SOMEBODY THOUGH.
[2A. Lady Bird Bridge Briefing]
UM, THAT WILL MOVE US ON TO NEW BUSINESS.WE HAVE TWO ITEMS, UM, A BRIEFING ABOUT THE LADYBIRD BRIDGE AND, UM, WHICH IS NOT POSTED FOR ACTION.
AND THEN APARTMENT CITY, UM, PROPOSAL ABOUT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION.
SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO, A THE LADY BIRD, LADY, BIRD BRIDGE BRIEFING, SAY THAT FAST THREE TIMES.
UM, WHENEVER THE CITY FOLKS ARE READY TO GO, WE WILL BE READY.
WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE PETER, IF YOU'RE TALKING YOU'RE ON MUTE OR YOU'RE NOT PATCHED THROUGH, IT ACTUALLY SAYS HE'S SPEAKING.
IT CAN DETECT, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR IT.
IT MIGHT BE AB SIDE OR HE'S PRANKING US ALL.
OH, WE CAN SEE CECELIA'S TALKING TO, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR HER.
I THINK IT'S ON OUR SIDE THEN.
FOLKS, GIVE US JUST A MOMENT OF, FOR THOSE THAT ARE WEBEX WORD, UH, FIXING THE AUDIO ISSUES NOW, CECILIA, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
UM, AND PETER IS ALSO GOOD TO SEE YOU THOUGH.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T HEAR BOTH OF YOU QUITE YET.
SO THIS GIVES US A MOMENT, UH, CHAIR, AND JUST, I GUESS FOR SOME BACKGROUND, I REQUESTED THIS ITEM AND THANKFULLY NATE OR NATHAN AGREED TO CO-SPONSOR.
I GOT A PRESENTATION ON THIS THROUGH A COMMUNITY WORKSHOP, UM, PROBABLY A MONTH AND A HALF, TWO MONTHS AGO.
I REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE, UM, SUPER GREAT PRESENTATION, LOTS OF GOOD WORK, LOTS OF REALLY GREAT WORK HAPPENING.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD WAS, UH, WHILE THIS BRIDGE IS BEING USED FOR MULTIMODAL USE PEDESTRIAN, CYCLISTS AND THE, AND THE NEW LIGHT RAIL, UM, IT WAS, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF IT POTENTIALLY BEING USED AS WELL FOR BUSES IN THE INTERIM BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE MINUTES BETWEEN A TRAIN GOING BACK AND FORTH.
UM, IT COULD BE USED FOR BUSES AND THAT'S KINDA, THAT'S WHAT SPURRED THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY UPDATE.
IT IS NOT MENTIONED FOR ACTION SO WE CAN DISCUSS, BUT WE CAN'T MAKE, UM, A PROPOSAL.
[00:05:01]
SO IT'S UNDER TWO, A, UH, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.SO THAT'S, DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T USED TO DO THIS.
THAT'S A BLANKET STATEMENT FOR ALL OF THEM.
CAUSE WE USED, YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IT NEXT TO EACH ITEM 1, 2, 3, YOU RAN INTO TROUBLE, RIGHT.
SO YOU HAVE, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO PROPOSE OFF HAND? I WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S NOT THAT THE BRIDGE HAS TO BE USED FROM MY VIEWPOINT, NOT THE BRIDGE HAS TO BE USED FOR BUSES AS WELL, BUT AT LEAST AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE DESIGN OF THIS BRIDGE TO OPEN IT UP FOR POTENTIAL USE OF BUSES SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, UM, THAT OPTION IS AVAILABLE RIGHT.
TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF ALL OF OUR TRANSIT OPTIONS.
AND THE CONCERNING PART TO ME WAS THAT THAT WAS NOT LISTED AS, AS A DESIGN CRITERIA.
MAY I ASK, I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHERE OR WHAT THE LADY BIRD BRIDGE IS.
IS THAT WHAT THE BRIEFING WILL TELL US? SO ON THAT NOTE, YES.
UM, IT'S AN, IT'S THE NEW BRIDGE THAT'S GOING TO CONNECT, UH, TEST ON TWO, THREE SOUTH OF THE RIVER OVER DOWNTOWN THERE.
IT'S GOING TO GIVE UP, IT'S AN AMAZING PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANT TO BE SURE IT WASN'T SOMETHING I SHOULD'VE ALREADY KNOWN.
THIS IS A FUTURE TO BE DESIGN BRIDGE FOR THE LIGHT RAIL.
I GUESS I SHARE THE GENERAL CONCERN THAT BUSES ARE GETTING SHORT SHRIFT AND A LOT OF THE DESIGN PROCESS.
I DON'T THINK IT, IT PUT THE, THE BUS TRAIN CONNECTIONS IN AT THE 30% DESIGN STAGE.
AND I THINK THAT'S JUST FAR TOO LATE.
IT SHOULD START HAPPENING AT THE 10% STAGE WHEN ISSUES LIKE THIS COULD GET CONSIDERED EARLY.
AND, AND, AND SO, UH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WHERE THEY'RE AT WITH THE RELEASE OF AN RFP, BUT I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GOT MENTIONED TO US, UH, DURING THEIR PRESENTATION, UM, WAS THAT THERE WOULD BE, UH, AN RFP RELEASE FOR DESIGN FIRMS TO DESIGN THAT BRIDGE.
AND SO MY CONCERN WAS, HEY, AT LEAST IN THE RFP, MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF HAVING BUSES ON THERE AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NEVER USE IT FOR BUSES, BUT AT LEAST WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN CONSIDERATION AND NOT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.
UM, MAYBE THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE I SENT MY EMAIL, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS IT NOT EVEN BUSES WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED WHATSOEVER, NOT EVEN TALKED ABOUT IN THE DESIGN AT ALL.
AND FOR CONTEXT, DID, DID YOU GET ANY RESPONSE FROM YOUR EMAIL THAT SAID I DID NOT.
UNFORTUNATELY I DID GET A RESPONSE FROM GENERAL RESPONSING SAYING WE'VE GOT YOUR INQUIRY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BUT NOTHING TO THAT EMAIL.
STILL GETTING THE SOUND WORKING FROM WEBEX THREE.
I JUST WANNA THROW IT OUT THERE ALSO THAT I THINK THEY'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB AND THEY'RE ARE WORKING VERY, VERY HARD AND JUST, AND THE PRESENTATION THAT I SAW AND THE, THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHERE THEY'RE AT IS FANTASTIC.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THIS ROBUST CONVERSATION AROUND MULTIMODAL USE OF AS WE'RE DESIGNING THINGS.
UM, DID ANYONE MENTION A SANTIAGO CALATRAVA AS THE DESIGNER FOR THIS? WE'RE GOING TO GO LANDMARK BRIDGE.
I MEAN, SHOOT FOR THE STARS, TEST 1, 2, 3, TEST 1, 2, 3.
I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE LOW TECH, BUT MAYBE PETER COULD PHONE.
IN ADDITION, IS THERE A PHONE LINE THAT CONNECTS THROUGH TESTING TESTING 1, 2, 3 TESTING.
[00:10:06]
WAS YOU HAVE A GOOD PHONE IN, WE COULD HOLD A PHONE INTO A MIC.I'M SEARCHING UP THE, UH, PHONING IN OPTION NOW.
SO GIVE ME JUST A MINUTE WHILE I TRY TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
JUST THAT WE CAN JUST CALL SOMEBODY CLASSIC, UH, YEAH, A FRIEND, THE OFFICIAL NAME, BUT LADY BIRD.
IT'S IT'S CALLED BLUE LINE BRIDGE.
AND THEN IT'S CALLED LADY BIRD BREAKS.
IS IT OFFICIALLY? I DO NOT KNOW THAT TO BE THE KID THAT I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
UM, PLEASE, UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, FOCUSING ON THE, WHAT THE POWERPOINT NAMES.
IT, I, WHEN I DO THE AGENDA, I DO A BRIEF ITEM, A DESCRIPTION AS BEST AS I UNDERSTAND.
SO POINTEDLY LIBRARY TEST ON 1, 2, 3.
LET ME SEE IF SOMEONE ELSE IS HERE.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A FRAMING QUESTIONS THAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT WHILE WE LOOKED THROUGH THE PRESENTATION? DID WE JUST WANT TO SET SOME CONTEXT? YEAH, I HAVE ONE QUESTION AND PLEASE, EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE.
I'M MAYBE MY BRAIN IS ONE HALF POWER, BUT, UM, SAMUEL, IN YOUR EMAIL, YOU SAY THAT THE, UM, THOSE CANNOT, THAT CANNOT RIDE THE LIGHT RAIL.
I WAS WONDERING WHO YOU WERE THINKING OF WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO ME.
SO WITHOUT KNOWING, WITHOUT KNOWING THE COST OF LIGHT RAIL RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE FARES WILL BE.
UM, IT MIGHT BE AN ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO RIDE THE LIGHT RAIL AND PUT THE BUS.
THE BUS OPTION MIGHT STILL BE CHEAPER.
THAT'S STILL THINGS I KNOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING OUT.
UM, BUT REGARDLESS OF THAT OUTCOME, IT'S STILL, PEOPLE MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE RIDING TO THE RAIL.
OR THE OTHER QUESTION IS, WELL, I WANTED TO GET INTO THIS LATER, BUT YOU KNOW, THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST OR SOUTHEAST AND NORTHEAST SIDES OF, OF, UH, AUSTIN, THE EASTERN CRESCENT ARE NOT BEING SERVED BY LIGHT RAIL RIGHT NOW.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING EXPANDED, UM, BUS OPTIONS, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE, WHAT THE CONSTRAINTS ARE THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GREEN LINE AND FUTURE, UM, RIDERSHIP AND WHATNOT.
BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IF THEIR ONLY OPTION DUE TO PROXIMITY AWAY FROM A LIGHT RAIL LINE IS TO USE THE BUS.
WHY SHOULD THEY HAVE TO GET OFF OF THE TRANSFER? WHY NOT JUST GO OVER THE SAME BRIDGE? I TOOK IT TO MEAN PEOPLE WHO JUST AREN'T HERE A TRAIN STATION.
IF YOU'RE COMING FROM DOVE SPRINGS, WHY, YOU KNOW, WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE TO TRANSFER ON JUST IN GENERAL, ACCORDING TO CAP METRO'S PROJECTIONS PROJECT IS A FULLY COMPLETE TWO THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE.
RIDERSHIP WILL STILL BE ON BUSES.
SO BUSES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I KEEP LOOKING AT IS HOW DOES THE LIGHT RAIL CONNECT WITH THE BUS SYSTEM? YEAH.
AND AS, AND, AND IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE DESIGNING A NEW BRIDGE RIGHT NOW, WHY WOULD WE NOT KEEP OUR OPTIONS OPEN GREENFIELD CONSIDER.
IF THERE'S A GOOD REASON TO NOT JUST ARTICULATE THAT RATIO.
TO ME, HONESTLY, IF IT COMES DOWN TO AN EQUITY ISSUE, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
THE PRESENTATION I DON'T WANT TO, YEAH.
I DON'T WANT TO, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME UPDATES THAT I'M NOT PRIVY TO, AND I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE A RUCKUS WITHOUT, WITHOUT KNOWING THE FULL STORY, YOU KNOW, TEST 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3.
AS YOU BUILD UP THE THUNDER AND THEN HAVE SOMEBODY JUST PLAYING THAT.
[00:15:05]
TEST 1, 2, 3.IT WAS, THE SPEAKER WAS SET TO THE WRONG THING.
THIS IS A GOOD THEME FOR THE NIGHT.
UM, DO YOU, UH, W WE ARE READY WHEN YOU ARE READY.
DO YOU WANT TO PUT UP THE PRESENTATION? COME ON, COME BE A BUTTON.
WELL, WELL, WHILE WE'RE PUTTING THAT UP, JUST AGAIN, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE TIME TONIGHT TO COME AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE AND, UM, OVER LADY BIRD LAKE.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED AND, AND BRING SOME CLARITY TO THE, TO THE CONTEXT.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, AND I'M ALSO, I DON'T KNOW, AND HE CAN, ANNA, DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AS WELL? NICO DAY PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE, CITY OF AUSTIN.
I'M HERE TO LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION AND HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS.
ANNA MARTIN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
I'M THE CHIEF OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UM, WHICH IS THE NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION THAT IS WORKING WITH CAP METRO IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO IMPLEMENT A PROJECT CONNECT FOLLOWING THE, UH, THE VOTE LAST YEAR, UH, NEXT, OH, SORRY.
SO, UM, WE LIKE TO GENERALLY, WHEN WE, WHEN WE PRESENTED OUR PROJECT CONNECT, EVEN IF WE'RE FOCUSING ON ANY SPECIFIC AREA, UM, REALLY LIKE WE START WITH THE MAP, RIGHT.
AND BECAUSE IT DESCRIBES, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE, UH, THE ELEMENTS, UM, THAT PROJECT CONNECTING.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM OF MULTIPLE PROJECTS.
THIS IS NOT ONE PROJECT OR TWO PROJECTS.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE PROJECTS THAT ARE INTENDED TO WORK TOGETHER AS A SYSTEM.
UM, AND THIS DOESN'T EVEN SHOW, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL BUS ROUTES, WHICH OBVIOUSLY ARE THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE VEINS OF THE SYSTEM REACHING THE EXTREMITIES AND OBVIOUSLY PROVIDING AN INDISPENSABLE SERVICE.
SO, UM, BUT THAT, THAT IDEA OF THIS AS A SYSTEM IS REALLY CRITICAL TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OF THE PARTS.
UM, PERSONALLY, THE COMMENTS I THINK THAT THAT MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION WERE MAKING IN THE, IN THE CONVERSATION PREVIOUSLY.
UM, SO THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE TWO LIGHT RAIL LINES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, GET A LOT OF ATTENTION, UM, BECAUSE IT'S A NEW THING FOR AUSTIN, UM, THE BLUE LINE AND THE ORANGE LINE, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S ALSO IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RED LINE, WHICH ARE, UM, ALREADY UNDERWAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE BROKE GROUND ON SOME DOUBLE TRACKING IMPROVEMENTS UP AT THE NORTHWEST END, UM, THE FUTURE OF GREEN LINE, WHICH WILL SERVE, UH, MAINER AND COLONY PARK.
AND HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY ELGON, UM, THE, THE FOUR NEW METRO RAPID LINES, WHICH, UM, YOU WILL PROVIDE REALLY HIGH CAPACITY HIGH-FREQUENCY SERVICE TO, UM, PARTICULARLY IN THE, THE, UM, YOU KNOW, EAST SIDE IN AREAS THAT AREN'T SERVED BY LIGHT RAIL, BUT CONNECT TO THE LIGHT RAIL AT KEY NODES.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORHOODS, CIRCULATORS, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES, IMPROVEMENTS, TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS, ET CETERA, AND, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANTLY THE, UM, $300 MILLION OF ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUND, UH, THAT WILL GO TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS, IS RE UM, DEPLOYING, UM, TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL, UH, YOU KNOW, UNDESIRABLE IMPACTS OF SOME OF THESE INVESTMENTS NEXT.
UH, AND THE, THE PROJECT IS THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS BEING, IS BEING DELIVERED BY THIS, UH, TEAM OF AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP CAP, METRO, UH, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, ATP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS FOR THE LIGHT RAIL LINES AND THE FUTURE GREEN LINE, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL FACILITIES.
METRO RE UH, CAP METRO IS REALLY TAKING THE LEAD ON ALL
[00:20:01]
THE, THE RUBBER TIRE PROJECT.SO, UH, METRO RAPID AND METRICS BEST SUPPRESS, AND, AND THEY WILL CAP.
METRO WILL ALSO BE OF THE ENTITY THAT OPERATES ALL OF THESE, THESE, UH, THESE INVESTMENTS ONCE THEY'RE BUILT.
SO BASICALLY ADP BUILDS THEM, HANDS THEM OVER TO CAP METRO.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS, IS A CRUCIAL PARTNER IN THIS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING HAS TO WORK WITHIN, UH, MOST OF IT IS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE CITY RIGHT AWAY, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT ALSO HAS TO WORK WITHIN THE, THE CITY SYSTEM HOLISTICALLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY TRY TO TAKE THIS TEAM APPROACH AND THIS HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THE DESIGN OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND ALL THE INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS WITHIN IT NEXT.
UH, SO THIS IS THE BLUE LINE ALIGNMENT THAT RUNS FROM, UH, THE AIRPORT DOWN, UH, ACROSS 180 3 AND 71.
UM, AND THEN BASICALLY DOWN EAST RIVERSIDE UNTIL IT GETS TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, OR THEN IT TAKES A RIGHT TURN AND, AND CROSSES THE LAKE, UH, ON A BRIDGE.
UH, AND THEN WHEN IT GETS TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE GOES INTO, UM, UNDERGROUND INTO THE DOWNTOWN SUBWAY TUNNEL.
UM, AND THEN IT MEETS UP WITH THE ORANGE LINE OF REPUBLIC SQUARE.
AND THEN, AND AGAIN, THIS I SHOULD, THERE'S SORT OF AN ERROR ON THIS MAP.
THE ORANGE LINE, THE BLUE LINE WILL RUN INTERLINED ON THE NORTHERN STRETCH OF THE ORANGE LINE CORRIDOR.
SO, UM, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE A, UH, A LIGHT RED VEHICLE FROM THE NORTHERN PART OF THE MARCH LINE DIRECTLY TO THE AIRPORT.
SO, UM, THAT'S A KIND OF A POWERFUL FEATURE OF THE SYSTEM, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE WATERFRONT STATION AND THE RAINY MAX STATION NEXT, UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE SCHEDULE, WE ARE IN, UM, THE, THE NEPA ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS AND OUR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AND DESIGN PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE COMPLETED 15% DESIGN LAST SUMMER ENROLLED, YOU KNOW, ROLLED THAT OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY IN JULY AND AUGUST.
UH, WE'VE ALSO ENTERED INTO PROJECT DEVELOPMENT WITH THE FTA.
FTA IS A CRUCIAL PARTNER OF OURS AND WILL BE A MAJOR FUNDER, YOU KNOW, 50% OF THE COST OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE, UM, COULD BE FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO THEY'RE WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THE RELEASE OF THE, UH, 30% DESIGN, UM, AND THE DRAFT EIS, UM, PROBABLY LATE SPRING, EARLY SUMMER.
UM, AND THEN THE, REALLY THE, THE BIG MILESTONE IS THE, THE FTA NEPA RECORD OF DECISION, WHICH WE, UM, HOPE TO GET, YOU KNOW, AROUND A YEAR FROM NOW, WE'D BE EARLY 20, 23.
UM, AND THAT CLEARS THE WAY AGAIN FOR US TO GO FORWARD WITH THE FINAL ENGINEERING AND FINAL DESIGN, UM, OR THE TWO LIGHT RAIL LINES NEXT.
SO, UM, THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, RIGHT, AGAIN, IT'S CONNECTING ESSENTIALLY IT'S BETWEEN THE, UM, THE ACCURATE STATION WATERFRONT STATION, WHICH YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE.
UM, IT'S THAT KIND OF THE EDGE OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
UM, THE BLUE LINE IS SURFACE RUNNING UNTIL FROM THE EAST UNTIL THAT POINT UNTIL IT GETS TO THE BRIDGE CROSSES THE OVER THE LAKE ON THE BRIDGE.
UM, AND THEN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE GOES DOWN UNDERGROUND, UM, INTO THE TUNNEL.
UM, AND SO THEN THE STATION ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, WHICH IS THE RAINY MAC STATION, UM, IS A BELOW GRADE STATION.
AND, UH, AND I CAN DESCRIBE HOW ALL THAT WORKS.
IT'S A PRETTY, UH, INTRICATE MOMENT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S INFORMING SOME OF OUR DECISION MAKING, UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE, THE BRIDGE TO CARRY BOTH LIGHT RAIL, BUT ALSO, UM, OTHER MODES, BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS.
UM, AND I KNOW THIS INTEREST IN BUSES, WE HAVEN'T BEEN PLANNING FOR BUSES ON THE BRIDGE, SO, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, UM, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE CONDUCTIVITY OF THE BRIDGE TO, YOU KNOW, OTHER SURROUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY FOR BEDS AND BIKES AND BUSES IS REALLY CRITICAL.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE DESIGN OF THE BRIDGE HAS TO HAVE AN EYE TOWARDS THAT AS WELL NEXT.
THIS IS, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE YOU USING THE PDF OF THE, OF THE VERSION OR THE POWERPOINT CHRIS? WE ARE USING THE PDF VERSION.
UM, ALL RIGHT, WELL, THIS SLIDE IS A LITTLE DISTORTED, SO APOLOGIES FOR THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY THE, THIS IS JUST SHOWING SOME OF THE CONNECTIONS ON BOTH SIDES.
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE THREE.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT INFORMS OUR THINKING ABOUT THE BRIDGE, UM, IS, UH, THE, THE NATURE OF THE LAKE ITSELF, RIGHT? AND THE, THE, THE INTENSIVE LANDSCAPE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LAKE.
AND HOW DO WE INTRODUCE THIS NEW PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN A WAY THAT REALLY FITS IN WITH THAT EXISTING CONTEXT? AND
[00:25:01]
WHAT'S IN SOME CASES ACTUALLY QUITE SENSITIVE.UM, SO THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN OUR CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE THIS DESIGN PROCESS FORWARD NEXT.
UM, ALSO IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT WE KNOW, UM, IS THE WATERLOO GREENWAY PLAN.
AND AS PART OF THAT, THE, THE PONTOON BRIDGE THAT WAS INCORPORATED THAT PLAN, WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WAY BACK IN 2013, UM, AND WHICH IS BEING IMPLEMENTED CURRENTLY, THE FIRST PHASE, UH, WATERLOO PARK WAS OPENED THIS LAST PAST SUMMER.
UM, THE SECOND PHASE DOWN BY THE LAKE WILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, UH, STARTING IN 2022.
AND AS PART OF THAT PLAN INCLUDE, UH, A PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLING BRIDGE ACROSS THE LAKE, UM, IN PROXIMITY TO THIS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING THE, UM, THE PLAN FOR THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, UM, AND THIS IS PRE REFERENDUM, UM, THERE WAS, UH, THE IDEA THAT GIVEN THE PROXIMITY OF THESE POTENTIAL TWO BRIDGES OF THE PONTOON BRIDGE AND THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, WOULDN'T IT MAKE SENSE TO ACTUALLY TRY TO COMBINE THOSE INTO ONE STRUCTURE JUST FOR, UM, ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND, UM, TO BASICALLY FULFILL, YOU KNOW, THE DIVISION OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY BRIDGE.
SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONTEXT FOR US NEXT.
UM, AND I THINK WE ALSO LIKE MANY ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM AND THE PROGRAM IN GENERAL, WE WANT TO BRING, UH, YOU KNOW, AN ASPIRATIONAL LENS TO THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE IDEA OF YOU DON'T HAVE A NEW BRIDGE OVER THE, OVER THE LAKE, UM, IS A REALLY EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY ON A, ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS.
I MEAN, BOTH FORM ABILITY, UM, BUT ALSO TO MAKE A PLACE.
I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT SOME GOOD EXAMPLES, I'LL SHOW THESE, YOU KNOW, WHERE LIKE THE PFLUGER BRIDGE WHERE THESE, UM, THESE BRIDGES CAN BECOME NOT JUST, UH, CONNECTORS, BUT ALSO PLACES IN AND OF THEMSELVES.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THE IDEA OF THE BRIDGE AND THE IMAGE OF THE BRIDGE, UM, CAN ALSO BE A REALLY POWERFUL SYMBOL, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THE DESIGN OF THE BRIDGE IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY, UM, WE WANT TO, UH, INVEST IN, UM, BOTH IN TERMS OF TIME AND RESOURCES.
UM, AND SO OUR, OUR, OUR PLAN IS TO DO ACTUALLY DO, UH, AN INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION, UM, FOR THE SPRAYS, SO THAT WE WOULD GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO, UM, SELECT, UH, FINALISTS AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ASKED TO SUBMIT CONCEPTS FOR THE BRIDGE THAT THEN COULD BE REVIEWED, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND SO WE REALLY TRY TO RAISE THE BAR FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT FOR THE BRIDGE NEXT, UM, JUST TO GET A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE CONTEXT, AGAIN, LADY BIRD LAKE, UM, IT'S, I, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, I LOVE THE BOTTOM RATE IMAGE HERE, UM, IN PART, JUST TO, BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE FORGET HOW THIS WAS AN INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE THAT WAS LARGELY DENUDED OF TREES AND THAT, SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST DECADES, WE HAVE BEEN IN A PROCESS OF ACTUALLY REFORESTING AND RE NATURALIZING, UM, THE LAKE, UM, FROM WHAT IT HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN.
UM, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT WAS A FLOOD PLAIN FOR MANY YEARS, AND THEN ONCE WE DID, YOU KNOW, DAMNED AT THE SERIES OF HIGHLAND LAKES WERE CONTROLLED FLOODING, BUT AGAIN, IT WAS A PLACE OF INDUSTRY UNTIL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, WE HAD WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF RE NATURALIZING IT, AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT CONTEXT FOR US NEXT.
AND SO IT'S BECOME THIS REALLY INCREDIBLY RICH, UH, PLACE OF NATURE, WHERE WE HAVE REALLY ROBUST HABITAT FOR, UM, DIVERSE, UM, UH, DIVERSE ANIMAL LIFE AND, AND CRITTERS, ET CETERA.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ENHANCE IT, PROTECT THAT NEXT.
UM, IT'S ALSO BECOME AN INCREDIBLY ROBUST CENTER FOR HUMAN ACTIVITY, UM, IN TERMS OF RECREATIONAL USES.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THESE TWO ASPECTS, THE HUMAN USE AND THE, AND THE SENSITIVE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT HAVE TO BE HELD IN BALANCE.
UM, AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DISRUPT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT AS WELL NEXT.
UH, AND THE BATS IN PARTICULAR, WE KNOW THAT OBVIOUSLY THE BATS HABITAT UNDER THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE IS, IS IN PROXIMITY TO THE LOCATION OF THE FUTURE BLUE LINE BRIDGE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T DISRUPT OR, UM, IMPAIR THAT COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT IN SOME WAYS THE BATS ALSO SYMBOLIZE THAT, THAT, UH, COHABITATION OF THE NATURAL ON THE, AND THE HUMAN, UM, IN BALANCE.
AND SO IT'S A GREAT METAPHOR IN SOME WAYS FOR WHAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH X.
UH, AND WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD PRECEDENTS FOR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES OR PARTICULAR, UM, SOME, YOU KNOW, THE PFLUGER BRIDGE, UH, BY, UH, LAMAR, WHICH I THINK HAS BECOME A REAL TREASURED ASSET.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST A GREAT DEMONSTRATOR ABOUT WAYS TO, HOW TO EXPERIENCE THE, THE, THE LAKE ENVIRONMENT FROM A DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINT THAN BEING
[00:30:01]
AUDIT OR BEING ON THE SIDE OF IT.UM, AND THEN, UH, THE NEW LONGHORN DAM BRIDGE, WHICH IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT, WHICH I THINK IS SIMILARLY IMPORTANT ASSET ON THE EAST SIDE, UM, AND THAT WE CAN DRAW LESSONS FROM THOSE ABOUT HOW PEOPLE USE THESE BRIDGES WHAT'S SUCCESSFUL.
SO THOSE THAT'S SOME OF THE CONTEXT OF THE LAKE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER AS WE APPROACH THE DESIGN OF THE BRIDGE.
UM, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE, THE, WHAT HAPPENS AT THE, ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH SHORE, CAUSE THOSE LANDINGS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
SO ON THE NORTH, UH, THE NORTH LAKE SHORE, UM, THIS IS WHERE THE BRIDGE TRANSITIONS FROM BEING A BRIDGE TO GOING INTO THE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM OF THE, OF THE TUNNEL, THE LIGHT RAIL TUNNEL NEXT.
UM, SO ZOOMED IN ON THAT, UM, AGAIN, THE GOAL OF THE ALIGNMENT IS TO BASICALLY GET THE, THE TRAIN UNDERGROUND, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, UM, AS WE GET TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, SO THAT WE DON'T, UM, FIRST OF ALL, FIRST EFFICIENCY PURPOSES, RIGHT? UM, OBVIOUSLY THE TRAINS MOVE MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY UNDERGROUND THAN THEY DO ABOVE GROUND BECAUSE THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE GRADE SEPARATION RAISES ANY CONFLICTS THAT MIGHT EXIST WITH TRAFFIC OR OTHER PEDESTRIANS OR OTHERWISE.
UM, BUT ALSO TO AVOID ANY KIND OF CONFLICT WITH THE TRAIL, UM, AND THE LAKE ENVIRONMENT, I MEAN THE, THE TRAIL ENVIRONMENT ITSELF.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE WE'RE BASICALLY, WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET THE, THE TRAIN ALIGNMENT BASICALLY UNDERGROUND BEFORE WE GET TO THE TRAIL, ESSENTIALLY IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION AT THE TOP OF THE BANK.
UM, WE ARE COMING THROUGH, UM, ESSENTIALLY THE LOCATION OF THE EXISTING WALNUT CREEK BOAT HOUSE.
UM, SO IT IS LIKELY, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT BOAT HAS, WILL BE IMPACTED BY THIS.
AND WE ARE IN CURRENT DISCUSSIONS WITH, UM, ARD, WHICH OWNS THE BOAT HOUSE AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT PLANS TO RELOCATE THE BRIDGE.
AND ACTUALLY PART HAS FOUND AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION, UM, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKE A LITTLE BIT TO THE EAST WHERE THEY THINK IT WOULD BE, WOULD WORK FOR A RELOCATED BOATHOUSE.
UM, BUT YOU COULD SEE HERE THE, THE VARIOUS, UH, TRAIL CONNECTIONS THAT THE, ESSENTIALLY THE PAD AND BICYCLE FACILITIES ON THE BRIDGE WOULD CONNECT TO, UM, BOTH ON THE TRAIL, BUT ALSO HEADING UP NORTH ON WATERLOO GREENWAY, UM, AS WELL AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT EXTENDING THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY SOUTH FROM FOURTH STREET, ALL THE WAY TO THE BRIDGE TO MAKE THAT CYCLING CONNECTION AS WELL.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE, WE ARE PROPOSING TWO ENTRANCES TO THE RAINY STATION ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE ONE, UM, RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE LAKE.
UM, AND THEN ONE, A LITTLE BIT TO THE EAST CLOSE TO WALLER CREEK.
THAT'S ANOTHER BLUE BOX, UM, ADJACENT TO THE CESAR CHAVEZ.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PLATFORM, BOTH OF THOSE INTERESTS IS WITH CONNECT DOWN UNDERGROUND TO THE RAINY MAC, UH, TRAIN PLATFORM A LITTLE BIT TO THE NORTH.
UH, THAT'S THAT WHITE BOX, JUST SO YOU CAN SEE UNDER, UNDER CESAR CHAVEZ.
UM, NEXT, SO THIS IS A CROSS SECTION, UM, THROUGH THAT MOMENT WHERE AGAINST THE, AGAIN, THE, THE, THE TRAINS WOULD COME ACROSS ON THE BRIDGE AND THEN DIVE DOWN INTO ESSENTIALLY THE SIDE OF THE BANK OF THE LAKE.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, GETTING UNDERGROUND QUICKLY, THE PEDS AND THE BIKES WOULD ESSENTIALLY STAY UP AGAIN, HOW THAT GETS DONE AS PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS, THE PEDS AND THE BIKES WOULD STAY UP AND THEN PHYSICALLY CONNECT TO THE TRAIL AT THE TOP OF THE BANK, SORT OF WHERE YOU SEE THAT, THAT ARROWHEAD, UM, THE, THE RED ARROW.
UM, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE A PROXIMATE TO THAT JUST TO THE NORTH.
THERE WOULD BE, UM, AN ENTRANCE STRUCTURE THAT WOULD LEAD TO THE, THE RAMP ENTRANCE DOWN TO THE STATION UNDERGROUND TO THE NORTH, SO THAT YOU COULD SEE THAT ARROW HEADING TO THE LEFT.
UM, AND SO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS HAVE TO KIND OF WORK TOGETHER AND THIS PRETTY INTRICATE, UM, YOU KNOW, SPACIAL PUZZLE BETWEEN THE TRAINS, THE BIKES AND THE PEDS, THE ENTRANCES TO THE STATION, THE TRAIL, AND THE LAKE ITSELF.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF IS NOT TO, UM, DIS YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LAKE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF, OF AREA THAT WE CAN DISRUPT IN THE LAKE ITSELF WITH THE STRUCTURE OF THE BRIDGE.
UM, AND, AND AS WELL AS THIS, THIS PIECE OF THE STRUCTURE DIVING INTO THE LAKE, WE THINK WE CAN MANAGE IT, BUT, UM, IT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION WE HAVE TO MANAGE NEXT.
UM, AND HERE IS A KIND OF A MORE RENDERED LANDSCAPE VIEW OF WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND HOW ALL THESE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS COULD WORK TOGETHER.
UM, SO YOU COULD SEE THE TRAINS KIND OF GOING UNDER GROUND AND THE LANDSCAPE BEING BUILT ON TOP OF THE PORTAL, UM, WHERE THE TRADES WOULD ENTER THE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM, UM, THAT RED SQUARE IS A KIND OF ENTRANCE CANOPY FOR THE RAMP GOING UNDERGROUND.
AND WE THINK IT'S REALLY AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SUBWAY ENTRANCE COMING UP INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE, THE KIND OF ROBUST LANDSCAPE OF THE LAKE.
[00:35:01]
TAKING THE TRAIN INTO TOWN WOULD MERGE INTO ESSENTIALLY A GARDEN.UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE POSSIBILITY FOR OVERLOOKS POTENTIALLY ON TOP OF THE PORTAL, UM, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES TO BASICALLY RE UM, STAYED AND ENHANCE THE NATURAL AREAS OF THE LAKE ON EITHER SIDE.
UM, YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BASICALLY BUILD BACK THE LANDSCAPE WITH, YOU KNOW, SERIOUS, UM, ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONALITY, UM, UH, ONCE WE'VE BUILT THE, THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM COMING THROUGH HERE.
SO AGAIN, THERE'S A REALLY TIGHT SPOT WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH A LOT AND FIT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT FUNCTIONALITY.
ONE THING I SHOULD MENTION ALSO IS THAT THERE IS A, WE DO HAVE TO MAINTAIN, WE HAVE TO STAY CLEAR OF THE WALLER CREEK, UH, BOAT HOUSE, UH, LAGOON, WHICH IS THAT, UM, THAT SORT OF SEMICIRCULAR AREA JUST TO THE EAST OF THE PORTAL.
UM, AND WE HAVE TO ALSO MAINTAIN THAT, UH, MAINTENANCE ACCESS RAMP, WHICH COMES DOWN.
I CAN'T REALLY, I DON'T HAVE MY CAR, SIR, SO I CAN'T SHOW YOU, BUT, UH, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER IN THIS AS WELL, EX UM, SO, UM, IT'S LOOKING LIKE WE'RE MISSING A COUPLE OF SLIDES.
UM, UM, ANYWAY, SO THAT'S JUST GIVE YOU A SENSE OF, OF HOW IT'S MEETING THE EXCUSE.
UM, UH, W SOME OF THE SENSITIVITIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE IN TERMS OF GEOMETRICALLY, UM, AND THEN THE, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PROJECT CONNECT IN CONJUNCTION WITH CAP METRO AND THE CITY WE'VE ESTABLISHED THIS, UH, A SERIES OF WORKING GROUPS.
UH, WE'VE KIND OF DIVIDED THE BLUE AND ORANGE LINE ALIGNMENT UP INTO A SERIES OF GEOMETRIC, UH, AREAS WHERE WE CAN GET INTO MORE DETAILED DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UH, VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN OCTOBER, I THINK IS, UM, UH, MR. FRANCO MENTIONED THAT WE, WE HAD A, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, DESIGN WORKSHOP AROUND THE BRIDGE, UM, THAT WAS GOING TO ROUND THE, THE, UM, THE WAS SHARED BY THE DOWNTOWN AND THE SOUTH SHORE WORKING GROUPS, UM, TO REVIEW THE DESIGN OF THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE AND TO GO OVER SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS AND GET FEEDBACK, UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT, UM, AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE RAISED AT THAT MEETING, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAD GREAT PARTICIPATION FOR THE MEETING.
I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING VIRTUALLY IT'S REDUCED THE BARRIERS FOR ENTRY FOR MANY PEOPLE, UM, TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE EVENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF PARTICIPANT MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB ATTEND, WHO EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE, THE RELOCATION OF THE WALNUT CREEK BOATHOUSE.
AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE, EVEN SINCE THAT OCTOBER MEETING MADE SOME PROGRESS IN TERMS OF FINDING ANOTHER LOCATION FOR THE BOATHOUSE.
UM, OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED WERE, UM, ABOUT THE USES OF BUSES ON THE BRIDGE, AGAIN, AS CURRENTLY, WE'RE NOT, UH, PLANNING ON FOUR BUSES ON THE BRIDGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, ONE IS, I MEAN, THERE IS CARE.
METRO DOES NOT HAVE SERVICE PLAN PLAN FOR BUSES ON THE BRIDGE.
UM, AND ALSO THERE, YOU KNOW, WE GENERALLY DON'T LIKE TO SHARE THE GUIDEWAY OR THE RAIL WITH OTHER VEHICLES, BECAUSE IT DOES POSE A RISK TO RAIL OPERATIONS.
UM, SO WE REALLY TRY TO AVOID THAT.
UM, SO, UM, THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT PART OF THE PLAN, BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION ON THAT.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE, UH, THE BAD ENVIRONMENT, UM, SOME CONCERN ABOUT NOISE, AND WE'LL SAY THAT ALL THESE VEHICLES ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT ELECTRIC, SO, UM, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MITIGATE THE NOISE IMPACTS THERE.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, IS IT POSSIBLE TO BUILD A TUNNEL UNDER THE LAKE INSTEAD OF A BRIDGE ITSELF? UM, IT REALLY, UH, IS NOT POSSIBLE JUST FROM A GEOMETRIC STANDPOINT AND PURCHASE BECAUSE THERE'S NOWHERE TO COME UP OUT OF, UM, THE TUNNEL ON THE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKE.
UM, BASICALLY JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF VERTICAL DISTANCE YOU'D HAVE TO CLIMB, UM, YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO GET ALL THE WAY ACROSS 35 BEFORE YOU COULD GET ABOVE GROUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, AND PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT PARKING, YOU KNOW, UM, WHICH IS I THINK A GOOD ONE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, UH, WE ARE, I THINK IT'S PART OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLAN SEEING, UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT PARKING BUILT, BUT ALSO WE ARE TRYING TO, UM, MITIGATE ALL THAT WITH, WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF RAIL AND MORE ROBUST TRANSIT.
AND PART OF THE WHOLE LAND FOR, FOR APPROACHING NEXT IS TO, UM, FACILITATE MODE SHIFT AWAY FROM CARS.
UM, AND SO WE THINK, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH A STATION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE, OF THE BRIDGE, THERE'S, WE, WE ANTICIPATE REALLY GOOD ACCESS TO THE BRIDGE.
SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, HEAR WHAT YOU, YOUR THOUGHTS CAUSE, UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE RFQ
[00:40:01]
AND RFP PROCESS FOR THE BRIDGE, AND SO WANT TO FOLD AS MUCH FEEDBACK INTO THAT, UM, INTO THAT RFQ RFP AND WITH AS MUCH CLARITY AS WE CAN POSSIBLY PROVIDE, UM, INTO THAT PROCESS.COULD YOU, COULD YOU CLARIFY WHAT PEOPLE'S PARKING CONCERNS WERE? PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO DRIVE TO THE, I THINK IT WAS PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE LAKE AND SPECIFICALLY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DRIVE TO THE BOATHOUSE.
SO, YEAH, WE'RE, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULDN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT NOT ALL OF US ARE QUITE READY TO JUMP ONTO PUBLIC TRANSIT, BUT WE'LL GET THEM THERE.
I HAVE COMMENTS, BUT I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO ANY COMMISSIONER WHO WANTS TO RAISE THEIR HAND FIRST.
RUBEN, ARE YOU RAISING YOUR HAND? OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO ASK PETER, DID YOU HEAR MY EARLIER COMMENTS ABOUT BUSES AND THE 10% AND 30% DESIGN? YEAH, YEAH, I DID.
AND I SEE YOU, UM, I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
LIKE WE HAVE TO, THIS IS, AS I SAID, THIS IS A MULTIMODAL SYSTEM, RIGHT.
AND IT HAS TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AS A SYSTEM AND WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR THOSE BUS RAIL UP CONNECTIONS, WHEREVER WE CAN.
I THINK WE'RE DOING, UM, REALLY WELL IN SOME PLACES, YOU KNOW, UM, AND WE PROBABLY COULD DO BETTER IN OTHER PLACES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE QUESTION IS HOW DO BUSES, UM, INTERACT WITH THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT PLAN, RIGHT? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A RAIL STOP THERE AND THAT'S A GREAT, ALSO ANOTHER GREAT PLACE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR BUSES TO, TO CONNECT.
SO, UM, AGAIN, BUS OPERATIONS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE OVER THAI, RIGHT? PARTICULARLY WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.
AND THERE'S MORE ANALYSIS HAS TO BE DONE THERE, BUT WE HAVE TO CREATE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL SURREAL CONNECTIONS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, DO I SEE ANYONE ELSE'S HANDS? I CAN TAKE UP A LITTLE BIT OF TIME HERE.
SO IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS SOME COMMENTS, OKAY, I'LL JUST JUMP IN WITH A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
NUMBER ONE, A GREAT PRESENTATION.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF PEOPLE COMING IN FROM WHEREVER LET'S SAY THE AIRPORT AND THEY GO INTO A HOTEL ON RAINY AND THEY COME OUT INTO A GARDEN AND THEY HAVE TO WALK TWO MINUTES TO RAINY.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL SPATIAL EXPERIENCE.
UH, THE OTHER TAKEAWAY, ONE OF THE TAKEAWAY, UM, CALATRAVA IS IN THE MIX.
AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CALL IT TROUGH AS AN ARCHITECT WHO DOES REALLY AWESOME BRIDGES AND OTHER THINGS.
WE MAY NOT HAVE THE BUDGET FOR HIM, YOU KNOW, HE'S WAY PAST NEEDING PRESTIGE, BUT YEAH, YEAH, BUT IT THAT'S JUST MORE SIDE COMMENTS.
UM, SO THEN A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, UM, I CAME INTO THIS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, SAMWELL WELL HAD MENTIONED ABOUT BUSES.
I DEFINITELY SEE THE COMPLEXITIES OF MIXING MODES, PARTICULARLY HERE HAVING TO DIVE IN UNDER AND THAT SORT OF ISSUE.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RIVER, HOW BUSES CONNECT TO THAT STATION IS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, COMPROMISE IS NOT A BAD WORD.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME COMPROMISE WHERE, UM, MAYBE YOU DON'T BUS ACROSS THE RIVER, BUT THERE STILL BUS CONNECTIVITY.
MAYBE PEOPLE HAVE TO SCOOT ACROSS THE RIVER.
THEY HAVE TO WALK ACROSS THE RIVER AND THE BUS MAY NOT BE ACTUALLY ON THE, THE BRIDGE ITSELF.
HAS THAT BEEN DISCUSSED ON HOW THE SOUTH SIDE INTERACTS WITH BUSES? WELL, AGAIN, I WOULD SAY, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW THE BUS SYSTEM INTERACTS WITH THE RAIL SYSTEM HOLISTICALLY, RIGHT.
AND THE BUS NETWORK NEEDS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC IS LIKE THE LIGHT RAIL NETWORK.
IT HAS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT.
I MEAN, THAT'S, UM, UM, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS, I THINK THAT THE, THE NOTION THAT LIGHT RAIL IS SOMEHOW LIKE, UH, UH, UH, A HIGHER COST PRODUCT.
I THINK I REALLY WOULD JUST, I WOULD URGE YOU NOT TO, TO THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY, THAT CERTAINLY NOT THE INTENTION OR THE INTENT BEHIND LIGHT RAIL.
THE GOAL IS TO MAKE LIGHT RAIL AS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE, WE HAVEN'T, THERE WERE WAY AHEAD OF SETTING FAIRS FOR THE SYSTEM, BUT CERTAINLY THERE IS, YOU KNOW, NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO BE AN EXCLUSIVE PRODUCT.
SO PLEASE, UM, IT REALLY IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF MAKING THE WHOLE SYSTEM WORK AND MOVING IT'S OUR MOST POWERFUL WAY TO MOVE PEOPLE, RIGHT.
IN TERMS OF NUMBERS AND SPEED.
SO, UH, WE WANT TO MAKE THAT ACCESSIBLE AS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK THAT ABSOLUTELY LIKE WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW DO WE ACTUALLY OPTIMIZE ALL THOSE BUS RAIL CONNECTIONS, INCLUDING,
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LAKE, FOR SURE.YOU THAT'S A PROCESS THAT WE'LL BE DOING CONTINUALLY OVERTIME.
CHRIS, YOU MIGHT BE, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A QUESTION FOR SAMUELL OR FOR PETER, BUT WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE, UH, THE WATERFRONT STATION? THAT'S NOT FOR ME.
YEAH, NO, I MEAN THE WATERFRONT STATION IS THE DEVELOPMENTS INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT.
UH, I, I, WE LET PETER ANSWER THAT ONE, THEN I CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF UPDATE ON THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, FOR SURE.
I MEAN, THE WATERFRONT STATION IS A, IS A, YOU KNOW, WILL BE BUILT AS PART OF THE PROJECT CONNECT BLUE LINE CONTRACT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF PROJECT CONNECT.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO, IT HAS TO BE COORDINATED WITH WHAT, WHATEVER ENDS UP HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, AT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS ON THAT, AS THAT EVOLVES, DEVELOPS GETS RESOLVED YEAH.
WITH REGARDS TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
SO JUST FOR, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT I'M ONE OF THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, I'M HONEST DOES A DESIGN COMMISSION.
I SERVE AS THE LIAISON TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFORD ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH I'M THE CHAIR OF.
SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE.
UM, THIS THURSDAY AT OUR COUNCIL MEETING COUNCIL WILL ACTUALLY BE TAKING UP, UM, THE DISCUSSION OF A POSSIBLE TOURS FOR THE ENTIRE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UM, AND INCLUDED IN THAT IS THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION PLAN, WHICH HAS THESE CONNECTIONS IN THEM.
SO I WOULD SAY VERY POSITIVE LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR COUNSELOR OR GAUGE THE FUTURE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT PASSES, IF THE TERRORIST DOES PASS, THAT'D BE A SUPER POWERFUL TOOL TO HAVE MONEY FOR MORE INFRASTRUCTURE STREETS, ROAD, OR ROADS, STREETS, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE IN GENERAL, TO HELP SPUR REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AREA.
SO I THINK IN GENERAL, IT'S MOVING ALONG VERY NICELY.
SO THE TIMELINE IS JUST A LITTLE AHEAD OF WHERE THIS IS.
THAT'S, THAT'S HARD TO SAY ONLY BECAUSE, UM, IT'S ALL DEPENDENT ON DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA, RIGHT? THAT THE TOUR'S FUNDING IS DEPENDENT ON, ON CAPTURING THAT INCREMENT IN TAX VALUE.
SO WHO KNOWS WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START DEVELOPING THERE? I WILL SAY THOUGH THAT THE STATESMEN SITE IS ALREADY, UM, MOVING, MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH COUNCIL AND THAT'S A MASSIVE REDEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND I'M SURE THERE'S PROBABLY, I SHOULDN'T SAY I'M SURE.
I WOULD IMAGINE THERE'S PROBABLY DEVELOPERS LINED UP TO START REDEVELOPING THAT AREA AS WELL.
UM, BUT I AIN'T GOT NO CRYSTAL BALL.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THERE WERE DECISIONS TO BE MADE ON THAT THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE LONG-TERM POSSIBILITIES FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT.
THAT'D BE PETER COULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR SURE.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
UM, I, I DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS ROBUST CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT STAFF AND, UM, CA METRO, EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN PROJECT CONNECT WITH REGARDS TO WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS KIND OF WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY WHO'S GONNA END UP PAYING FOR IT.
I'M NOT SURE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN LOOKING INTO, INTO THESE CONNECTIONS AND THIS BRIDGE, UH, AS A PART OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.
AND FOR THOSE LISTENING AT HOME, A TURN STANDS FOR, UH, TAX INCREMENT RATE REINVESTMENT ZONE.
UM, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE? YEAH, SO, SO PETER, COULD YOU, COULD YOU, FIRST OF ALL, YES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
SECOND TIME I SEEN IT AND IT ONLY GETS BETTER EVERY TIME.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK ASIDE.
THAT'S A GOOD SIGN, RIGHT? I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT I, THAT I'M BEING NEGATIVE WITH THIS, WITH ASKING THIS QUESTION.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING AMAZING WORK.
YOU GUYS ARE SUPER CHALLENGED.
UM, YOU'RE DOING A TIMELINE THAT IS SUPER, SUPER FAST AND I'M PROUD OF ALL OF OUR CITY STAFF, EMPLOYEES ATP EVERYBODY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND EFFORT.
UM, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THESE, THESE ROBUST DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE DESIGN OF OUR DESIGN FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
COULD YOU GO BACK? YOU MENTIONED TWO CONSIDERATIONS AS FAR AS WHY CAP METRO WAS NOT POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT PUTTING BUSES ON THIS, ON THIS BRIDGE RIGHT NOW.
COULD YOU REITERATE THOSE FOR US? YEAH, SO I THINK, UM, SOME OF THIS IS HISTORY AND I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T HAD A PLAN FOR OPERATING BUSES ON THIS SET TO SAY THAT WE COULDN'T IN THE FUTURE.
CAUSE AGAIN, BUS OPERATIONS WILL CHANGE AND EVOLVE OVER TIME, BUT THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE PLANNING, UM, YOU KNOW, LEADING UP TO THE REFERENDUM AND CERTAINLY AS PART OF OUR INITIAL DESIGN PHASE.
SO THAT'S WHY, WHEN WE'VE DONE THIS, UH, INITIAL ENGINEERING AND PRELIMINARY DESIGN THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED.
SO, SO THAT'S JUST IN THE RECENT HISTORY THAT WASN'T PART OF THE PLAN.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN PARTICULAR ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, UM, THAT AREA IS SO VERY CONSTRAINED
[00:50:02]
THAT I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT HOW TO INCORPORATE ANOTHER VEHICLE MODE INTO THAT SYSTEM, INTO THAT THAT COULD VERY CONSTRAINED LOCATION.SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF INHIBIT WILL INHIBIT, UM, FUTURE VEHICLE USE IN THAT AREA.
UM, AND THEN WHEN, SORRY, WHEN YOU SAY FUTURE VEHICLE USE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY FUTURE, IF YOU WERE TO INTRODUCE BUSES INTO THE SYSTEM, RIGHT.
IF YOU WERE INTRODUCED BUSES INTO THE SYSTEM, IT'S JUST ADDING, HAVING, YOU KNOW, HAVING BUSES CROSSING THE TRAIL, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY LIKELY, YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME LEVEL, UM, IT JUST SEEMS TO BE CONSISTENT IN TERMS OF SCALE WITH THE SCALE OF THAT NORTH SHORE LOCATION.
SO WEAVING BUSES INTO THAT I THINK IS, IS GOING TO BE REALLY CHALLENGING.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD IS THAT, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING FROM THE LIGHT RAIL OPERATION STANDPOINT, IT'S BEST PRACTICE, NOT FOR BUSES AND NOT FOR LIGHT RAIL TO SHARE THE GUIDEWAY WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES.
BECAUSE THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY OF RISK TO THE LIGHT RAIL OPERATIONS IS HIGH, RIGHT? SO GENERALLY WE DON'T, WE DON'T.
AND WHEN YOU SAY BEST PRACTICES FROM A CAP METRO PERSPECTIVE, OR FROM A FTA PERSPECTIVE OR WORK, DO YOU HAVE EVIDENCE OF THESE BEST PRACTICES BECAUSE PORTLAND, OREGON IS ALREADY DOING IT RIGHT NOW.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY THE PORTLAND, SILICON BRIDGE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
AND YOU CITED IT IN YOUR, IN YOUR LETTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, IT'S HELPFUL BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE SCALE OF INTRODUCING THAT OTHER MODE INTO THAT BRIDGE RESULTS IN THAT THAT BRIDGE IS OF A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SCALE THAN THE SCALE OF THE BLUE LINE, THIS, THIS BRIDGE.
SO, UM, I KNOW IT'S BEEN DONE IN CERTAIN PLACES, BUT AGAIN, THE LIGHT RAIL EXPERTS.
AND THAT IS NOT ME JUST TO BE FAIR PERSONALLY, BUT THE LIGHT RAIL EXPERTS AT ATP, UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF HOW WE AND OUR CONSULTANTS, RIGHT, WHO ARE DEVELOPING THE LIGHT RAIL DESIGN.
GENERALLY SPEAKING WITH ALMOST ALMOST NO EXCEPTION, DO NOT WANT TO COMBINE OTHER MODES ONTO THE GUIDEWIRE.
DO YOU KNOW HIM A REASON FOR THAT SPECIFIC REASONINGS? WELL, WELL, ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A BUS BREAKS DOWN ON THE TRACK? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A TRAIN BREAKS DOWN ON THE TRUCK? WELL, AGAIN, TRAINS JUST, TH THERE'S JUST PART OF THE VALUE OF TRAINS IS THAT THEY'RE ON A TRACK AND THEY GO WHERE THE TRACK GOES AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HIGHER LEVEL OF RELIABILITY.
SO AS I UNDERSTAND, SO I THINK THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE THINKING IS THAT, UM, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE, POTENTIAL CONFLICTS, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN DIFFERENT MODES.
SO IT HAS TO BE MANAGED VERY CAREFULLY.
AND AGAIN, GENERALLY NOT, WE'RE NOT APPROACHING THE DESIGN OF THE LIGHT RAIL, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE OTHER VEHICLES.
THAT'S THE CONCERNING PART FOR ME, YOU CAN ASK A QUESTION.
DO YOU THINK THAT PERHAPS THE CONSULTANTS IN THE VARIOUS EXPERTS WHO DID NOT CONSIDER IT DID NOT CONSIDER IT BECAUSE IT JUST WASN'T ASKED.
I LOVE THE RENDERING AND THE KIND OF QUAINTNESS OF THE SPACE, BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT HE COULDN'T MAKE A BEAUTIFUL SPACE AS WELL, THAT INCORPORATED ANOTHER MODE, BUT PERHAPS THEY WERE JUST NEVER.
I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULD DEFINITELY GO BACK AND RE ASK, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS WHERE THEY, WHERE PEOPLE ASKED.
WELL, I THINK, UM, AGAIN, I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS, IT CERTAINLY WASN'T PART OF THE, THE, THE DIRECTION ORIGINALLY, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT WASN'T RIGHT.
IT WASN'T PART OF THE PLAN ORIGINALLY AGAIN, NOT SAYING THAT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN, UM, BUT IT JUST WASN'T.
UM, I THINK THE, WHAT, WHAT I WOULD IMAGINE THE CONSULTANTS WOULD SAY IS THAT IF THE DIRECTION WAS TO INCORPORATE BUSES INTO THIS LOCATION, YOU WOULD WANT TO SEPARATE THOSE FROM THE LIGHT RAIL GUIDE ONE, CAN I, THAT WOULD BE THE RESPONSE BECAUSE YOU, YOU REALLY DON'T WANT THOSE THINGS TO OVERLAP UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE THEM OVER ALL.
CAN I JUST MAKE A VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION HERE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? THIS BRIDGE IS NOT YET DESIGNED AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION.
THESE ARE, THIS IS, THIS IS SIMPLY, UM, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AS PETER MENTIONED, IT'S, IT'S, THEY'RE CONCEPTUAL OF WHAT THEY THINK WOULD BE THE BEST THING.
BUT AS PETER MENTIONED, THEY'RE ABOUT TO PUT OUT, THEY'RE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER AN RFP FOR WORLD-CLASS DESIGN FIRMS TO HELP SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT IN THAT RFP, WE SAY, IF YOU CAN FIND A WAY TO PUT BUSES ON THIS SYSTEM AS WELL, PLEASE INCORPORATE THAT INTO YOUR DESIGN.
WHAT, WHAT I'M HEARING PETER SAY IS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE RFP.
AND I THINK THAT IS THE INJUSTICE THAT WE'RE HAVING HERE.
IS IT BLOCKING THAT OFF RIGHT NOW AND NOT EVEN GIVING WORLD-CLASS DESIGNERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
[00:55:01]
IS A GRAVE INJUSTICE.WE'RE ESSENTIALLY SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT.
AND THAT'S MY POINT IS THAT IT'S NOT YET DESIGNED TO LEAVE IT UP TO THE EXPERTS, TO DESIGN IT, AT LEAST ALLOW FOR THAT DESIGN MODIFICATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY COULD ALL COME BACK AND SAY, AND WE CAN'T DO IT WITH BUSES, BUT AT LEAST CORRECT, AT LEAST WE DIDN'T PRE CORRECT.
AND IF YOU CAN'T BE DONE, IT CAN'T BE DONE.
AND AS AN ENGINEER MYSELF, I'M A CIVIL ENGINEER MYSELF.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS TOLD IS THAT WE CAN DO ANYTHING.
WE CAN COME UP WITH DESIGNS FOR ANYTHING AS LONG AS YOU THROW ENOUGH MONEY AT IT.
WELL, I KNOW THERE'S A BALANCE THERE, RIGHT? IT MIGHT BE UGLY.
IT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE GESTALT.
IT MIGHT BE EXPENSIVE, BUT YOU WOULD SAY, OKAY, WELL, THESE ARE THE REASONS WE'RE NOT DOING.
IF YOU DON'T, WE DON'T LIKE THAT FEEL, WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND THAT MONEY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOUR PROPOSAL IS TO SAY AN OUT PROPOSAL PROPOSAL THAT YOUR, YOUR ASK IS LIKE, WHY AREN'T WE ASKING THEM EXACTLY.
THAT'S THE POINT RIGHT NOW? WE'RE SAYING, NO, WE JUST NOT GOING TO DO IT.
WHEREAS WHY DON'T WE ALLOW SOMEONE ELSE TO TELL US NO.
IS WITH THE CONSTRAINT OF THE PROJECT.
LIKE HOW WIDE THE BRIDGES I'LL LET PETER ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT DESIGNED YET.
SO I WOULD IMAGINE THERE'S NO CONSTRUCT.
YEAH, NOT, BUT IT'S, IT'S A CONSTRAINT, CERTAINLY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE IN PARTICULAR, IT MAY BE IN THE SOUTH SIDE TOO.
THERE'S MORE ROOM ON THE SOUTH SIDE, BUT AGAIN, THERE ARE OTHER, THERE ARE OTHER AEDES AND, UM, CONSIDERATIONS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
UM, BUT PETER, ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS ARE FOR.
UM, I THINK THAT THE, I THINK THOSE ARE GOOD POINTS, I THINK GENERALLY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DESIGN COMPETITION, UM, WHICH IS INTENDED TO, TO ASK FOR CONCEPTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE BUILT, RIGHT.
UM, THIS IS NOT, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR FANTASY, WE'RE ASKING FOR REALITY.
I THINK THAT, UM, WE WANT TO BE AS CLEAR IN OUR INSTRUCTIONS AS POSSIBLE.
AND I THINK, UM, IF THE BRIDGE IS DESIGNED TO HAVE BUSES, THEN, THEN THAT IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF, AGAIN, PRESUMING IF YOU ACCEPT THAT THE BUSES ARE NOT GOING TO RIDE ON THE GUIDEWAY ITSELF, RIGHT? IF THE BRIDGE, IF THE BUS, IF THE BRIDGE IS GOOD, CAUSE THAT'S AN OPERATIONAL ISSUE, THAT'S NOT A DESIGN ISSUE, BUT IT'S ALSO A SIGNALING ISSUE, RIGHT? SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS. YOU COULD EASILY, EASILY OVERCOME THAT CHALLENGE BY SIGNALS AND SIGNAGE AND OPERATIONS.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT DONE IMPEDIMENT COMPLETELY AGAIN, BUT THE, THE DESIGNERS ARE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THAT.
WE NEED TO GIVE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS TO THE DESIGNERS ABOUT HOW THIS BRIDGE IS GOING TO BE OPERATED.
SO IF THE, FROM THE OPERATOR'S PERSPECTIVE THAT THE BUSES SHOULD NOT SHARE THE GUIDEWAY WITH THE TRAINS, THEN YOU KNOW, THEN WE WOULD BE DIRECTING THEM TO PROVIDE SEPARATE, DEDICATED FACILITIES FOR THOSE BUSES.
WHICH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY COULD BE DONE.
AND THEN SOMEBODY CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO WEAVE THAT IN TO THE NORTH SIDE AGAIN.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WANT TO GIVE AS CLEAR DIRECTION TO THE, TO THE COMPETITION AS POSSIBLE.
AND AGAIN, THE DIRECTION FROM KENT METRO HAS NOT BEEN TO PROVIDE BUS FACILITY HERE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE, WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE ARE.
WELL, I JUST LIKE TO, I WANT TO GO ON RECORD AS READING ONE PART OF THIS STATEMENT.
I THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT AND IT KIND OF SUMS UP MY, MY VIEWPOINTS ON, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IT BECOMES AN EQUITY ISSUE AS WELL.
UM, PARAGRAPH 1, 2, 3, 4 OF MY EMAIL TO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP SAYS FURTHER IN THIS PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION, THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM HAS ONLY ONE ONLY HAS ONE EAST AND WEST ROUTE WHILE I AM SURE IT IS WELL-INTENTIONED.
THIS FOOTPRINT DOES NOT SERVE THE MAJORITY OF HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED PARTS OF OUR CITY.
WHILE THE NEW LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM GOES NORTH TO SOUTH.
FOR THE MOST PART, OUR EAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS ARE RESIGNED TO EXPANDED IN QUOTES AND HOPEFULLY BETTER BUS CONNECTIONS.
IT IS NO SECRET THAT THESE, THESE UNDERREPRESENTED PARTS OF AUSTIN WERE IMPLEMENTED BY OUR OWN CITY'S DESIGN UNDER THE 1928 MASTER PLAN FOR AUSTIN, TEXAS, WHICH FORCED PEOPLE OF COLOR EAST, AS WE REFLECT ON THESE PAST DESIGN MISTAKES AND EMBARK ON A NEW DESIGN FOR OUR CITY'S BRIGHT FUTURE, WE MUSTN'T LET THE DESIGN OF THIS NEW BRIDGE FURTHER, THE OPPRESSIVE AND RACIST PAST OF OUR CITY.
SO MANY YEARS REMOVED FROM THAT DARK TIME PERIOD IN AUSTIN.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE BECAUSE YEAH, PEOPLE OF COLOR STILL LIVE EAST OF AUSTIN AND THEY WERE, IT WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY INTENTIONALLY BY OUR CITY TO PUT THEM EAST