Feb 10, 2022 Mobility Committee

ME JUST SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, THE CLERK, UH, MYRNA RIO.

AND RESPECTFULLY MADAM CHAIR ON THE PROCESS, AND I'VE TALKED TO CHRISTOPHER YOUR AGENDA.

DOESN'T SAY THAT WE CAN SPEAK VIRTUALLY.

SO IN THE FUTURE, IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, YOU'LL HEAR ME ON THE PHONE AND I'M SURE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO OTHER CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE STAFF LIAISON.

AND LASTLY, LET

[00:05:01]

SHE ACTUALLY RESPONDED EXTENSIVELY AND PROMPTLY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HER GIVING ME THAT INFORMATION.

WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION IS CLEAR MOVING FORWARD.

I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE CHANGED SOME OF OUR PRACTICES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND WANT TO BE VERY OPEN AND TRANSPARENT, BUT APPRECIATE GETTING TO SEE YOU TODAY.

LIKEWISE, AND THANK YOU.

IT'S SAFE IN HERE.

CAUSE I'M THE ONLY ONE.

I THINK OUR ONE OR TWO PEOPLE, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT MANY PEOPLE HERE, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME.

UPDATE FROM THE VICE CHAIR OF THE UTC REGARDING RECENT ACTIONS.

WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

I DO WANT TO SPEAK, I DO WANT TO BRIEFLY MENTION THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE UP ITEM FIVE FIRST.

UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS ASKED, UM, BECAUSE THE VICE CHAIR OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IS GOING TO BE SPEAKING WITH US IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS.

I KNOW WE HAVE A STANDING ITEM ON THIS AGENDA WHERE, UM, MR. MARIO CHAMPION, THE CHAIR SPEAKS WITH US.

UM, THE VICE-CHAIR IS, IS FILLING IN FOR HIM TODAY.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK COULD BE HELPFUL FOR OUR AGENDAS MOVING FORWARD.

SO I WOULD JUST LIKE THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS THEY WANT TO BRING TO MY ATTENTION ABOUT WHETHER THAT'S GOING TO WORK WITH THE SCHEDULE OR NOT.

BUT I THINK GETTING THE UTC INFORMATION OUT EARLY, IT COULD BE HELPFUL SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME ON A COMMISSION ALSO THEN WAITING THROUGH AN ENTIRE COUNCIL COMMITTEE TOWARD THE END TO BE ABLE TO COME AND SPEAK WITH US.

SO THAT'S AN ADJUSTMENT I PLAN TO MAKE MOVING FORWARD AND YOU ARE ALL WELCOME TO LET ME KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WORKS IN, IN YOUR IDEA OF HOW THIS COMMITTEE SHOULD WORK AS WELL.

CAUSE I VALUE I VALUE YOUR INPUT.

SO WE WILL NOW TAKE UP ITEM FIVE, THE

[5. Update from the chair of the Urban Transportation Commission (UTC) regarding recent UTC actions.]

AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE MOVING DOWN THE SCHEDULE IN THE REGULAR NUMERIC ORDER.

SO AFTER THAT, WE WILL TAKE UP ITEM TWO, THE PROJECT CONNECT, BLUE LIONBRIDGE AND ORANGE LINE DESIGN ON GUADALUPE STREET.

AND THEN WE WILL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE RACIAL EQUITY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT AND ITEM FOUR FEDERAL MOBILITY GRANTS FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT.

AND THEN AT THE END, WE WILL TAKE UP ITEM SIX, UPDATE FROM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, GINA FIE, AND DACA ON THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY OUTCOME.

AND LASTLY, IDENTIFYING THE FUTURE ITEMS AS WE DO IN MOST MEETINGS.

SO ON THAT NOTE, WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM SUSAN SUMMERS, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE UTC.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

THANKS.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, HI COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.

UM, MY FIRST TIME DOING THIS ROLE, SO I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS, SO BEAR WITH ME HERE.

UM, SO, UM, WE ACTUALLY MET, UH, UTC.

UM, DIDN'T MEET IN JANUARY.

WE DIDN'T MAKE QUORUM, ACTUALLY.

WE HAD TO MOVE OUR MEETING AND THEN DIDN'T MAKE FORUMS, BUT WE MET ON TUESDAY NIGHT THIS PAST WEEK.

UM, AND, UM, WE DID, UM, HAVE A REALLY PACKED AGENDA ACTUALLY.

SO, UM, JUST A QUICK SUMMARY OF THOSE ITEMS. UM, WE VOTED ON A RIGHT OF WAY VACATION FOR HARVEY STREET.

UM, WE APPROVED THAT, UM, THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION, UH, CONCERN FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT, UM, WE ENDED UP GOING AHEAD AND SEVERAL MEMBERS ENCOURAGE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT SPOKE TO US TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE AS THE PRO THE SITE GOES THROUGH DEVELOPMENT, BUT DEFINITELY, UM, DEFINITELY STAY ENGAGED THERE, BUT WE DID ULTIMATELY APPROVE THAT RIGHT AWAY VACATION.

UM, AND THEN, UM, THE PROJECT CONNECT BLUE LINE BRIDGE LADY, BIRD LAKE BRIDGE.

I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO HEAR SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT AS WELL.

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.

THIS IS OUR SECOND TIME, UM, HEARING, UM, ON THAT MATTER, WE ACTUALLY HEARD FROM A LITTLE BIT ON THAT IN THE DECEMBER, OUR DECEMBER MEETING AS WELL.

SO THIS WAS A SECOND FOLLOW-UP MEETING.

UM, WE CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THAT.

UM, UH, THERE'S A RECENT MEMO THAT WAS PUBLISHED PRETTY, PRETTY CLOSE TO OUR MEETING TIME THAT, UM, MAKE SOME COMMITMENTS TO CONTINUE STUDYING THE IDEA AND CONCEPT OF BUSES ON THE LADY BIRD LAKE BRIDGE, UM, AND TRYING TO GET THAT FIGURED OUT STAFF WANTS TIME TO STUDY THAT ON, I GUESS, THEMSELVES AND SORT OF, UM, UH, THEN, UH, HAVE THAT PROCESS CONCLUDED IN MAY.

AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE ON THAT FROM DIFFERENT, UH, AT PEOPLE WE DID NOT ULTIMATELY TAKE ANY ACTION ON THIS.

UM, THERE'S SOME VERY STRONG OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY MANY OF THE UTC MEMBERS, WHICH, UM, COULD ELABORATE ON A LITTLE BIT MORE, I THINK.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S GENERAL, I THINK GENERALLY MY SENSE IS THAT THE UTC MEMBERS PROBABLY MOSTLY DO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF IT BEING FURTHER STUDIED.

AND THEN I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A RANGE OF OPINIONS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY SINCE WE DIDN'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO VOTE ON AND WE DIDN'T VOTE OR TAKE ANY ACTION, I CAN'T REALLY EXPRESS LIKE A UNIFIED SENSE OF LIKE WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY ALL THE UTC MEMBERS, UM, THINK SPECIFICALLY, UH, MORE TO TELL THEM THAT, UM, I'M HAPPY

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TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS BEST I CAN, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

UM, AND WE ALSO TOOK UP AN ITEM ON BOOTING.

UM, SO THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST FROM SOME OF THE, UM, SERVICES THAT DO THE BOOTING AND VEHICLE MOBILIZATION TO BE ABLE TO USE A TYPE OF BOOT THAT THE CUSTOMER CAN REMOVE THEMSELVES, WHICH, UM, CREATES A GREATER LEVEL OF CONVENIENCE.

UM, CITY STAFF, UH, WE LOOKED AT THIS WITH THE COMPANIES AND CREATED SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE, UM, THE UTC DEFINITELY AGREED WITH THOSE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE VOTED TO APPROVE, UM, RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE CITY STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.

THIS WOULD INCLUDE, UM, THE, UM, CITY STAFF ADDITIONS.

THERE WERE THAT THE CUSTOMERS WOULD STILL HAVE THE ABILITY IF THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SELF REMOVE IT.

YOU HAD USED A, LIKE AN APP AND THEN YOU PUT IN A CODE AND PAY, IF YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT, THAT YOU COULD STILL CALL SOMEBODY TO COME OUT WITH AN HOUR AND TAKE THE BOOT OFF THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO PROVIDE A DEPOSIT.

SO THERE WAS A CONCEPT OF MAYBE PUTTING A DEPOSIT IN TO COVER THE COST OF THE BOOT AND THEN GOING TO RETURN IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

CITY STAFF SORT OF MADE AN INTERVENTION THERE THAT SAID YOU WON'T HAVE TO PAY A DEPOSIT, BUT THERE SHOULD BE A SECURE, WELL THAT RECEPTACLE ON EACH PROPERTY WHERE BOOTY MAY OCCUR SO THAT THE CUSTOMER CAN, CAN RETURN THE BOOT SAFELY THERE AND WITHOUT HAVING TO TRAVEL TO A DIFFERENT LOCATION.

SO THAT WAS, WE, WE AGREE WITH ALL THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS OF CITY STAFF AND, UH, RECOMMENDED THAT APPROVAL, UH, TO GO ON THROUGH, UP TO COUNCIL.

AND, UM, UH, THEN WE HAD, UH, OUR LAST ITEM IS KIND OF A COMPLEX ONE.

SO WE HAD A RECOMMENDATION, UH, ABOUT LAND USE, WHICH IS NOT OUR PURVIEW, BUT LAND USE AROUND TRANSIT.

SO I THINK OUR, UM, OUR COMMISSIONERS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, AND, UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH PROJECT CONNECT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO SUPPORT TRANSIT BY ZONING APPROPRIATELY NEAR TRANSIT FOR ADDITIONAL DENSITY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE DENSITY.

SO, UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A UNIQUE, UM, RECOMMENDATION FROM THE, FROM THE COMMISSION, BUT, UM, IT BASICALLY ASKS THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE LAND USE COMMISSIONS, UM, CONSIDER TRANSIT IN THEIR WORK.

AND, AND I ASK THEM TO SORT OF PROVIDE SOME, UH, SOME, SOME HEFT TO THAT OR SOME JUSTIFICATION OF IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PUT A LOT OF DENSITY AROUND TRANSIT AND SUPPORT OUR LINES WITH TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE DENSITY.

SO I CAN READ THAT TO YOU.

I THINK IT MIGHT BE BETTER FOR ME TO LIKE READ IT.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COMPLEX PIECE, BUT, UM, UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S IT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST, UM, WE'RE JUST REALLY, UH, IN OUR RECENT MEETINGS, I THINK THINKING A LOT ABOUT THE WAYS THAT LAND USE AND TRANSIT INTERACT AND HOW THAT WE CAN PUT A VOICE FORWARD TO, TO ARGUE THAT WE NEED TO BE SUPPORTING OUR BEST TRANSIT LINES IN OUR NEW, EXCITING TRANSIT LINES WITH TRANSIT SUPPORTED DENSITY.

THAT'S ALSO EQUITABLE.

AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY A HELPFUL INTERVENTION THAT WE DID MAKE, UM, UH, FROM THE DIOCESE IN OUR WORK ON TUESDAY, WE SAID THAT THIS ALSO REALLY DOES NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE, UM, UH, THE RACIAL, THE ANTI RACIAL EQUITY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL, WHICH I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT TODAY AS WELL.

UM, BUT WE ADDED THAT IN THERE SO THAT THESE THINGS SHOULD ALL BE CONSIDERED WHEN WE'RE DOING LAND USE.

AND, UM, WE SHOULDN'T JUST BE, WELL, I'LL LEAVE IT THERE SO YOU CAN READ WHAT WE WROTE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.

I'M GLAD THAT OUR COMMITTEE AND YOUR COMMISSION ARE WORKING SO, SO MUCH IN STEP RIGHT NOW.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE VERY THINGS THAT WE ARE HAVING DIALOGUE ABOUT AS A COUNCIL ARE THE VERY THINGS THAT YOU AS A COMMISSIONER TAKING UP.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO LEAD AND SERVE ON THAT COMMISSION.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER HOPPER MADISON.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

AND THANK YOU, MS. SUMMERS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU MADE A VERY CLEAR STATE ABOUT HOW LAND USE AND TRANSIT ARE DIRECTLY CONNECTED.

WE CAN'T HAVE THE CONVERSATION SEPARATE FROM ONE ANOTHER, AND I APPRECIATE THAT PEOPLE IN PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS WITH VERY DEEP, UM, EXPERTISE.

UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE DIGITAL COMPONENT, THE ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

UM, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE ARE UNBANKED AND JUST DON'T HAVE ACCESS IN

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THAT WAY.

AND SO I DO HAVE AN ACCESS QUESTION.

IF YOU COULD WALK ME THROUGH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS.

AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, I DON'T THINK THIS IS ON YOUR AGENDA.

UM, IF YOU'VE SEEN A PRESENTATION, I'M SH I'M ASSUMING NOW THAT UTC HAS RECOMMENDED THIS, THAT WE'LL BE ESCALATING TO EITHER THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE OR COUNCIL AT LARGE, BUT THE, UM, SO THE CONCEPT IS THAT YOU WOULD, AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY AN INTERVENTION THAT STAFF MADE, SO THAT WOULDN'T BE EXCLUSIVELY IN ONLINE.

SO YOU WOULD GET, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET BOOTED, THERE'S A STICKER THAT GOES ON THE PASSENGER OR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW, AND IT GIVES YOU THE INSTRUCTIONS.

AND SO THIS WOULD BE, AND WE'VE ALL SEEN THOSE BIG ORANGE STICKERS.

THEY GET SLAPPED ON PEOPLE'S CARS.

THEY LIKE GO TO THE APP AND PAY IF YOU LIKE, AND THAT'S MORE CONVENIENT FOR YOU, OR YOU CAN STILL, AND THIS WAS WHAT STAFF SAID.

WE STILL WANT TO HAVE THE SORT OF THE NON-DIGITAL OPTION WHERE YOU CAN, HERE'S THE NUMBER YOU CAN CALL AND THEY'LL COME OUT WITH AN HOUR.

BUT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO PREFER THE SELF REMOVAL, IF THAT WAS EASIER FOR THEM, THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION.

AND THEN THEY'D STILL HAVE THE OPTION TO CALL SOMEONE TO REMOVE THAT FOR THEM, IF THAT WASN'T WHAT THEY WANT IT TO DO.

SO, UM, THAT WAS, THAT WAS KIND OF THE, THE SITUATION THERE.

AND SO I THINK THAT THE S THE PRIOR PROCESS WHERE YOU CALL SOMEBODY TO COME OUT AND REMOVE THE BOOT, WHATEVER WAS GOING ON THERE BEFORE, WHICH I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW.

I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NOT A TON ABOUT THAT WOULDN'T CHANGE.

IT WOULD JUST BE OFFERING PEOPLE ANOTHER OPTION.

I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

SO, AS A FOLLOW-UP, I WOULD SAY SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, RIGHT.

AND HAVE THESE THINGS SEVERELY AFFECT PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO, IF YOU CAN'T GET THAT BOOT OFF YOUR CAR, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THEM? I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO, IF YOUR OFFICE WILL FOLLOW IT WITH MINE, I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO TALK ABOUT FROM AN APP, FROM AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.

WHAT DOES THAT RIGHT? I'M A, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M ON A VOLUNTEER COMMISSIONER, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, TO ME, JUST SPEAKING AS A COMMISSIONER AND PERSON WHO THINKS ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, A WHOLE HECK OF A LOT, GIVING PEOPLE OPTIONS IS A GOOD THING.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE, WE DIDN'T USE TO ALLOW BOOTY AND IT WAS ALL TOWING IN A SENSE THAT I THINK THAT, THAT ALLOWING THE BOOTING OPTION WAS A LITTLE BIT, UM, IT'S A LOT FASTER FOR PEOPLE.

CAUSE WHEN YOU GET TOWED, YOU GET, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEXT DAY, TAKING A BUS OUT, SOMEWHERE, GETTING A RIDE FROM SOMEBODY ELSE OUT, SOMEWHERE, CALLING A TAXI, THAT KIND OF THING.

SO I THINK THE BOOTING WITH THE POTENTIAL TO GET SOMEBODY OUT TO YOU AN HOUR WITH THE CALL, UM, WAS FASTER.

AND SO NOW WE'RE OFFERING A MORE DIGITAL OPTION THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT HAVE SOME ACCESS.

BUT I THINK OVERALL, I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU THERE, THAT THAT GIVING PEOPLE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, ENFORCING PARKING ON PRIVATE PARKING LOTS AT ALL, GIVING PEOPLE DIVERSE OPTIONS THAT THEY CAN ACCESS IS PROBABLY THE WAY TO GO.

BUT WHENEVER I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET A STAFF PRESENTATION FROM, UM, JACOB CULBERSON AT SOME POINT ABOUT THIS, AND HE'LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT THEIR PROCESS OF ENGAGING WITH THE COMPANIES AS THEY STUDIED THIS.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.

AND SO WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE A VOLUNTEER OUT, WHICH BY THE WAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

UH, IF NOBODY'S TOLD YOU, WE, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE VOLUNTEERS WHO DO THIS, THIS GOOD, GOOD WORK.

UM, I WILL SAY THIS WHEN THEY PRESENT US.

AND THIS IS NOT ME SAYING TO YOU OR ASKING YOU, UM, THIS IS ME SAYING TO THE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE, UH, Y'ALL HEARD WHAT SHE JUST SAID.

TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T END UP WITH EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, LEFT AND PLACES ON SIDEWALKS, WHERE IT CREATES OTHER MOBILITY ISSUES OR IN BIKE LANES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO THE THING AT THE END OF THE MEETING, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FUTURE ITEMS, IF I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO HEARD THAT, THERE'S A PROBLEM HERE THEN, YOU KNOW? UM, AND SO I'D SAY AS AN ADDITION, AIRY AS AN ADDITIONAL RATHER, UM, POINT OF CONSIDERATION, NOT JUST, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU GET BOOTED AND YOU CAN'T BOOT YOUR CAR? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN YOUR CAR HAS, WHEN YOU RIDE AND DIRTY? IF I'M BEING HONEST, YOU GOT BAD INSPECTION AND THEY IMPOUND YOUR CAR, YOU CAN'T GET IT OUT.

THOSE ARE THINGS I'D LIKE TO, AS A COMMITTEE OF LIKE FIRST TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT, MOVING FORWARD, IT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND A GREAT TOPIC.

ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? NOT AT THIS TIME.

I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AROUND BOOTING.

I THINK, UM, THESE ARE VERY GOOD POINTS, BROUGHT UP BY COUNCIL MEMBER, HARBOR, MADISON.

AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT FURTHER PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO LEAD PRODUCTIVE LIVES, JUST BECAUSE YOU MAKE ONE MISTAKE OR YOU PARKED IN THE WRONG SPOT AT THE WRONG TIME, YOU DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, YOUR NEXT WEEK OR TWO TO BE RUINED BY IT AND HAVE OTHER IMPLICATIONS FOR YOUR EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S CERTAINLY AN ISSUE.

UM, I KNOW WE'VE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, SOME PRIVATE ENTITIES OPERATING IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, AND WANTING

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AS WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE MODES OF ACCESSIBILITY ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY WHO NEEDS TO ACCESS THEM.

UM, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AROUND LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION.

I KNOW OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW IT, IT CAN'T BE DISCUSSED IN JUST ONE SILO OR ANOTHER.

THEY DO HAVE TO BE WORKED ON AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING.

AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY IN SPACES THAT GIVE THEM THE BEST USE OF ALL OF THEIR RESOURCES.

SO YOU'RE NOT SPENDING ALL OF YOUR LIFE IN A CAR.

YOU'RE NOT SPENDING ALL OF YOUR MONEY ON YOUR TRANSPORTATION AND YOUR HOUSING.

AND SO WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I KNOW I DO IN THIS CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RIGHT SIZING ALL OF THE THINGS THAT AFFECT A FAMILY BUDGET AND A PERSON'S BUDGET.

AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS, I SEE VICE CHAIR.

KELLY, DID YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC? WELL, I JUST HAVE MORE OF A STATEMENT.

UM, I THINK YOU DID A GREAT JOB BY THE WAY AT PRESENTING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I'M SORRY.

I TURNED MY CAMERA OFF.

MY EYES WERE REAL WATERY.

UM, I'M CONCERNED JUST IN GENERAL ABOUT PEOPLE WHO MAY BE, UH, OF LESSER MEANS, AND THEN THEY GET A FINE PUT ONTO THEM.

I THINK THAT THIS IS ONE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE TO BE REAL CAREFUL OF BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PUSH PEOPLE FURTHER INTO POVERTY THAN THEY MIGHT ALREADY BE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY RELY ON THEIR VEHICLE TO GET TO AND FROM THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME.

AND SO I JUST HOPE THAT THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS IT IF WE NEED TO.

AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT, AND THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING IN YOUR ROLE, BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO REALLY HELP BRING SUBJECTS AND IDEAS TO THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

VICE-CHAIR OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

UM, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.

I KNOW THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME JOINING OUR COMMITTEE, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AND YOU SPENDING SOME TIME SPEAKING WITH US TODAY.

PROJECT CONNECT BLUE LINE BRIDGE AND ORANGE LINE DESIGN ON GUADALUPE.

THANK YOU TO, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS GOING TO BE ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE

[2. Project Connect Blue Line Bridge and Orange Line design on Guadalupe St.]

AWESOME.

THANK YOU, MONIQUE BOW DAY, UH, MOBILITY OFFICER FOR PROJECT CONNECT.

UM, CHAIR, LLS AND MEMBERS OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.

I'M JOINED BY PETER MULLIN FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, AS WELL AS DOTTIE WATKINS FROM CAPITAL METRO.

AND WE'RE PLEASED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A SHORT PRESENTATION THAT I'M GOING TO HAND OVER TO PETER TO RUN THROUGH BECAUSE HE HAS DONE IT SO MANY TIMES.

HE'S VERY EFFICIENT WITH IT.

AND THEN WE WILL BE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

UM, THERE WAS ALSO A MEMO ISSUED, UH, EARLIER THIS WEEK, UM, THAT GIVES SOME MORE, SOME MORE DETAIL THAN WHAT'S IN THE PRESENTATION.

AND WE'RE ALL HERE AND HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

SO WITH THAT, ANNA MARTIN IS ALSO HERE FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.

SHE HAS BEEN, UM, A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER ALONG WITH THE CITY PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.

AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR COMPONENT, SHE'S VERY IMPORTANT, VERY IMPORTANT PERSON ON MANY OTHER COMPONENTS AS WELL, HER NURSE STAFF, BUT ON THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, SHE'S BEEN VERY HANDS-ON.

AND SO SHE IS HERE AS WELL.

PETER, TAKE IT AWAY.

I LIKE UNIQUE.

AND, UM, UH, THANK YOU, COMMITTEE CHAIR, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

UM, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME PRESENTING TO THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE.

SO ECHO SUSAN'S, IT'S A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT, UM, AND, UH, BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND WE ALSO, I JUST WANT TO JUST MAKE AN ECLIPSE AND CHAIR.

I'M SORRY.

I HATE TO INTERRUPT, BUT I KNOW IT'S HARD FOR YOU TO SEE ME ON THE SCREEN.

I CAN'T, IS THERE ANY WAY FOR US TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER? OKAY.

WE CAN ASK CTM.

IT IS FULL SCREEN HERE IN CHAMBERS AND SORRY, I CAN'T SEE ANYONE OTHER THAN THE SPEAKERS.

SO YOU MAY NEED TO JUST UNMUTE AND TELL ME YOU'RE WAVING YOUR HAND.

WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ZOOM IN, BUT YOU MAY ALSO HAVE AN OPTION ON YOUR SCREEN IF THERE'S PORTIONS OF IT, BUT IT IS FULL SCREEN HERE.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY TO MR. MULLEN AND TO OUR PREVIOUS SPEAKER, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP AND SHOWING OUT AS FIRST TIME SPEAKERS.

WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

IT WON'T BE AS FAST AS WE UP THIS PROGRAM, SO IT WILL BE SEASONED.

I AGREE.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ON THIS SIDE OF THINGS, MR. MULLEN.

TO, TO SUCCEED THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CAPITAL METRO, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ATP.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

UM, OR, UH, SO, AND I JUST ALSO WANT TO THANK, AND HE CAN ADD, UH, AND, UM, FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS PROGRAM IS, UH, UH, OF MANY MULTIPLE PROJECTS IS, IS ONLY, UM,

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AND I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP.

AND, UM, THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH DETAILS AND, UH, OF MANY.

SO, UM, UH, SO JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR THAT, UH, THROUGH TO THE NEXT.

SO THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION, UM, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE, UH, CONCLUSIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME, BUT WE DID WANT TO GIVE THE COMMITTEE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE, UH, SPECIFICALLY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE.

UM, GIVEN SOME OF THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION THAT HAS, UM, BEEN, UH, HAS OCCURRED, UM, ON THIS TOPIC.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AGAIN, ONCE WE'VE, ONCE WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION, BUT, UM, JUST TO FRAME OUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, PROJECT CONNECT OBVIOUSLY IS, UH, A PROGRAM OF MULTIPLE PROJECTS.

UM, THE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH ALMOST ALL OF THEM, YOU KNOW, BRIGHT AS, AS RIGHT NOW, UM, THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES, WHICH ARE THE TWO LIGHT RAIL LINES ARE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.

UH, BUT WE ARE ALSO MAKING PROGRESS ON, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RED LINE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPROVEMENTS TO ADDITIONS OF NEW NEIGHBORHOODS, CIRCULATORS, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, NEW METRO RAPID LINES, WE HAD A GROUNDBREAKING ON THE EXPO LINE, WHICH I THINK SOME OF YOU ATTENDED IN DECEMBER.

UM, AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING GROUNDBREAKING ON THE PLEASANT VALLEY LINE.

UM, SHORTLY WE'RE IN DESIGN ON THE MAIN CHECK AND GOLD LINE.

SO, UM, LOTS OF PROGRESS ON MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM.

UM, UH, TODAY WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE SUBJECT OF THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, UH, WHICH IS A BRIDGE OVER LADY PER LAKE, UM, ON THE BLUE LINE.

UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST BASICALLY IN THE, IN THE VICINITY OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.

NOW I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT, AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT ON THE SYSTEM MAP WHERE THAT'S LOCATED, OBVIOUSLY A CRITICAL MOMENT AND THEN AS PART OF THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IN PARTICULAR, UM, NEXT, UM, SORRY, GO BACK, GO BACK ONE.

SORRY, CHRISTOPHER, JUST ONE THING ALSO TO SAY, IS THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE MOVING MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM FORWARD TOGETHER, UM, WE ALWAYS STRIVE AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE WORK ON ANY INDIVIDUAL PROJECT TO SEE HOW THEY FIT TOGETHER INTO THE SYSTEM, RIGHT? THIS IS A SYSTEM AND WE ALWAYS HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT THROUGH THAT LENS.

UM, AND CERTAINLY THAT'S TRUE FOR THE TOPIC WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE TO AS MANY OF OUR, UH, CONSTITUENTS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

AND PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO RELY ON THE SERVICE THE MOST AND WILL RELY ON THE SERVICE THE MOST INTO THE FUTURE NEXT.

SO, UM, THIS IS A ZOOM IN, ON THE LOCATION OF THE BLUE LINE.

SORRY, GO BACK ON AND THANKS THE LOCATION OF THE, OF THE BLONDE BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE YOU'VE GOT , WHICH IS THAT BIG WHITE SWATH ON THE RIGHT, UM, THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE AND THE SOUTH FIRST STREET BRIDGE.

UM, AND SO THE, THE ALIGNMENT OF THE BLUELINE BRIDGE RUNS BASICALLY FROM THE EAST SIDE OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT AND THE THREE 15 CONGRESS, UH, PLANET, UM, ACROSS THE LAKE AND THEN ALIGNING UP BASICALLY WITH TRINITY STREET.

UM, SO THE BLUE LINE RUNS, YOU KNOW, ALONG THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR WHEN IT GETS TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT TAKES A TURN.

UM, AND THIS THAT'S ALL RUNNING AT SURFACE RIGHT AT GRADE.

UM, THERE'S AN ACCURATE STATION CALLED CURRENTLY CALLED THE WATERFRONT STATION, UM, THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE KIND OF THE BOTTOM OF THE IMAGE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT STARTS AS IT APPROACHES, IT'S JUST SUCH A WATERFRONT, A PERSONS, THE LAKE STARTS TO GO UP, UM, INTO A BRIDGE OVER THE LAKE.

UM, AND THEN WHEN IT GETS TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, IT MAKES THE TRANSITION FROM A BRIDGE DIRECTLY INTO THE SUBWAY TUNNEL.

UM, AND SO THE, THE PORTION OF THE BLUE LINE THAT RUNS UNDERGROUND, UM, THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND THEN MEETS UP WITH THE ORANGE LINE AND TOGETHER THEY RUN, UM, UNDERGROUND THROUGH DOWNTOWN.

SO THAT WHOLE SUBWAY SYSTEM THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN.

UM, SO AGAIN, IT'S A PRETTY INTERESTING MOMENT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING FROM SURFACE TO BRIDGE, TO TUNNEL, UM, ALL REALLY IN ONE SMALL ONE AREA.

UM, AND THERE'S A, UH, UH, UNDERGROUND STATION, UM, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, THE RAINY MAX STATION.

UM, THE PLATFORM ITSELF IS CENTER IS BETWEEN CESAR CHAVEZ AND SECOND STREET, BUT THERE'LL BE ENTRANCES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE SEIZURE SERVICE.

SO THAT'S THE GENERAL ORIENTATION.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING THE DESIGN OF THE BRIDGE, AND AGAIN, WE'RE IN EARLY PHASES OF DESIGN.

UM, WE'LL BE ROLLING OUT THE 30% DESIGN ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE WHOLE TWO BLUE AND ORANGE LINES LATER THE SUMMER, UM,

[00:30:01]

ALONG WITH THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS EARLY DAYS IN DESIGN, BUT IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO, UM, RESOLVE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS AND THE, THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THOSE, UM, NECESSARILY TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO TODAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING THE, THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, UM, FOR THE BLUE LINE LIGHT RAIL, UM, UM, AS WELL AS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE VERY AWARE OF AS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE BOILER CREEK DESIGN PLAN AND WATERLOO GREENWAY, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFY THAT A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IN DISLOCATION.

AND SO WE THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME EFFICIENCIES TO CO-LOCATE THAT, UM, PEDESTRIAN FACILITY WITH THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, SO THAT THOSE WOULD BE COMBINED INTO A SINGLE BRIDGE.

UM, AND SO WE'RE IN THAT PROCESS OF DEVELOPING HOW THAT WOULD AT LEAST HOW THE ALIGNMENT WOULD WORK FOR ALL THOSE THINGS.

UM, AND DURING THE, THIS PRELIMINARY DESIGN PHASE, AS WE WERE ENGAGING THE PUBLIC, UH, WE HAD A COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP IN THE FALL.

UM, AND THROUGH OTHER VENUES, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED, WHAT ABOUT BUSES? YOU KNOW, COULD THE, THE BRIDGE ALSO HAVE CAPACITY TO CARRY BUSES AS WELL.

UM, AND WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION.

IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.

UM, REALLY SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY, OF COURSE, FOR LONG-TERM BENEFITS TO OUR TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.

UM, AND SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF STUDYING HOW THAT CAPACITY COULD BE INTEGRATED INTO THE BRIDGE DESIGN.

UM, AND SO WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN THAT WORK, IN THAT ANALYSIS PROCESS.

UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALSO, AS WE GET INTO IT, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CRITERIA WE'RE LOOKING AT.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS TO LOOK AT THIS LOTS OF DIFFERENT ANGLES TO, TO THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT IT FROM.

AND SO WE'RE STUDYING ALL OF THOSE, UM, GO TO THE NEXT, UM, SO THIS ANALYSIS IS UNDERWAY, UM, JUST IN TERMS OF TIMING, I'LL TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THIS, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF TIMING, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS, WE WANT TO TRY TO FOLD THIS INTO THAT, THAT PROCESS, UM, AND STAY ON OUR OVERALL PROGRAM TIMELINES.

UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING HAVING A PUBLIC MEETING ON THE SUBJECT, UM, IN APRIL AND THE GOAL OF, OF REACHING A DECISION ABOUT THIS ISSUE, ABOUT WHAT CAPACITY THE APPROACH SHOULD BE DESIGNED FOR BY THE END OF MAY AND FOLDING THAT INTO THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD.

UM, ONE NOTE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, IT HAS BEEN THE INTENTION TO HAVE A, A OPEN GLOBAL DESIGN COMPETITION, UM, FOR THE BRIDGE ITSELF.

AND SO WE ARE HOLDING OFF ON LAUNCHING THAT COMPETITION PROCESS, UM, UNTIL WE HAVE THIS, UH, DECISION RESOLVED ABOUT, UM, WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BRIDGE WILL BE.

WE FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE COMPETITORS CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DESIGNING TO.

UM, THIS IS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING, UM, DESIGN COMPETITION PRIMARILY.

SO, UM, SO THAT'S EARLY ON HOLD.

AND THEN DEPENDING ON, ON THE DECISION ABOUT THOSE PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE NEXT.

SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS TOPIC FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ANGLES, UM, ALL OF WHICH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, RIGHT? SO ONE IS DESIGN AND ENGINEERING, RIGHT? SO, UM, SPECIFICALLY, HOW WOULD WE FOLD THAT INTO THE DESIGN CRITERIA? AND I THINK THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THIS.

YOU KNOW, ONE IS, UM, THAT IT HAS, THE PROCESS WOULD HAVE A SEPARATE DEDICATED GUIDEWAY, UM, SEPARATE FROM THE LIGHT RAIL.

UM, THERE ARE EXAMPLES WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, BUS AND RAIL SHARE A SINGLE GUIDEWAY.

SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT OPTION AS WELL FROM AN ENGINEERING STANDPOINT, BUT ALSO AN OPERATION STANDPOINT.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE IMPACTS TO THE, UH, THE LANDINGS OF THE BRIDGE ON BOTH THE SOURCE NOW, SORRY, SOUTH AND NORTH SHORES, UM, WOULD BE SO TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL IMPACTS DUE TO THIS, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THEM AND DOCUMENTED THEM, AND WE'LL REVIEW THOSE WITH THE PUBLIC.

AND IT'S PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING.

UM, WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ALREADY, UM, IS THE, THE CONFLICT WITH THE EXISTING WALNUT CREEK BOATHOUSE.

UM, WE'VE HAD SOME PRETTY, UH, ROBUST DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THAT TOPIC.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY AND PART, WE ARE SUPPORTING PART AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL ALTRA LOCATIONS FOR THE BOATHOUSE.

SO IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL IMPACTS THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE ADDITIONAL BUSES TO THE BRIDGE, THEN WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THOSE ALS, UM, OPERATIONS, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HOW THE BUSES AND RAIL WOULD INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER, AS WELL AS WITH THE SURROUNDING NETWORK.

WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT,

[00:35:01]

AND AT LEAST WHAT THE MAIN IMPACTS OR, OR END OPPORTUNITIES ARE FOR THAT, UM, LOOKING AT THE BUS SERVICE PLANNING FRAMEWORK.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, POST SERVICE PLANNING IS, IS, IS A PROCESS THAT CAP METRO, UM, UNDERGOES A FIVE-YEAR BASIS ON EVERY FIVE-YEAR BASIS.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE WON'T KNOW WHAT THE BUS SERVICE PLAN IS WHEN WE COMPLETE THE BLUE LINE.

WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE CHANGES TO IT BECAUSE OF THE ADDITION OF THIS NEW TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.

UM, BUT WE DO NEED TO AT LEAST WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, SORT OF BUS NETWORK PLANNING ARE, UM, SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE, WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRIDGES.

SO WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT.

UM, WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT, UH, THE FEDERAL PROCESS.

SO THE BLUE LINE IS PARTICIPATING IN, UM, THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION'S NEW STARTS PROGRAM.

WE ARE IN THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PHASE, UM, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT PROCESS, UM, AND SO ANY CHANGES OR ALL, ANY OF THE FUNCTION AND PURPOSE OF, OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED THROUGH THAT PROCESS HAS TO GET FOLDED INTO THAT PROCESS.

AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE OR HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT IT AGAIN, NOT, NOT MAKING A JUDGMENT ABOUT THAT IN ANY WAY, BUT THAT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT CRITERIA.

THE FTA IS G IS GOING TO BE, IS A MAJOR PARTNER OF OURS, AND THIS PROCESS WILL BE A MAJOR FUNDER OF THE PROGRAM.

UM, SO WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THEY ARE PART OF THIS PROCESS AS WELL, AND THAT THIS, UH, THEIR LENS, YOU KNOW, THEIR OPINIONS AND VIEWPOINT IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL.

UM, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO LEVERAGE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF BUSES ON THE BRIDGE, WE ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHER INVESTMENTS MIGHT NEED TO BE MADE OR CHANGES MIGHT NEED TO BE MADE IN THE NETWORK BEYOND THE BRIDGE ITSELF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY IN THE BRIDGE.

UM, AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE YET, BUT I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KIND OF THINK THROUGH THAT AS WELL, SO THAT WE CAN PRESENT THE FULL PICTURE TO THE PUBLIC.

UM, AND THEN LASTLY, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE ANY POTENTIAL COST IMPACTS, AGAIN, DON'T KNOW IF THERE WILL BE YOUR WOLPE, UM, YOU KNOW, OR WHETHER IT'S REALLY MATERIAL IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THE PROGRAM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT CRITERIA ALWAYS FOR US TO, TO CONSIDER.

SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE WILL BE STUDYING.

UM, THIS IS ALL LAID OUT ALSO IN A LOT MORE DETAIL IN THE MEMO THAT WAS CIRCULATED TO YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, EARLIER THIS WEEK.

UM, AND WE'LL BE BACK IN LATER IN THE SPRING TO, TO TALK ABOUT OUR, OUR CONCLUSIONS.

UM, AND AGAIN, I THINK OUR GOAL IS WORKING TOGETHER, UM, YOU KNOW, CITY CAP, METRO ATP COMMUNITY, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THE LONGTERM, FOR THE PUBLIC, SO THAT WE CAN SERVE THIS COMMUNITY TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, UM, AND EQUITABLY.

SO THAT'S OUR OBJECTIVE, UM, GO TO THE NEXT, I THINK THAT'S IT.

SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEY TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU MIGHT BE OF INTEREST? UM, I KNOW THERE'S ALSO, UH, UH, UH, SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORANGE LINE AND HAVING TO TAKE THOSE AS WELL.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO GET A BRIEF UPDATE ABOUT THE ORANGE LINE AS WELL, VERY QUICKLY WHILE WE'RE ON THIS TOPIC, BUT I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN HAS HER HAND UP.

SO I'M GOING TO LET HER ASK A QUESTION FIRST.

UH, THANK YOU, CHAIR.

I'LL BE QUICK.

UM, JUST WHILE WE'RE THINKING OF IT.

UM, SO MR. MULLEN, I WANTED TO ASK YOU WHEN YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THE CRITERIA, UM, FOR THE ANALYSIS RELATED TO THE, UH, CONSIDERING, UH, BUSES ON THE BRIDGE, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT, AND THIS MAY BE INHERENT ALREADY IN ONE OF YOUR CATEGORIES, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT THE, UM, THE IMPACT ON ACCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE A CONSIDERATION, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, EQUITY RELATED ISSUES.

UM, AND SO I'M HOPING THAT, UH, THAT, THAT IS A COMPONENT OF THE ANALYSIS.

UM, AND CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A BIT? UM, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND I'M ALSO, YOU KNOW, DADDY, WALK-INS, WHO'S THE DEPUTY CEO AT CAP.

METRO IS HERE AS WELL.

UM, SO SHE, IF SHE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD ON THIS IN TERMS OF JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE SERVE OR WE'LL PLAN TO SERVE, UM, TRANSIT USERS, UM, YOU KNOW, SHE'S PROBABLY BETTER EQUIPPED TO ANSWER THAT THEN THAN I AM, BUT, UM, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THIS IS, THIS IS WHY WE'RE DOING ALL THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN INCREASE ACCESS, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO TRANSIT, UM, AND PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO

[00:40:01]

NEED IT THE MOST.

UM, AND SO THAT CERTAINLY IF THAT'S PRESENTS, THERE'S, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THAT, UM, THROUGH THE ADDITIONAL BUSES TO THE BRIDGE, THEN CERTAINLY WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LEVERAGING THAT.

SO THAT'S CERTAINLY PART OF THE ANALYSIS.

AND THEN I WOULD, OH, GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD.

I WOULD ADD AS WELL THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, THAT PROCESS INCLUDES NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, BUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONSIDERATIONS AS WELL, WHICH WE'LL COVER, I THINK THE ISSUES THAT YOU WERE BRINGING UP, SO THAT WILL BE COVERED WITH REGARD TO THE OPTION OF HAVING BUSES ON THE BRIDGE.

YES, THAT'S A PART OF THE OVERALL ANALYSIS OF THE ENTIRE TRANSIT NETWORK THAT WILL RESULT FROM THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAMS. SO, UM, YEAH, THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING KEY THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING AND, AND REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DOES THE, HOW COULD THE BRIDGE BE PART OF AN OVERALL TRANSIT NETWORK? AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP IN MIND AND THAT WE HELP THE COMMUNITY KEEP IN MIND AS WE BUILD OUT PROJECT CONNECT, THAT PROJECT CONNECT AND THE ORANGE LINE AND THE BLUE LINE, AND THE PIECES OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ARE BEING BUILT UNDER THE PROGRAM ARE NOT IN AND OF THEMSELVES A TRANSIT SYSTEM.

THEY ARE AN EXPANSION OF OUR EXISTING TRANSIT SYSTEM.

UM, AND SO THE, UM, BACKGROUND BUS NETWORK THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IS, UM, JUST AS IMPORTANT OR MAYBE IN SOME CASES, EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO HOW PEOPLE GET AROUND.

AND SO LOOKING AT WHICH USERS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE MOST LIKELY GOING TO BE ABLE TO AVAIL THEMSELVES WITH A LIGHT RAIL, UM, IN WHICH USERS WILL NEED BUS TO EITHER CONNECT TO THE LIGHT RAIL OR TO MAKE THEIR ENTIRE TRIP SO THAT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WORKS AS AN INTEGRATED NETWORK.

AND SO, UM, ALL OF THAT IS STUFF THAT RIGHT NOW WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH.

WE'VE BEEN, UM, FOR THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR WORKING WITH ONE OF THE CONSULTANTS, UM, ON A BA BACKGROUND BUS NETWORK PLAN.

SO UNDERSTANDING ALONG THE, ALL OF THE LIGHT RAIL CORRIDORS, WHERE THE BUSES WILL INTERSECT WITH THE, THE LIGHT RAIL, SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR THE BUS SERVICE.

BUT, UM, ABSOLUTELY WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE SERVE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THAT LIVE ON THESE FORUMS. OKAY.

LAST, LAST QUESTION.

SO, UM, I HEARD YOU SAY THE TIMELINE FOR MAKING A DECISION ABOUT A BUS ON THE BRIDGE.

SO I I'M HEARING THIS CONVERSATION MEAN THAT THE ANALYSIS RELATED TO ACCESS, UH, FOR FOLKS AND USE OF THE BUSES WILL BE PART OF THE ANALYSIS BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE ON WHETHER OR NOT BUSES WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE BRIDGE.

AND THEN THE SECOND THING I'M HEARING IS, OR JUST, THIS IS JUST A HEADS UP.

I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS.

I KNOW CHAIR, YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS, BUT MARCH 2ND, WE HAVE A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CAP METRO BOARD, AND THE ATP TO TALK ABOUT A WHOLE RANGE OF ISSUES.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM, UH, THAT ARE COMING UP THAT ARE POTENTIALLY POLICY ISSUES.

UM, AND THAT AT THAT TIME, I'LL BE WANTING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE DECISION IS BEING MADE AND, AND ALSO HOW THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WEIGH IN ON THAT DECISION.

THANK YOU CHAIR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO ASK.

I APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT BEING ABLE TO HAVE ALL TYPES OF TRANSIT ARE GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT WITH THE STUDIES THAT GO ON ABOUT, UM, COST IMPACTS TO FLOODPLAIN IMPACTS TO WILDLIFE, POTENTIALLY SINCE IT'S RELATIVELY CLOSE TO WHERE THE BATS ARE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS A VERY LONG EXTENSIVE PLAN.

THIS IS A PLAN ABOUT THE FUTURE.

AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHATEVER WE'RE DOING, WE'RE GETTING RIGHT.

UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE STAKEHOLDERS BRINGING THIS IDEA UP AND EVERYONE'S WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONVERSATION TO REALLY FIGURE OUT THE BEST PATH FORWARD.

I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE GET, WE GET RIGHT IN THIS MOMENT.

UM, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS AT THE MOMENT, I KNOW WE DO WANT TO HEAR A BRIEF UPDATE ABOUT THE GUADALUPE STREET TOO.

DID YOU WANT TO, UM, ASK A QUICK QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON, WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO BLUE AND ORANGE.

I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GET BOGGED DOWN IN BLUE WITHOUT ALSO HEARING ORANGE AND ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS TOGETHER IF APPROPRIATE, BUT GO AHEAD.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON, SOUTH OF THE QUESTIONS OUT THERE, AND MAYBE WE COULD JUST COMBINE THE RESPONSE.

UM, THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO UTILIZE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE THE SOUTH FIRST BRIDGE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THAT AN OPTION AND, UM, WOULD THAT MAKE A BUS OPTION ON THE BLUE LINE, UH, BRIDGE REDUNDANT AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED AT THE SAME TIME.

IT SAYS MORE PRODUCTIVE CHAIR.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

IS THERE A QUICK UPDATE ON THE GUADALUPE ORANGE LINE? I KNOW THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT, UH, MULTIPLE SIDES OF STAFF AND STAKEHOLDERS AND THE ATP HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN.

SO I JUST WONDERED IF WE COULD ADD THAT INTO THIS DISCUSSION.

AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT BLUE AND ORANGE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY

[00:45:01]

TO COVER BOTH OF THOSE.

UM, CHAIR ELLIS.

ABSOLUTELY.

UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING OF COURSE, UM, ON MULTIPLE COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM, INCLUDING, UM, THE ORANGE LINE, WHICH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, A VERY TRICKY AREA WITH REGARDS TO CONSTRAINTS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.

UM, MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS, LOTS OF PEDESTRIANS, THE HIGHEST WITHIN THE CITY.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL AS WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AND DESIGN TEAMS, UM, TO DECIDE WHICH OPTIONS TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, THROUGH THE 30%.

AND, UH, I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO PETER TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THE, WHERE WE ARE IN THOSE DECISIONS, UM, AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE 30% AND WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE SHOWN IN THE 30%, AND THEN ANNA MAY WANT TO ADD A FEW THINGS TOO, BECAUSE IT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF OPERATIONAL, UM, CONSIDERATIONS ON THE DRAG THAT ARE A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE BRIDGE BECAUSE OF, UM, ALL OF THE MODES OF TRAFFIC AND THE DENSITIES AROUND UNO.

UM, SO I'LL LET PETER, PETER GIVE A HIGH LEVEL OF WHERE WE ARE WHAT'S MOVING FORWARD AND THEN MAYBE ANNA GIVE, UM, SOME MORE DETAILS ON THE SPECIFIC OPTIONS AND WHY WE LANDED THERE.

GREAT.

UM, YEAH, SO THE ORANGE LINE IS ALSO LIKE THE BLUE LINE, UM, IS GOING THROUGH THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING PHASE AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS, UM, ON THE SO, AND WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY ROLL OUT THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND THE 30% DESIGN, UM, THIS SUMMER, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, ON THE DRAGS SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE CARRYING TWO OPTIONS FORWARD, UM, FOR THE DRAG ITSELF, UH, WHICH WE'VE BEEN REVIEWING WITH THE COMMUNITY.

UM, WE HAD, UH, COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, UH, IN NOVEMBER, UM, ONE IN PERSON, ONE VIRTUAL, WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING ANOTHER ONE ON FEBRUARY 24TH.

SO I'LL MAKE A PLUG FOR THAT NOW.

UM, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONTINUING TO GET FEEDBACK ON BOTH OF THE OPTIONS, UM, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE COME TO THE 30% POINT, WE'LL, AGAIN, WE'LL BE PRESENTING BOTH, BUT I EXPECT THAT, UM, THERE WILL BE A KIND OF A STAFF RECOMMENDATION, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, PREFERENCE BETWEEN THE OPTIONS.

THEN AGAIN, THAT WILL BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION WHEN WE ROLL OUT THE 30% PERCENT.

UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS REALLY, IS OBVIOUSLY REALLY CRITICAL AND WE'VE GOTTEN LOTS OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES.

SO, YOU KNOW, UT, UM, BUSINESS OWNERS ON THE DRAG, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES BOTH IN WEST CAMPUS, BUT ALSO SHOW CREST AND HERITAGE AND, UH, NORTH UNIVERSITY ALL AROUND THAT AREA.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF OUR, YOU KNOW, HOW DIVERSE AND VIBRANT OUR COMMUNITY IS HERE IN AUSTIN.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE TAKING ALL THAT FEEDBACK AND FOLDING IT IN AND TRYING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, USE THAT TO MAKE THE, SORT OF THE BEST DECISION WE CAN ABOUT THE PATH FORWARD.

UM, YOU KNOW, AFTER 30% DESIGN, AND ONCE WE PICK A KIND OF A GENERAL OPTION FOR HOW TO PROCEED, THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE LOTS OF DESIGN DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURS AND DETAILS ABOUT THE DESIGN TO, TO REFINE IT AND MAKE IT BETTER.

AND SO IT DOESN'T MEAN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DOESN'T END AT THAT POINT.

UM, BUT WE DO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DEFINING THE PROJECT APPROPRIATELY AND ALSO, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CLEAR PATH FOR, OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SO NOW THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE BLUE AND ORANGE, I WANT TO OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FOR BOTH OF THOSE.

UM, I'M NOT SURE IF COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON'S QUESTION GOT ANSWERED.

IF THERE WAS CONSIDERATION FOR SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE SOUTH FIRST STREET BRIDGE PLAYING INTO THIS CONVERSATION.

IT LOOKS LIKE ANA, UM, CAN RESPOND TO THAT.

UM, GO AHEAD, ANA.

UM, HOWEVER, WHETHER WE'RE LOOKING 20, 50 YEARS DOWN THE LINE, OUR CITY IS GROWING LIKE CRAZY, AND WE'RE GONNA NEED MORE OPTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION THAT THE REALLY GOOD ONE.

UM, IF YOU THINK ABOUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HAVE VERY FEW LIKE CROSSINGS.

THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK DOWNTOWN.

SO THERE'S THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE, THE DRAKE BRIDGE, UM, SOUTH LAMAR, AND THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT OUR HIGHWAYS.

SO, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSES THAT TRAVERSE THE SOUTH FIRST STREET BRIDGE RIGHT NOW.

UM, ONE OF THE COMPLICATING FACTORS IS THAT THEY MAKE TURNS AT THE CITY HALL ON THE NORTH END AND THE SOUTH END.

SO, UM, TRANSIT ONLY LANES ARE, ARE DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY IMPROVING, UM, TRAVEL TIME FOR BUSES.

UM, HAVING SAID THAT WE HAVE A PROJECT IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ON THE BRIDGE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH CAP METRO TO MAKE THAT SERVICE SMOOTHER.

[00:50:01]

SO, UM, AS WE LOOK AT A GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT HERE, UM, IT'S HARD AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO PRECLUDE THE NEED FOR, FOR BUSES ON THE TRINITY BRIDGE.

UM, WE'RE GOING TO NEED ALL OF OUR BRIDGES TO WORK AS HARD AS POSSIBLE.

UM, AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE DIGGING IN NOW.

AND, UM, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK IN A MONTH OR SO, AND WE HAVE SOME MORE ANALYSIS AND PRESENT THOSE FINDINGS.

ARE THERE MORE QUESTIONS? I THINK I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, IF THERE'S TIME AND OTHERS DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS RIGHT NOW.

SO WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD? UM, SO, WELL, LET ME JUST, UM, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND I CAN TAKE A LOT OF THEM, SOME OF THEM OFFLINE, BUT I'M REALLY UNCLEAR ON THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.

AND SO MAYBE THIS IS AN ITEM THAT REALLY NEEDS TO JUST WAIT FOR A CONVERSATION ON MARCH 2ND WHEN ALL THE BOARDS ARE TOGETHER.

SO FEEL FREE TO TELL ME THAT IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW, BUT, UM, UH, BUT I, I, THERE'S A LOT OF ENTITIES THAT ARE IMPACTED HERE THAT NEED TO BE PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING.

AND SO I DON'T HAVE CLARITY.

I THANK YOU.

UM, MR. MILAN FOR TELLING US THE TIMELINE, BUT, UM, I'M NOT SURE THE TIMELINE IS ALIGNING WITH, UM, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BOARDS TO WEIGH IN.

I'LL JUST STOP THERE.

I SEE THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON HAS A QUESTION.

WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD, COUNCIL MEMBER HOPPER, MADISON.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND Y'ALL WILL HAVE TO GIVE ME, YOU'VE SEEN ME TURN MY CAMERA OFF IT'S BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS A, UH, THING HAPPENING WITH ALLERGIES RIGHT NOW.

IT IS DOING THE THING.

AND SO I DON'T NEED TO SEE ALL OF THAT, BUT I REALLY AM JUST AS A LAY PERSON.

RAIL AND BUS BUSES FOR THAT MATTER INTO A DENSE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

YOU KNOW, I WAS IN A, IN ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEETING EARLIER WHERE I'M LISTENING TO THE WORDS, BUT AS A PERSON WHO'S NOT POLITICALLY AMBITIOUS AS A PERSON WHO HAS SHOWED UP, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN MY COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S BUILDING THIS, THE PEOPLE'S MONEY.

THIS THE PEOPLE'S TIME WE NEED TO BE SPEAKING TO THE PEOPLE.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.

LIKE I'M TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, AS A LAY PERSON, I'M TRYING TO RECOGNIZE WHAT IT IS YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, LET ME TRY TO APPROPRIATELY ARTICULATE MY QUESTION.

WHAT I'M NOT HEARING IS WHY DOES THIS NEED TO BE A 10 YEAR PROCESS FOR THE BUSES TO GET THEIR OWN LANES? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

AND I THINK MAYBE THIS IS TO COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, WHO HAS BEEN A CHAMPION FOR MOBILITY TO HER POINT.

LIKE SHE'S GOT QUESTIONS AND I'M TELLING YOU AS A LAY PERSON, I GOT QUESTIONS.

THIS, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT Y'ALL WAS SAYING RIGHT NOW.

AND SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINE.

I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED.

AND I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO MY QUESTION.

MAYBE IT'S NOT A QUESTION SO MUCH AS A STATEMENT, BUT IT JUST FEELS LIKE IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE TALKING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, HOW DOES THIS MAKE SENSE TO THEM? HOW DO YOU SAY THE WORDS IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE TO THEM, TO WHERE THEY UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINE TO WHERE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY? I, IF I DON'T GET IT AND I I'M TELLING YOU, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS AROUND MOBILITY.

IF I DON'T GET IT, THEN I DON'T THINK THEY GET IT.

AND THEN I THINK WE'RE DOING A DISSERVICE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

I CAN TRY TO ANSWER, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON.

I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, BECAUSE THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE TRIED TO DO WITH THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN IS TO REALLY TRY TO TALK TO PEOPLE IN WAYS THAT IT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE ABOUT WHAT WE WERE ASKING THEM, WHAT THE PRODUCT WAS GOING TO BE, HOW IT WAS GOING TO BE USED.

AND, UM, I CAN ATTEMPT TO SAY THAT ALL, ALL OF THE PEOPLE WORKING ON PROJECT CONNECT WANT TO MOVE THE MOST PEOPLE THROUGH OUR MAJOR ARTERIALS AS POSSIBLE WITH THE BRIDGES THAT CROSS OUR LAKES, YOU KNOW, BEING THOSE MAJOR ARTERIALS.

AND THERE'S VERY FEW OF THOSE WHERE THERE'S LOTS OF ROADS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THERE'S VERY FEW BRIDGES.

SO IT'S THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF ALL TYPES OF VEHICLES, CARS, BUSES, LIGHT RAIL, AS WE BUILD PROJECT CONNECT.

AND SO, BUT WITH THAT COMES LOTS OF TECHNICAL CHALLENGES AS WE ARE RETROFITTING

[00:55:01]

SO I WOULD S I WOULD SAY TO THE PUBLIC, WHO'S LISTENING THAT WHILE THAT'S THE ULTIMATE GOAL THAT WE ALL WANT, AND THAT COUNCIL SUPPORTS, WE KNOW YOU DO.

WE KNOW YOU ALL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED ON THE ASAP, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT FOR, UM, MAXIMIZING PEOPLE, THROUGHPUT THROUGH ALL MODES ON ALL OF OUR STREETS, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN, BUT THERE'S CONSTRAINTS AND THERE'S TRADE OFFS.

AND SO TO COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN'S POINT ON MARCH 2ND, WE HOPE TO START TO DAYLIGHT.

SOME OF THOSE TRADE-OFFS LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, PETER TALKED ABOUT WITH SPECIFICS TO THE BRIDGE, THERE'S THE WALNUT CREEK OUTFLOW, WHERE ALL THE WATER FLOWS INTO LADY BIRD LAKE, AND THAT HAS MAINTENANCE, UM, NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE BALANCED WITH HOW THE TUNNEL CON THE BRIDGE BECOMES THE TUNNEL AND THE SPACE REQUIRED.

AND WE HEARD ABOUT THE BOATHOUSE AND NEEDING TO MOVE THE BOATHOUSE FOR THOSE REASONS THERE'S UTILITIES THAT NEED TO BE USED.

SO WE WANT THE BUSES TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE AS COUNCIL MEMBER, AS CHAIR ELLIS SAID, WE NEED TO GET IT RIGHT.

BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS LOOKING AT ALL THOSE DETAILS.

AND WE HOPE TO COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN'S QUESTION.

I KNOW THIS, THIS ISN'T GOING TO PROVIDE COMPLETE CHECK CLARITY, BUT OUR APPROACH RIGHT NOW, EARLY IN THE PROGRAM IS CONSENSUS AND COLLABORATION.

SO ATP, CAPITAL METRO IN THE CITY, WE HOPE TO COME BASED ON ALL THOSE THINGS.

AND MORE THAT I SAID, THERE'S ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION LINES THAT, THAT ARE REALLY HARD TO MOVE.

HOW DO WE WEAVE THE BRIDGE AND POTENTIALLY THE, THE BUS LANE THROUGH THOSE THINGS? HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? ALL OF THOSE THINGS, WE THINK IT'S WORKABLE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO WORK THROUGH ALL THAT.

UM, AND WE'RE HOPING WE CAN FIND CONSENSUS ON A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CAN MAKE TO THE COUNCIL, TO THE ATP BOARD AND TO THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD, UM, TO HELP Y'ALL'S DECISION ALONG, BEYOND THAT, WE MAY NEED A DIFFERENT PROCESS, BUT AT THIS POINT, MAYBE I HAVE ROSY COLORED GLASSES ON, BUT I'M HOPING THE STAFFS FROM THE THREE AGENCIES CAN WORK THROUGH ALL THAT DAYLIGHT.

SOME OF IT ON MARCH 2ND, CONTINUE TO DAYLIGHT IT THROUGH MOBILITY COMMITTEE, UTC, OTHER VENUES, MAYBE WE TALKED ABOUT PETER AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT AND DOTTIE HAVING, UM, AN ACTUAL SPECIFIC MEETING FOR THE BRIDGE.

AGAIN, MAYBE IN APRIL WHERE WE CAN KNOW MORE FROM OUR ANALYSIS AND DAYLIGHT MORE OF IT.

UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPED EXPLAIN IT IN MORE LAYMAN TERMS, BUT I TRIED.

YES, YOU DID TRY.

AND THEN THE ONE THING YOU DIDN'T SAY, AND THIS IS THE ONE THING I THINK WE NEED TO SAY, WE KEEP TELLING PEOPLE THAT WE'RE MOVING FROM AN EQUITY FORWARD PERSPECTIVE.

IN WHICH CASE WE NEED TO KEEP COMING BACK TO THAT BECAUSE WE PROMISED THEM, WE PROMISED THEM.

AND AS SOON AS WE GO BACK ON OUR PROMISE, THEY WON'T TRUST US.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL KEEP THAT LIKE AS THE FORWARD FACING PERSPECTIVE.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT PUTTING THAT AT THE FOREFRONT, BUT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY AT THE FOREFRONT OF ALL THREE PARTNERS IS LOOKING AT EQUITY IN THE SYSTEM AND REALLY WE, THIS OPPORTUNITY MUST TAKE THAT LENS.

AND SO THAT WE DON'T REPEAT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST WITH TRANSPORTATION, NOT ONLY US, BUT OTHERS IN THE COUNTRY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I WANT TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL AND MINDFUL THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO INCREASE VEHICLE CAPACITY, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO MOVE MORE PEOPLE IN BETTER WAYS WITHOUT DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND I CAN APPRECIATE THIS.

THIS IS A HIGHLY TECHNICAL CONSIDERATION, NOT ONLY IN ENGINEERING, BUT BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE APPROVED THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT WHERE WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT GOVERNING BODIES, ALL BEHOLDEN TO THE DOCUMENTS THAT THEY HAVE APPROVED.

AND SO I RESPECT THAT THIS IS A REALLY TECHNICAL AND COMPLEX CONVERSATION.

UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IN, IN RESPECT OF TRANSPARENCY, THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD.

PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN MENTIONED THE UPCOMING MEETING ON MARCH 2ND, WHICH WILL OCCUR BEFORE OUR NEXT MOBILITY MEETING ON THE 10TH.

THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER AND REALLY SORT THROUGH SOME OF THESE DETAILS.

SO OUR ROLES HERE ARE DIFFERENT.

THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FUNDING MECHANISM AND WE THEREFORE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, HOPEFULLY IN LOCKSTEP TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY VOICES ARE BEING HEARD.

UM, AND I THINK THERE COULD BE OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY STILL NEED TO BE LOOKED AT LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DEDICATED BUS LANES ON FIRST AND POTENTIALLY THE TRINITY BRIDGE.

I THINK ALL OPTIONS SHOULD BE ON THE TABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THIS CORRECTLY.

AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT ADDING BRIDGES INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA, ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS THE WHOLE SPIRIT OF PROJECT CONNECT WAS TO GET PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF DOWNTOWN WITHOUT NEEDING A CAR.

AND SO

[01:00:01]

AND SO I THINK THAT'S ALL AT FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS RIGHT NOW, AS WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THIS, AS WE'RE ALL TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR, OUR BINDING AGREEMENTS.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS FOR US TO BE ADDRESSING OVER THE NEXT, JUST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

WE'VE REALLY GOT THREE WEEKS UNTIL THAT MEETING.

UM, DID I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN HAD ONE MORE AND THEN I THINK KELLY, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE HER FIRST, BECAUSE SHE HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK.

OKAY, LET'S GO WITH VICE CHAIR, KELLY.

AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON FOR RAISING THOSE POINTS.

I THINK THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT.

IT ACTUALLY, WHILE YOU'RE SPEAKING, IT REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING THAT YOU TOLD ME ONCE, WHICH WAS YOU CAN'T PUT THE TOOTHPASTE BACK INTO THE CONTAINER THAT YOU SQUEEZE IT OUT OF.

AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AND, AND BE VERY PARTICULAR AND, UH, UM, ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT WE USE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE TALK TO EVERYONE.

AND I JUST ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE ARE INCLUDING THE BOATHOUSE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO BE MINDFUL OF HOW THIS WILL AFFECT THAT PROCESS.

THAT BOATHOUSE IS A VERY IMPORTANT ASSET, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT AS THEY ENJOY OUR DOWNTOWN SPACES.

SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THIS GREAT CONVERSATION, COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN, AND THEN I'VE GOT ONE OTHER THOUGHT TOO, BUT GO AHEAD.

UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT, UH, THE POINTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES WERE BRINGING UP AND ON, UM, AND, UM, UH, I WOULD EXPECT THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS CONSENSUS AND I APPRECIATE, UM, ARTICULATING THAT.

UM, SO, UM, SO THAT'LL BE IMPORTANT FOR OUR CONVERSATION ON MARCH 2ND IN, IN, AFTER THAT, WHAT NEEDS TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR IS HOW THE DECISION IS MADE BASED ON WHAT DATA AND WHAT INFORMATION AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON, WE NEED TO LEAD WITH THE IMPACT ON EQUITY.

SO, UM, AND WE NEED TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR ON WHAT THE ROLE IS OF THE THREE BOARDS IN WEIGHING IN ON THIS DECISION.

UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SOME CONSENT, UH, CONSENSUS FROM OUR STAFF AND RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FOR ALL OF US TO CONSIDER.

I, I THINK OF THIS AS A POLICY DECISION THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE THREE BOARDS, UM, TO, TO CONSIDER AND WEIGH IN ON.

AND I THINK THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE, UM, STAFF INTENTION AROUND THAT MARCH 2ND MEETING.

UM, SO REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.

UM, I DO WANT TO SET SOME EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THAT MEETING BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL BE LESS ABOUT THE SUBSTANCE OF ISSUES THAN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS AS YOU DESCRIBED.

SO, UM, WE WON'T HAVE, WE WON'T BE READY FOR A DECISION ABOUT THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE ON MARCH 2ND.

UM, BUT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, LIKE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT JUST EVERYBODY'S CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS IS, NOT JUST FOR THIS, BUT THE AREA OF DETAILS, UM, AND DESIGN ISSUES.

I MEAN, OUR JOB AS STAFF IS TO PUT FORWARD WHERE WE THINK THERE ARE REAL DECISIONS AND TRADE-OFFS TO BE MADE WHERE WE NEED POLICY DIRECTION, RIGHT.

AND TO LAY OUT ALL THE FACTS.

SO, AND THAT'S, I THINK THE PLAN OF WHAT WE WOULD DO LEADING, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY LEADING UP TO THIS SUMMER WHEN WE START TO REALLY NEED TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, UM, AND TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT A PATH FORWARD.

PER THE RAW COMMENTS, BUT THE ROLL-UP WAS, WE REALLY NEED EACH COMPONENT OF, OF THE PROGRAM, UM, FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT TO MOVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

I HAD ONE LAST QUESTION I THINK MIGHT BE FOR A UNIQUE, UM, I'VE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CITY'S EIS SCOPE COMMENTS.

COULD YOU SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT THOSE? SURE.

UM, BACK IN APRIL, I BELIEVE IT, AT THE END OF APRIL, UH, PARTICIPATING AGENCIES THROUGH, UM, THE FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT PROCESS, UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE ASKED TO MAKE COMMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE PROJECT.

AND SO WE, UM, GATHERED, WE HERDED THE CATS THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY AND GATHERED MULTIPLE PAGES OF RAW COMMENTS OF WHICH, UM, BUSES ON THE BRIDGE WERE MADE, UM, BY AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION.

UM, MAINLY BY AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION, GIVEN THEIR HISTORY, UM, WORKING, UM, ON TRANSIT SPEED AND RELIABILITY AND COORDINATING WITH TXDOT ON MANAGED LANE PROJECTS.

AND, AND ALL OF THAT, WHAT WE DID WAS CONSOLIDATE ALL THE RAW RAW COMMENTS INTO A LETTER THAT ACM, UM, FAN DACA THEN SENT TO ATP.

AND IN THAT LETTER, YOU KNOW, WE MADE THE COMMENT THAT I MADE EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, WE HAD GUADALUPE IN MIND

[01:05:01]

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW IS COMPLETELY INLINE WITH THOSE COMMENTS, UM, AND WITH THE SCOPE OF THE EIS.

I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S GOOD.

THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION.

SO WE COULD CLARIFY THAT, THAT THAT WAS THE CITY'S, UM, RESPONSE AS A PARTICIPATING AGENCY AND A PARTNER WE'RE IN A UNIQUE SITUATION, UM, THAT WE ARE PARTICIPATING AGENCY, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO A FUNDING PARTNER, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER.

IT SOUNDED LIKE AN IDEA THAT I HAD MENTIONED BRIEFLY EARLIER, BUT YOU ARTICULATED IT MORE ELOQUENTLY, WHICH IS THAT WE DO WANT TO MOVE PEOPLE QUICKER AND SAFER IN A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAY WITH, WITH BEING MINDFUL OF EQUITY.

UM, AND AS YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE PEOPLE SAFER SPACES FOR PEDESTRIAN BIKE AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES, YOU ARE THEREBY MAKING SURE WE DON'T HAVE MORE, UM, VEHICLES, IDLING, YOU KNOW, NOBODY LIKES TO BE IDLING IN, IN THE VEHICLE.

THAT'S, THAT'S THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IN THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION.

UM, I THINK WE ARE ABOUT TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY, THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY.

I HAVE FAITH THAT WE HAVE BRILLIANT MINDS WORKING ON THIS.

WE HAVE GREAT VOCAL COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, UPLIFTING EACH OTHER, AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ALL DOING THIS TOGETHER.

AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AS LONG AS WE LISTEN AND WE ENGINEER AND WE FINANCE IN THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING THINGS FOR THIS CITY.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL WORKING SO HARD ON THIS COUNCIL MEMBER, HARPER, MADISON SHARE ONE LAST QUESTION.

I COULDN'T HELP, BUT NOTICE THAT, UH, WE HAVE NEVER TD JACKMAN HERE ON THE LINE.

WHO'S FROM HOUSING AND PLANNING AND SHE'S OUR DISPLACEMENT PERSON.

SO WAS SHE HERE? HAD THERE, I SEE.

YEAH, SHE MAY BE HERE FOR THE ITEM.

WE'RE ABOUT TO TAKE UP RIGHT NOW.

SO THIS MIGHT BE A GREAT SEGUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HAVE HER INPUT.

NO, JUST GETTING STARTED.

ITEM NUMBER THREE IS THE RACIAL EQUITY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT.

THE NEXT ITEM

[3. Racial Equity Anti-Displacement Tool related to Project Connect.]

YES, EXACTLY.

THAT WAS PERFECT.

YOU JUST A LITTLE AGAIN.

CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME CLEARLY? YES.

YEP.

UM, SO, UH, MY NAME IS NEFERTITI JACKMAN AND I'M GOING TO PROVIDE WHAT I WILL SHARE IS WHAT I'M GOING TO PROVIDE IS SORT OF AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE $300 MILLION OF INVESTMENTS TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDENTS, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE PROJECT CONNECT INVESTMENTS.

WHAT I WILL SHARE IS THAT THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A BRIEFING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EQUITY TOOL, BUT IT WILL, I WILL SORT OF OUTLINE HOW WE, UH, WILL BE USING THE TOOL TO PRIORITIZE INVESTMENTS, UH, FOR THE $300 MILLION.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PARTNERS INVOLVED WITH, UH, PLANNING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOOL, INCLUDING A STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE EQUITY OFFICE.

UH, BRIAN OAKS SORT OF LED THIS PROCESS AND THIS WORKS, THIS WORK ALSO MEMBERS OF THE INNOVATION OFFICE WERE INVOLVED THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.

AND, UM, ALONG WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UNDER INVESTMENT IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.

SO WHAT I WILL OUTLINE IS HOW WE WILL BE UTILIZING THE REPORT, THAT EQUITY TOOL AND REPORT, AND THEN ALSO HOW WE WILL, HOW WE HAVE OUTLINED OUR BUDGET FOR YEARS ONE AND TWO, AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THE USES, AND WHEN THOSE FUNDS OR SOLICITATION WILL BE OPEN FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR ORGANIZATIONS TO BEGIN APPLYING FOR FUNDS, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THE WAY THAT WE ARE UTILIZING THE TOOL, AND I AM HAPPY TO COME BACK LATER AND BRING IN SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, BRIAN ALVA, AND MAYBE SOME OTHERS THAT WORKED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE, OF THE TOOL.

UM, BUT I REALLY WANT TO SHARE HOW WE WILL BE USING THE TOOL WE WORK WITH ABOUT 30 COMMUNITY CATALYSTS.

THEY WERE SELECTED FROM A POOL OF OVER A HUNDRED APPLICANTS, AND THESE WERE PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES THAT HELPED US TO INFORM SOME OF THE PRIORITY PURPOSES OF, FOR THE TOOL, BUT THE TOOL AND REPORT, UH, IS BASICALLY IT'S AN ASPIRATIONAL DOCUMENT.

IT'S REALLY EXPLAINING WHY THE FUNDS ARE NEEDED.

AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT THERE HAS BEEN A HISTORY OF

[01:10:01]

AND THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE DISPLACEMENT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO WE PROVIDE SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT AS TO WHY THIS FUND, THE $300 MILLION INVESTMENTS ARE IMPORTANT, ARE IMPORTANT.

AND ALSO, UH, WE HAVE SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, OFTENTIMES, UH, TRANSIT INVESTMENTS HAVE, UH, WHETHER INTENTIONALLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY REALLY NEGATIVELY IMPACTED THE PRESENCE OF BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND HAVE, UM, AND SOMETIMES THERE ARE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHY THAT $300 MILLION INVESTMENTS ARE NEEDED.

UH, THE TOOL LIM REPORT REALLY ALSO HELPS TO UNDERSTAND AND IDENTIFY WHERE THE INVESTMENTS ARE NEEDED MOST, WHAT COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED.

UM, BASED UPON DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AND OTHER RESEARCH WE WANT TO OUTLINE, OR THE TOOL OUTLINES, HOW WE CAN, UM, DIRECT THE INVESTMENTS, UH, USING PRIORITY OR COMMUNITY PRIORITIES, WHICH IS ONE OF THE CENTRAL THINGS.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, WE REALLY WANT TO CENTER THE VOICES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED, AND THEY OUTLINED A SET OF PRIORITIES, WHICH INCLUDED NOT ONLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING IN THE CITY, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS, INCLUDING HIGH QUALITY JOBS, CULTURAL ANCHORS, AND SUPPORT OF, UM, BIPAP OWNED BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS PURCHASING LAND FOR COMMUNITY LAYUP PROJECTS.

SO, ALTHOUGH WHAT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU IS, UM, HOW WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING, UH, THE FUNDS FOR SOME COMMUNITY RE UH, PRIORITIES AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING, THE CATALYST AND THOSE WHO HELPED US TO INFORM THIS TOOL.

THEY REALLY WANTED US TO KNOW THAT DISPLACEMENT, UM, HOW DISPLACEMENT INCURS AND HOW WE CAN CORRECT, UM, DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES, THEY'RE MULTIFOLD.

SO IT'S NOT JUST ONE THING.

SO IN ADDITION TO THE HOUSING, IT'S ALSO HAVING ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY JOBS, RIGHT? IT'S ALSO HAVING THOSE CULTURAL ANCHORS IN A COMMUNITY.

SO ALL OF THESE ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT THREATS THAT ARE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITIES ARE STABILIZED AND, UM, THAT RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES AND THEIR BUSINESSES.

AND SO THE TOOL WAS DESIGNED, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY LANDS TO REALLY HELP US GUIDE THE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW THE FUNDS WOULD BE, UH, USED AND INVESTED.

AND, AND AS YOU SEE, UH, THIS WORD BUBBLE WAS ONE OF THE EXERCISES THAT WE DID, UH, DURING THE WORKSHOPS WITH THE CATALYST.

AND YOU WILL SEE THAT INVESTMENT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY, AND THAT'S BASED UPON WHAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAID.

SO ALL OF THESE WORDS WERE IMPORTANT, BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT INVESTMENTS, AFFORDABILITY, AFFORDABLE, HOUSING, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND COMMUNITY POWER, OR SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTED THINGS.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE, UH, FACE DISPLACEMENT ART OR ART DISPLAYS IS BECAUSE HISTORICALLY, UH, COMMUNITIES OF COLORS THERE, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITIES AND THEIR ASSETS HAVE BEEN UNDER INVESTED.

SO WHAT THEY COMMUNICATED TO US IS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO SEE INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND DO NOT EXCLUDE US FROM THE PROCESS, RIGHT? THIS IS A $7 BILLION PROCESS OR PROGRAM AND INVESTMENT.

HOW DO WE, UH, HOW ARE WE EQUALLY INVESTED AND INCLUDED IN THIS PROCESS? AND THEN ALSO AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, UM, ALSO IMPORTANT.

IT IS NOT NUMBER ONE AS YOU SEE, BUT IT WAS ALSO EQUALLY IMPORTANT, BUT JUST THE INVESTMENT AND COMMUNITY POWER, WHICH IS REALLY SENSORY, THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL OR HAVE HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE MOST IMPACTED BY THE TRANSIT INVESTMENT.

UM, WE WILL ALSO USE THE TOOL TO, UM, AND WHEN I SAY THE TOOL I'M REFERRING TO THE REPORT AND THE DECISION AND MATRIX, AS WELL AS THE MAPS, WE HAVE USED THIS REPORT TO LAY OUT THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE IN THE GRANT APPLICATION, AS WELL AS THE EVALUATION PROCESS.

SO THE EQUITY TOOL WILL INFORM TWO KEY COMPONENTS OF, OF HOW FUNDING WILL BE DISTRIBUTED.

AND SO THE TOOL IS ACTUALLY CALLED IT'S THE NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US.

[01:15:01]

UH, IT'S THE RACIAL EQUITY, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TWO, AND REALLY WHAT THEY SAY, WHAT THE UNDER THE BOTTOM LINE IS ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITY.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S CENTERING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED, MAKING SURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD, MAKING SURE THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS.

AND, UM, SO JUST CENTERING THE COMMUNITY IN ALL OF OUR DECISIONS, AS IT RELATES TO PROJECT CONNECT, NOT ONLY THE $300 MILLION, BUT, UH, PROJECT CONNECT AS A WHOLE, THE TOOL AND REPORT IDENTIFY SOME PRIORITY PLACES.

UH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDS THAT ARE INVESTED AND USE AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT ARE ALL FOCUSED WITHIN, UM, UH, WITHIN ONE MILE OF A PROJECT CONNECT STATION, BUT IT IS ALSO HAVE TO INCLUDE, SO THERE'S TWO PARTS OF THAT GEOGRAPHIC PRIORITY.

SO ONE MILE OF A PROJECT CONNECT STATION, BUT THEN ALSO IN AREAS, UM, THAT ARE, THAT ARE FACING A DISPLACEMENT RISK.

THE PRIORITY PURPOSES INCLUDE INVESTMENTS THAT ADVANCE AT LEAST ONE PRIORITY PURPOSE THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE TOOL AND REPORT.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE MAPS AND THE DASHBOARDS THAT REALLY HELP US UNDERSTAND, UM, THE CONDITIONS AND THESE RESPECTIVE GEOGRAPHIES.

UM, AND I'LL SHOW YOU, UM, SOME OF THAT INFORMATION BRIEFLY, BUT IT IS AN INTERACTIVE MAP IN DASHBOARD, AND THEN ALSO THE APPLICATION IN SCORING.

SO THE TOOL WILL HELP, UH, THE EVALUATORS AND THE APPLICANTS REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY IDENTIFY THE, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE FACING DISPLACEMENT RISK.

AND THOSE INVESTMENTS, WE ARE LOOKING FOR ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKING IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT, UM, CONNECTED TO, OR WITHIN ONE MILE OF THE PROJECT CONNECT STATION.

UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND OUTREACH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE WORD OUT, PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED AND THEY ORGANIZATIONS ARE AWARE THAT THESE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.

AND SO, UM, THIS IS, UH, ANOTHER WAY THAT WE ARE USING THE TOOL AND REPORT.

SO WE'VE CREATED A DASHBOARD AND MAPS THAT GIVE US REALLY GOOD DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.

AND THIS IS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR.

THE $300 MILLION IS NOT TO ADDRESS DISPLACEMENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

LIKE THAT IS NOT THE GOAL.

WE REALLY WERE LOOKING FOR TRANSIT INDUCE DISPLACEMENT.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR.

WE ARE, WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE $300 MILLION, UH, KNOWING THAT THAT'S FUNDS ARE BEING GIVEN OVER A 13 YEAR PERIOD, WE CANNOT SOLVE ALL THE DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES, UM, THAT OUR CITY IS FACING.

SO WE WANT THESE INVESTMENTS TO BE VERY FOCUSED AND VERY, UM, TARGETED, UH, IF YOU WILL.

SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, UM, AND THESE REPORTS AND MAPS, THEY BUILD OFF OF THE WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED BY UT OUR OFFICE REALLY WORK TO SIMPLIFY SOME OF THE CATEGORIES.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING, UH, ACTIVE DISPLACEMENT RISK, UH, THOSE THAT ARE FACING VULNERABLE, UH, DISPLACEMENT RISKS, AND THEN CHRONIC DISPLACEMENT, WHICH IS, UH, ONGOING OR, UH, SUSTAINED, UH, DISPLACE.

AND THEY'VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT LOSS AND THE COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS.

SO WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE ARE SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT MAKE A HOUSEHOLD, UM, VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO TAP ON USING THIS DATA, UM, AND REALLY HONE IN ON SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD NUANCES, UH, THAT HELP US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITIES AND WHERE WE MIGHT BEST INTERVENE AND DIRECT SOME OF THE RESOURCES.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO WHAT YOU WILL SEE HERE, UH, SO WE USE THE TOOL AND REPORT AND OTHER THINGS LIKE OUR HOUSING BLUEPRINT, OTHER REPORTS, THE UT UPWARD RAPPORT TO REALLY INFORM HOW THE INVESTMENTS WILL BE ALLOCATED FOR YEARS.

ONE AND TWO THEY'RE INCLUDED, INCLUDED IN THIS IS A $23 MILLION LAND ACQUISITION, WHICH WAS, UH, PREVIOUSLY WE RECEIVED COUNCIL DIRECTION FOR, AND SO THE OTHER TWO AREAS OF INVESTMENTS INCLUDE, UH, LAND DEVELOPMENT AT $21 MILLION, AND THEN ALSO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, AT $20 MILLION.

AND THE OTHER FUNDS WILL BE FOR STAFFING AND THEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

[01:20:01]

THESE THREE PRIORITY AREAS ARE CONSISTENT WITH INFORMATION THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE TOOL, UM, AND THE REPORT.

AND IT IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH, UH, CITY COUNCIL AND A DIRECTION THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE CONCH PROJECT CONNECT CONTRACT WITH THE BOULDERS, UH, WHICH INCLUDED LAND ACQUISITION, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY INVESTMENTS.

SO HERE I WILL INCLUDE JUST A LITTLE BIT, UH, DETAIL, NOT A LOT, BUT JUST A BRIEF DETAIL AROUND THE 23 MILLION LAND, A LAND ACQUISITION.

SO THESE FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO 5 0 1 C3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESERVING AND DEVELOPING AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON SMALL SITES, AS WELL AS A RENTAL OWNERSHIP ON LARGER SITES.

SO FOR THE PRESERVATION OF EXISTING SITES, IT WILL ALSO INCLUDE FUNDING FOR THE LAND FOR LAND ACQUISITION, AS WELL AS LAND BAKING, UH, OF LARGE SITES OF TO EXPAND THE CITY'S, UH, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.

BUT THE CRITERIA FOR ALL THREE SOURCES OF FUNDING MUST BE, UH, WITHIN ONE MILE OF PROJECT CONNECT IN AREAS THAT ARE ACTIVE AND MOST VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THEN WE HAVE ALSO ALLOCATED $21 MILLION FOR LAND DEVELOPMENT IS THESE FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO BOTH PRIVATE AND NON-PROFIT DEVELOPERS, UH, TO ACQUIRE AS STATE TAX INCENTIVES AND BONDS FOR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND OWNERSHIP, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, UM, THAT'S FOR ACQUISITION REBILL REHABILITATION, AND AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, WHEREAS THE RHODA AND OLDER, UM, FUNDING AVAILABLE THAT I POINTED OUT ON THE FIRST SLIDE THAT IS AN EXISTING PROGRAM, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND IS, UH, WE ARE ALLOCATING $20 MILLION, WHICH WILL, UH, BE AVAILABLE.

AND WE PUT IN HERE A COMPETITIVE GRANT PROCESS.

UM, A COMPETITIVE CONTRACTING PROCESS, I THINK MIGHT BE A MORE APPROPRIATE AND ESPECIALLY BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE, BUT, UH, FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF HOMEOWNERS TENANTS AND FOR SOLUTIONS THAT PROVIDE ECONOMIC MOBILITY.

AND AGAIN, IT IS A FOR PROJECTS AND INVESTMENTS WITHIN ONE MILE OF PROJECT CONNECT AREAS, UH, PROJECT CONNECTED AREAS, ACTIVE AND MOST VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR A VARIETY OF SOLUTIONS.

THIS MIGHT BE EXISTING PROGRAMS, SO ORGANIZATIONS CAN APPLY, UH, FOR EITHER IF THEY WANT TO PROPOSE NEW SOLUTIONS, OR IF THEY WANT TO EXPAND ON THE EXISTING SERVICES THAT THEY CURRENTLY PROVIDE TO RESIDENTS.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY DRIVEN SOLUTIONS AND INITIATIVES IN THIS, UM, IN THIS AREA.

AND, UM, THE OPTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO BE FULL PARTICIPANTS AND ALSO AS THRIVING ECONOMY.

AND THIS IS THE SAME FOR, UM, THE, SO THERE'LL BE THREE CATEGORIES UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, SERVICES, WHICH ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND, UH, TENANT SERVICES, AND THEN ALSO, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXPAND AND PRESERVE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.

AND SO THIS IS JUST A LIST WE'RE GIVING EXAMPLES, UH, BUT THIS IS, IT'S NOT LIMITED TO WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND SO, UM, AS I SAID, WE'VE OUTLINED TWO PRIMARY PRIMARY CATEGORIES OF BOTH SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF TENANTS AND THEN A CATEGORY THAT'S, UH, UH, PRIORITIZE AS HOMEOWNERS.

AND THEN WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR STRATEGIES THAT MIGHT FALL IN EITHER CATEGORY, BUT WE'RE REALLY WANT TO, THIS IS THE CATEGORY THAT WE FEEL CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE ECONOMIC MOBILITY OPPORTUNITIES.

SO THE KEY, UH, ONE OF THE KEYS, NOT THE KEY, BUT ONE OF THE KEYS TO KEEPING PEOPLE FROM BEING DISPLACED IS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC MOBILITY OPPORTUNITIES.

SO IT'S ONE THING TO PROVIDE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, UM, THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD AND REMAIN IN PLACE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO EXPAND THE CHOICES

[01:25:01]

SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES AND WE WILL COME, UM, PROVIDE A TEMPLATE IN THIS AREA FOR SOME SUGGESTIONS TO, THROUGH SOME OF THE RESEARCH AND WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY WEALTH, BUILDING STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS DISPLACEMENT ISSUES.

OUR NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

I THINK THAT'S OH, SO WHERE WE ARE NOW, UM, WE ARE, WE'RE STILL ON TARGET.

UH, OUR GOAL IS TO RELEASE, UH, NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABLE ON MARCH 31ST.

THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE OUR AIM IS.

UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON DEVELOPING AND FINALIZING THE STRATEGIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND WE'RE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS SOME OF THAT OUTREACH IN AREAS THAT ARE, ARE VULNERABLE, ACTIVE, AND EXPERIENCING CHRONIC DISPLACEMENT RISK AND ORGANIZATIONS REACHING OUT TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES, AND REALLY DOING A FOCUSED OUTREACH IN THOSE AREAS.

UH, THE GOAL IS TO RELEASE THE SOLICITATION NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABLE BY MARCH 31ST.

AND THEN WE WILL PROVIDE A NUMBER OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MEETINGS TO REALLY HELP ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING, TO APPLY FOR FUNDING, TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR PROPOSAL PROPOSALS.

AND WE'LL RELEASE THAT INFORMATION AT A LATER TIME.

AND THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY JUNE 3RD.

UM, AND THEN THERE WILL BE A PROCESS BY WHICH, UH, THIS INFORMATION WILL GO TO THE PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY, UM, COMMITTEE, AND THEN THEY WILL SEND THE RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL.

AND SO WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT BY THE FALL, AND I KNOW THIS SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIMELINE, UM, BUT BY THE FALL WE HOPED THAT, UM, EITHER APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED AND WE WILL BE WORKING ON CONTRACTS, UH, TO DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDING AT THAT TIME.

NEXT SLIDE.

I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME IF THERE ARE ANY, THANK YOU.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW FOLKS ATTENTION TO, UM, THE BACKUP WE HAD ADDED THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BACKUP.

I ALSO KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, WHO HAS HER HANDS UP, PUT UP A MESSAGE BOARD POST TODAY.

SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU.

SO ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, UM, I, UM, I, I, UM, LET EVERY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT I'LL BRING, BE BRINGING FORWARD A RESOLUTION, UH, WHICH IS NOT UNLIKE WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.

LAST YEAR, WE HAD A RESOLUTION THAT, UM, APPROVED THE USE OF THE, I THINK IT'S 21 MILLION THAT NEVER TD WAS TALKING ABOUT.

AND THAT FIRST, FIRST TRAUNCH FOR YEAR ONE.

SO I'LL BE BRINGING A RESOLUTION THAT'S ALIGNED WITH WHAT, UM, NEFERTITI JUST PRESENTED TO US, UH, FOR USE OF FIRST-YEAR.

AND SECOND-YEAR, ALTHOUGH WE'VE ALREADY GOT THE AUTHORITY, I THINK FOR THE FIRST YEAR.

SO I POSTED THAT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.

UM, AND I'M CERTAIN THAT ALL EVERYONE WILL, YOU KNOW, UH, EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO SIGN ON IS CERTAINLY WELCOME.

AND, UH, IT'S ONE OF THOSE RESOLUTIONS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE AN INTEREST IN.

UM, I DO HAVE ONE OR TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.

WOULD THAT BE OKAY, SO I WANTED TO ASK, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY ON THE, UM, THE CRITERIA, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY, UH, WITHIN ONE MILE PLUS, UH, IN THE AREAS IDENTIFIED AT RISK OR VULNERABLE TO, UH, GENTRIFICATION, BUT I WANTED TO CLARIFY, DOES THAT MEAN WITHIN ONE MILE OF A, UM, A STATION, BUT, BUT NOT, NOT A BUS STATION, A STATION THAT'S PART OF THE, OF THE HIGH CAPACITY SYSTEM, LIKE A RAIL RAIL STATION OR A BRT STATION.

I CAPACITY TRANSIT AND, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.

AND WE'RE GONNA START, UH, BE MORE SPECIFIC ON THAT.

SO THEN THAT HELPS.

AND THEN ONE, ONE QUESTION THEN FOR YOU IS, UM, THE, THE, ONE OF THE, THE QUESTIONS I'VE HAVE HAD.

AND, UH, THANK YOU.

LET ME SAY, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK Y'ALL ARE DOING ON THIS.

IT'S, IT'S VERY THOUGHTFUL AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE ANALYSIS THAT'S GONE INTO IT AND THE PLANNING THAT HAS GONE INTO IT.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT INDIVIDUALS.

SO IF A PERSON IS AN INDIVIDUAL LIVING IN ONE OF THESE PLACES, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE AREAS IDENTIFIED AT RISK FOR GENTRIFICATION, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A MILE OF A BRT OR RAIL

[01:30:01]

STATION.

UM, HOW DO THEY APPLY? IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY, IF THERE'S SOME, IF THEY'RE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM, AND THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, IN ASSISTANCE, UH, FOR HOME OWNERSHIP, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, OR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, HOW DO THEY, UH, GET INTO THIS PROCESS? UH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS ON THAT, UH, THE GOAL AND THE HOPE, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GONNA SEE IF WE GET THIS RIGHT, IS THAT ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE, UH, WE DON'T PROVIDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE.

WE CONTRACTED WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND OTHER VENDORS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE.

SO THE, THE HOPE AND EXPECTATION THAT THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PROVIDING THIS ASSISTANCE.

SO WHETHER IT'S, UH, THERE ARE SOME EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE HELP HAVE, RIGHT.

WHICH THEY WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY TO, BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO HOME REPAIR OR HOME OWNERSHIP, AND THIS IS WHY WE WANTED TO OUTLINE SOME OF THE, UM, TO SORT OF, I GUESS, FLAG TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO OUR HOPE IS THAT THERE WILL BE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL APPLY FOR THIS FUNDING WHERE WE CAN DIRECT INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS.

SO YOU COULD DIRECT THAT THE FUNDING HAS TO BE USED IN THAT WAY.

SO IF YOU'RE CHOOSING AN ORGANIZATION, YOU'RE CHOOSING AN ORGANIZATION AND THEY, THEN THEY HAVE TO FUND THE INDIVIDUALS THAT MEET THE, MEET, THE CRITERIA THAT IT, THAT YOU ALL SAID, RIGHT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

AND I WILL SAY IF WE NOTICE, UM, AND, AND THIS IS WHY THE FUNDING WILL BE FOR LIKE ONE TO TWO YEARS, AND I CAN SPEAK TO WHAT WE HOPE TO DO IN FUTURE YEARS.

IF WE REALIZE THAT THERE ARE GAPS, IF PEOPLE ARE FALLING THROUGH.

AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM, BUT WE'RE GOING TO CONSTANTLY MEASURE, UH, THE OUTCOMES, WHICH WE WILL BE REPORTING TO COUNCIL AS WELL.

UH, THE GOOD THING IS WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CHANGES WITH OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES.

IN FUTURE YEARS OF THE CAC OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE'LL BE, UH, WORKING TO HEAR FROM COMMUNITY, UM, AND TAKE FEEDBACK AND ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WE, UM, HAVE HEARD, UH, IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE AND WILL BE CONDUCTED THIS COMING SPRING SO THAT WE CAN, UM, INFORM FUTURE YEARS OF HOW WE WILL ESTABLISH BUDGET PRIORITIES.

AND SO IF WE NEED TO COME BACK WITH SPECIFIC RFPS, LOOKING FOR EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, UH, THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN DO THAT.

I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT.

BECAUSE PART OF MY CONCERN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, 300 MILLION IS NOT A LOT OF MONEY OVER 10 YEARS TO, TO ADDRESS ANTI-DISPLACEMENT.

AND SO I AM, I'M HOPING TO SEE TARGETED INTERVENTIONS THAT WE HAVE DONE SOME ANALYSIS, UH, TO UNDERS TO KNOW, TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY ARE THE INTERVENTIONS OR THE SERVICES OR PROGRAMS OR WHATEVER THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE, UH, IN THESE AREAS.

AND SO I, I APPRECIATE THE TARGETING YOU'VE ALREADY DONE WITH REGARD TO THE LOCATIONS.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE ANALYSIS OF WHAT STRATEGIES WOULD WORK BEST IN WHICH LOCATIONS, AND THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT IS A FUTURE ITEM, BUT, UM, BUT I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.

OTHERWISE WE MAY END UP FUNDING STRATEGIES THAT ARE NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE IN AND IN NOT THE AREAS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT.

GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER, HOPPER, MADISON, AND THEN I JUST WANT TO KEEP A BRIEF EYE ON THE CLOCK.

THOSE ARE VERY GOOD REMARKS.

AND IF WE NEED TO BE KIND OF RESTRATEGIZING ALONG THE WAY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE MOST FOCUSED ATTENTION OF THESE LIMITED RESOURCES, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE LOOKING AT.

UM, I KNOW THERE'S CONVERSATION ABOUT SOME OF THE, THE DISTANCE FROM THE STOPS OR THE DIFFERENT, UM, THE DIFFERENT, UM, THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR, JUST LEVELS OF DISPLACEMENT AND, AND HOW, HOW CHRONIC IT IS, WHETHER IT'S EXPECTED, WHETHER IT'S ONGOING AND HOW, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HELPING THE FOLKS THAT ARE MOST AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT.

AND ALSO LOOKING THROUGH THE LONG-TERM PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUSED IN ONE DIRECTION, AND WE MISS SOMETHING OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE WE KNOW THESE, THESE, UH, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT DOLLARS WILL BE COMING IN BATCHES THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF PROJECT CONNECT.

AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS FIRST SEGMENT, THAT WE'RE LINING OURSELVES UP FOR SUCCESS IN THE, AND THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION FOR US TO BE HAVING, LET'S

[01:35:01]

IT'S 2 48, AND WE STILL HAD THE FEDERAL GRANTS ITEM TO TAKE UP TOO.

SO I DON'T WANT TO CUT CONVERSATIONS SHORT, BUT WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT THE FEDERAL GRANTS AS KIND OF A PREVIEW TODAY AND BRING IT BACK AS WELL FOR A DEEPER CONVERSATION AT THE VERY NEXT MEETING, IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN DO THAT.

SO LET'S GO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, MADISON TO, TO CLOSE US OUT ON THIS TOPIC.

THERE ARE LESS, I, I KNOW YOU DON'T MESS AROUND.

YOU RUN A TIGHT SHIP, I'LL BE FAST.

I THINK SOME OF WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE A LONGER CONVERSATION.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, EXCUSE ME.

UM, I HAVE CONTINUOUSLY, ESPECIALLY AS WE TALK ABOUT THE TOOL, UM, HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT HAVING IT AS WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AROUND MOBILITY, DISPLACEMENT LAND USE.

DO WE HAVE LAND USE EXPERTS WORKING ON THE TEAM THAT WE'RE ON THE MOBILITY TOOL, IN WHICH CASE I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS A LAND USE EXPERT TALKING TO THE EQUITY EXPERTS, TALKING TO THE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COVERING OUR BASIS THERE.

UM, IT'S NOT A QUESTION THAT, UM, DIRECTOR JACKMAN, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION TODAY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CONTINUOUSLY COMES UP FOR ME.

IT'S LIKE, OKAY, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE EQUITY OFFICE, I'VE SAID, UM, MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE EQUITY OFFICE HAVE TO FACE ALL THESE THINGS, TRANSIT MOBILITY, HOUSING LINK.

THERE'S NO WAY I DON'T BELIEVE FOR ONE MINUTE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE APPROPRIATE EXPERTS IN PLACE TO HELP THE EQUITY OFFICE SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS, BUT THAT'S A CONCERN OF MINE.

SO I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE EXPERTS IN PLACE THAT ARE HELPING TO DEFINE THE TOOL BEFORE WE DEPLOY THE TOOL, BECAUSE WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY HAS AN EXPERTISE AND EQUITY DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN EXPERTISE IN LAND USE, AND THOSE ARE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE.

RIGHT? SO THAT'S ONE THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT.

THEN I ALSO WROTE DOWN TO, TO, TO, TO DE UH, DISPLACEMENT RISK.

UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT ACQUISITION AND LAND TRUST.

UM, I WANT TO KNOW, SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THEY CAN DO ACQUISITIONS.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM BEING CITY ADJACENT AND THEN BE IN THE CITY, MEANS A LOT OF DOLLARS.

SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY SAY, HEY, THIS THING COSTS $17,000.

THEN THE CITY SAYS I'M GOING TO BUY IT.

THEY GO, OH, I'M SORRY, THAT COSTS $747,000.

SO RECOGNIZING THAT THE CITY CONSISTENTLY GETS GOUT, UM, WHEN WE DO ACQUISITION, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

UM, AND THEN REMEDIATION, THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERN.

I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE.

SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ME PURCHASE PROPERTY, ESPECIALLY IN UNDER-INVESTED AREAS OF TOWN, A LOT OF THIS STUFF NEEDS REMEDIATION, WHICH COSTS A LOT OF MONEY.

IF IT WAS AN AUTO SHOP BEFORE, IF IT WAS A, WHATEVER THE THING WAS BEFORE THAT COSTS WAY MORE MONEY TO REMEDIATE THE THING.

IF IT NEEDS SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND DO LEAD PAINT ABATEMENT, IF SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND ADDRESS AS BESTOS OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE OTHER THINGS ARE.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THINKING THROUGH THE POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL COSTS.

AND AGAIN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS TODAY.

I'M JUST THROWING OUT THERE FOR MY COLLEAGUES AND FOR YOU.

UM, THESE ARE THINGS THAT I THINK ABOUT WHEN WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO ANSWER THE FIRST TWO QUESTIONS.

UM, I THINK, UH, AS I SHARED AT THE, THE TEAM THAT WORKED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOOL, IT WAS A CROSS CITY TEAMS. SO IT WAS A CROSS COLLABORATION.

THEY EQUITY OFFICE, THEY WERE JUST ONE COMPONENT OF THAT TEAM.

UH, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DID HAVE, UH, HOUSING AND PLANNING STAFF, WHICH DID INCLUDE, UH, PLANNERS FROM AND LEADERS AND PLANNERS, UH, FROM THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT, WE HAD, UM, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT.

WHAT'S OUR CITY OF AUSTIN.

I FORGOT THE ACRONYM FOR OUR TRANSIT TEAM.

SO, UH, THEY WERE THERE ALSO, AND THEN THEY HAD SOME TRANSITION AND IT WAS PRIMARILY PROJECT CONNECT STAFF, BUT, AND THEN ALSO OUR CONSULTANTS WERE, UH, MOBILITY EXPERTS.

SO THOSE ARE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT TEAM WAS FORMED.

SO, UM, THAT'S ONE THING.

AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WAS ABOUT, UH, THE LAND ACQUISITION.

SO PART OF THE MONEY, SO THERE'S $8 MILLION THAT WILL BE FOR LAND ACQUISITION FOR THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

AND THE OTHER, A PORTION OF THOSE DOLLARS WILL BE FOR

[01:40:01]

THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, WHICH IS FAIRLY, VERY SIMILAR, UH, TO ACQUIRE LAND FOR THE CITY OWNED LAND TRUST.

BUT YOU ARE CORRECT.

NOT ONLY IS THE CITY FACING THE CHALLENGES WITH BEING A GOUGE, UH, WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WE KNOW YOU HAVE $300 MILLION, A CAP METRO OR ATP, I HAVE HEARD FROM MEMBERS OF THAT TEAM, THEY'RE ALSO EXPERIENCING THAT.

AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, UH, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC STRATEGIC ABOUT, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A STRATEGY AND THE GOAL STRONG NEGOTIATIONS, BUT, AND THEN ALSO SOMETIMES THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO BE, UM, WE HAVE TO BE SMART ABOUT HOW INFORMATION IS GOING OUT WHEN WE'RE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING A PROPERTY.

UM, BUT THE, THE LAST QUESTION I WILL LEAVE THAT FOR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, I THAT'S AN AREA THAT I DON'T DEAL IN IN TERMS OF REMEDIATION AND YOU ARE CORRECT THAT I HAVE SEEN THAT THAT CAN BE A PROBLEM FOR FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS WHEN THEY PURCHASE LAND AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING UP.

THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.

IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. JACKMAN, WE HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO GET WHAT WILL NOW BE AN INTRO TO THE FEDERAL

[4. Federal Mobility Grants from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.]

MOBILITY GRANTS.

AND I HOPE WE CAN BRING THIS BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING AND STILL BE TIMELY.

SORRY FOR RUNNING OUT OF TIME, MR. SPILLER.

YEAH, THAT'S OKAY.

UH, YOU KNOW, I ALSO KNOW THAT, UH, UM, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, GINA FIDANKA WANTED TO MAKE A REPORT, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD TAKE THAT FIRST, AND THEN WE JUST COME BACK ALL TOGETHER AT THE NEXT MEETING FOR THE GRANTS DISCUSSION.

UM, I THINK I COULD, UH, UM, BED AND CHAIR SUM UP IS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED A HANDOUT OR WE CAN PROVIDE A HANDOUT TO YOU.

UH, STAFF IS BUSILY WORKING ON IDENTIFYING A PROPOSAL FOR COUNCIL TO, UM, UH, PERHAPS SUBMIT AS THE CITY.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEAR OVER AND OVER IS THOUGH ALL THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEWS IN THE NATIONAL PRESS IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS, UH, PASSED A LARGE FUNDING BILL.

UH, WHEN YOU DIVIDE THAT OUT BY YEAR AND NUMBERS, UH, WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT OUR ODDS OF GETTING SPECIFIC AMOUNTS OF MONEY.

UH, AND OUR BEST OPPORTUNITY IS TO, UH, SUBMIT A SINGLE PROPOSAL AS OPPOSED TO MULTIPLE PROPOSALS.

UH, THAT IS THE INTRODUCTION.

IN A NUTSHELL, WE ARE, UH, WORKING TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, UH, TO MEET THE CURRENT CALL, WHICH IS ABOUT FOUR, UM, UH, GRANTS FOR THE RACE OR PROPOSALS FOR THE RES GRANT, UH, WHICH WILL BE SOMEWHERE NATIONWIDE, 1.5 BILLION, UH, FOR THIS CALL.

SO IT'S ABOUT A TWENTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT CAP.

UM, THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO TELL YOU ALL IS IN A SUMMARY, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND WE'LL GIVE YOU BACK YOUR TIME.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

TO DAYLIGHT IT, SHE'S ALREADY UP.

AND I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT OFFLINE.

SO THIS IS NOT THE FIRST THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT IT.

UM, AND WE WILL BRING YOU BACK FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS WITH US.

AND AS FAR AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FEE AND DOCOS REPORT, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAD QUESTIONS.

I'M HAPPY TO WELCOME YOU UP

[6. Update from Assistant City Manager Gina Fiandaca on the City's Strategic Mobility Outcome.]

WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND COME UP.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

I'M HERE.

IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, OTHERWISE I WILL GIVE YOU, YOU'RE TALKING BACK AS WELL.