[1. Call to Order ]
[00:00:05]
MY NAME IS JEFF TREVELYAN, UH, IN A NEW ROLE WITH NEW RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND IF YOU SEE, UH, WADE COOPER DOWN THE SIDE OF THE, OF THE TABLE, SMILING QUITE BROADLY, EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENED.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY WITH OUR JOINT WORK SESSION, UH, WITH CAPITAL METRO, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD.
UH, FIRST I'LL CALL CAP THE CAP METRO BOARD INTO THE ORDER, AND THEN I WILL PASS EACH OF MY FELLOW CHAIRS, UH, THEIR GROUPS CALL TO ORDER AS WELL.
SO THE TIME IS NOW 8 39 AND THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD IS NOW CALLED ORDER.
UM, LET'S SEE, CHAIR CASTRO, VERA.
THE TIME IS NOW 8:40 AM AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER ADLER.
AND HERE ON MARCH 2ND, 2020, AND HERE ON MARCH 2ND, 2022, UH, WE CAUGHT AN ORDER, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PORTION OF THIS.
UH, ALSO WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT TO ALL RIGHT.
I GUESS IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT AND OUT THE DATE TOO.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING TODAY IS TO PROVIDE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THREE PARTIES IN PROJECT CONNECT TO GET TOGETHER, COLLABORATE AROUND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, AND EXPAND, UH, TRANSIT IN THE AREA WITH OUR, WITH OUR STAFFS WORKING AND THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
UH, BUT BEFORE WE DIVE IN, UH, FOR OUR AGENDA, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF MY COUNTERPARTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE OPENING REMARKS.
SO, UM, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO A TP.
I'M SO HAPPY AND HONORED AND GRATEFUL TO BE HERE AND THAT THE ALLSTON TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITA METALL ARE GATHERED TODAY.
THIS CONVERSATIONS ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO THE EQUAL AND OPEN PARTNERSHIP.
WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT CONNECT.
I WANT TO THANK MAYOR ADLER, FORMER CAPITAL METRO BOARD CHAIR COOPER AND CURRENT CHAIR PAVILION FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF ATP ESPECIAL, THANK YOU, JEFF, FOR BEING A PART OF THE COMMITTEE THAT APPOINTED US AND ALONGSIDE COUNCIL MEMBER, ALTAR COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN, AND BOARD MEMBER MITCHELL, JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN MADE A TRANSFORMATIVE INVESTMENT.
IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT TRANSPORTATION OR HOW WE WILL MOVE.
IT WAS ABOUT HOW WE WILL GROW AND WHAT KIND OF CITY WE WILL BE TO HELP MAKE THAT VISION, UH, REALITY.
I LOST MY SPOT FOR A LITTLE MOMENT, SORRY TO HELP MAKE THAT VISION A REALITY.
THE VOTERS CREATED AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION WITH ITS OWN BOARD TO IMPLEMENT AND FINANCE THE PROGRAM.
OUR NEW ATP BOARD HAS HAD A PRODUCTIVE AND FULFILLING YEAR.
WE ESTABLISHED TRANSPARENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
WE STOOD UP OUR INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION.
WE HIRED KEY STAFF WITH ROBUST TRANSIT EXPERIENCE, AND I'M MOST PROUD TO SAY WE GREW OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE FORMATION OF OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
IN ALL OF THESE EFFORTS, THE BOARD IS COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR PROMISES TO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.
DO THEY, WE WILL HEAR ABOUT THE YEAR AHEAD AND THE HARD WORK, THE STILL TO BE DONE.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US, THE ATP BOARD CITY COUNCIL, CAPITAL METRO BOARD, AND MOST OF ALL THE PUBLIC TO HEAR THIS UPDATE TOGETHER, AUSTIN IS A SPECIAL PLACE AND IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE TRULY A NURTURING CITY.
WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AS TRUE PARTNERS TO GET MEANINGFUL THINGS ACCOMPLISHED SUCH EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIPS REQUIRE MORE WORK.
WE KNOW IT'S TRUE, BUT IT'S SO, SO WORTHWHILE.
IT DELIVERS BETTER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE RESULTS TO THE PEOPLE WE ALL SERVE.
BURNETT AND BOARD MEMBER ELKINS SEND THEIR REGRETS FOR NOT BEING HERE TODAY IN PERSON DUE TO PRIOR TRAVEL COMMITMENTS.
THE ATP BOARD AND STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVED AND ROBUST DIALOGUE TO WORK THROUGH THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONES DECISIONS.
WE ARE ENTHUSIASTIC THAT WE CAN MOVE THIS TRANSFORMATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM FORWARD IN AN OPEN, EQUITABLE, TRANSPARENT, EFFECTIVE WAY, AND FULFILL THE PROMISES MADE IN THE CONTRACT WITH OUR VOTERS.
[00:05:01]
FOR INVITING ME TO MAKE THIS OPENING REMARKS.THANK YOU, MAYOR ADLER, MR. CHAIR, UH, GOOD TO SEE YOU IN THIS NEW ROLE.
UH, AND, AND IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL WITH, UH, THE ATP BOARD AND THE, AND THE CAP METRO BOARD, UH, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING THERE'S CROSS MEMBERSHIP OF, OF BOTH.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ALL KIND OF WELCOMING ONE ANOTHER, UH, BEING HERE TODAY, IT'S A REAL INTEGRATED STRUCTURE, THANKS TO THE STAFFS, UH, IN THE CITY AND CAP METRO AND ATP, UH, WHICH BY, BY ALL ACCOUNTS AND IS WHAT WE SEE ARE WORKING MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER, I THINK, THAN WE'VE EVER HAD IN TERMS OF REGIONAL STAFF WORK, UH, POINTING TO REAL IMPORTANT PROJECTS.
AUSTIN'S GROWING, AS WE ALL KNOW LIKE CRAZY.
UH, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE GROW, WE PRESERVE WHAT'S MAGICAL ABOUT THIS PLACE AND WE PRESERVE THE DIVERSITY AND WE PRESERVE WHAT IT IS THAT'S SPECIAL.
UH, IT'S A HARD THING TO DO AS WE WATCH OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE GONE BEFORE US IN A SIMILAR ROLE AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THOSE PATHS WELL, DOING THAT.
IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE US TO, TO REALLY LOOK AT THOSE ELEMENTS IN OUR CITY THAT ARE NECESSARY TO DEVELOP IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND, AND ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE AND TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY IS, IS, IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO MAKING SURE THAT IN THE FUTURE WHERE THE AUSTIN THAT WE CONTINUE TO WANT TO BE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LIVING IN THE GOLDEN AGE RIGHT NOW, THAT MOBILITY DEVELOPMENT HERE IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, AND IN CENTRAL TEXAS, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A DOUBLING OF THE SIZE OF THE AUSTIN AIRPORT, A $4 BILLION PROJECT, UH, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO, TO OUR CITY AND JUST INCREDIBLY EXCITING.
UH, I THINK WE'RE ALL PROUD OF THE AIRPORT THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S UNIQUE, UH, AND NOW TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE IT IS DOUBLING BEFORE US.
BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING IS, IS THAT $4 BILLION PROJECT, WHICH COULD BE THE LARGEST PROJECT IN A CITY IS NOT OUR LARGEST PROJECT.
AT THE SAME TIME THAT'S HAPPENING.
WE HAVE A $6 BILLION PROJECT TO, TO, TO CAP AND STITCH TOGETHER.
BRINGING TOGETHER OUR COMMUNITY, ADDING WHAT I HOPE WILL BE TRANSIT LANES, WHERE PEOPLE ARE ON TRANSIT, TRAVELING 45 MILES AN HOUR PAST CARS THAT ARE STUCK IN LANES, NOT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GET OUT OF THEIR CAR TO GET INTO A BUS.
UH, BUT NO, ONE'S GOING TO DO THAT.
IF THE BUSES ARE STUCK IN THE SAME TRAFFIC THAT THE CARS ARE IN, UH, AND THAT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT AT $6 BILLION, UH, TO REALLY FUNDAMENTALLY HIT, UH, EQUITY IN THE CITY AND TO UNDO PAST INJUSTICES THAT $6 BILLION PROJECT BY ITSELF WOULD BE TRANSFORMATIVE IN ANY CITY.
AND THAT IS NOT OUR LARGEST PROJECT FOR MOBILITY IN OUR CITY.
AS WE'RE GATHERED HERE TODAY ON A $7.2 BILLION PROJECT CONNECT, UH, THAT HAS MASS PUBLIC TRANSIT GETTING WITHIN A 10 OR 12 MINUTE WALK SHED OF 60, 70% OF THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT EXISTS IN OUR CITY, UH, GETTING ACCESS AND MOBILITY TO PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE NOT SEEN IT BEFORE COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO TRAVEL AND CHANGE BUSES, UH, AN HOUR COMMUTE TO WORK OR AN HOUR COMMUTE TO A CLINIC IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN THAT ANY FAMILY CAN SUSTAIN.
THIS IS A TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT AND THE VOTERS IN OUR AREA THREE TIMES NOW IN THE LAST SIX YEARS HAVE GONE TO THE POLLS TO SUPPORT WORK, MOVING FORWARD THE LAST TIME APPROVING PROJECT CONNECT, GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY, REAL IMPORTANT THAT WE DELIVER THIS PROJECT FOR THE COMMUNITY, AS THEY HAVE CHARGED THESE THREE GROUPS TO DO CAP METRO, THE CITY COUNCIL AND ATP.
THIS MEETING THAT WE'RE HAVING TODAY IS I THINK THE FIRST TIME THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE REALLY HERE AIRING A I R I N G FOR THE COMMUNITY, WHAT IT IS THAT ARE THE TOUGH CHOICES THAT HAVE TO BE MADE IN A PROJECT LIKE THIS, THE TOUGH ISSUES, BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG PROJECT AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE IMPACTS BOTH, BOTH ONES WE LIKE
[00:10:01]
AND ONES WE DON'T LIKE.AND, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A CONSTANT TRADING OFF OF, OF WHAT WE CAN DO, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
THIS PROJECT BECOMES REALLY REAL TODAY BECAUSE THOSE CHOICES THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUTLINED AND ARE GOING TO BE PUT AGAINST A CALENDAR, AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROJECT ULTIMATELY GETS BUILT ON ITS BUDGET AND ON TIME AND DELIVERED TO THE COMMUNITY AS WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MEETING BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TRUE US UP.
IT'S GOING TO ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHO GETS TO DECIDE WHAT, WHAT QUESTIONS IN WHAT ORDER AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO BE DECIDED? THIS, I THINK IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT MEETING THAT WE'VE HAD YET ON PROJECT.
AND THAT I KNOW STAFF HAS WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD ON THIS, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
AND MR. CHAIR AND MADAM CHAIR IS GOING TO BE AN EXCITING DAY TODAY, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO REALLY OPENING UP THIS PROJECT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
MA'AM UM, I'LL, I WILL, UH, I'LL BE BRIEF BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND 11 O'CLOCK.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADHERE TO THE SCHEDULE TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY, THAT THEY NEED TO ASK AND HAVE AND HAVE ANSWERED.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE DOCUMENT ALL QUESTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, IF YOU WOULD WRITE THEM DOWN, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CHRONICLED AND ULTIMATELY PROVIDE WRITTEN ANSWERS FOR THEM.
SO WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO RESEARCH ON THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BRING BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
SO, UH, IF WE, IF WE DON'T GET TO EVERY QUESTION, BECAUSE WE ARE MOVING QUICKLY THROUGH SEGMENTS, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE WILL NOT ULTIMATELY ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND THOROUGHLY.
SO, UM, THERE, THERE ARE A FEW NATURAL BREAKS THAT, THAT, UH, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE'LL JUST KIND OF RAISE OUR HANDS.
I LIKE THE BAPTIST CHURCH AND KIND OF STEP OUT AND COME BACK IN.
BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS, IS ADHERE TO THE SCHEDULE AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT DOCUMENT EVERY QUESTION THAT, UH, THAT THE BOARDS AND THE COMMUNITY MIGHT HAVE.
SO, UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DISCUSSION
[2. Update on Project Connect and discussion of Orange Line and Blue Line light rail design status. No action will be taken. ]
AHEAD OF US AND, UH, DADDY WATKINS, WOULD YOU START US OFF PLEASE? AND I THINK WE ARE, UH, WE ARE, HAVE OUR SLIDE DECK WITH US.SO IF, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN YOUR SLIDE DECK, LIKE THE LIGHT WASN'T, THERE WE GO.
UH, CHURCH AFFILIATION AND WELCOME TO BOTH BOARDS IN THE COUNCIL.
I AM THE DEPUTY CEO FOR CAPITAL METRO, AND I'LL BE KICKING US OFF THIS MORNING.
UM, LET'S MAKE SURE THE THING YOU DO WORKS.
SO OUR AGENDA TODAY IS TO REALLY FOCUS IN ON THE LIGHT RAIL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AND SCHEDULE FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.
UM, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE IN THE LAST YEAR, IN A FEW MONTHS.
AND, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO S WE'LL START BY HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE TOPICS IN THE LIGHT RAIL DESIGN THAT THE THREE STAFFS HAVE, UH, ACHIEVED CONCURRENCE ON.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A LOT OF REALLY DETAILED DESIGN ISSUES AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE LINE CAPITAL METRO ATP AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALL AGREE EXACTLY WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE ARE STILL SOME AREAS THAT ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE MOST DIFFICULT AREAS.
YOU'RE NOT, YOU'LL PROBABLY NOT BE SURPRISED TO HEAR IF SOME OF THE ONES WE'RE STILL WORKING ON BECAUSE THEY'RE THE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST NEEDS, WANTS, AND DESIRES, AND OFTEN THE LEAST SPACE.
UM, AND SO WE'LL HIGHLIGHT, UM, WHAT THOSE ARE AS WELL AS HIGHLIGHT A FEW PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE TOPICS THAT WE WANT, UM, TO, TO GET RESOLVED OVER THE COMING MONTHS.
REALLY, WHAT WE WANT TO DO THOUGH, IS LOOK FORWARD TOWARD CONCURRENCE.
UM, WE THINK IT IS PHENOMENAL THAT THIS PROJECT TO DATE HAS RECEIVED THE SUPPORT OF BOTH BOARDS IN THE COUNCIL.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE GAINING THAT CONCURRENCE THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROJECT, AND THEN TIME PERMITTING AT THE END.
WE DO HAVE A BRIEF PROGRAM UPDATE.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT MORE TO PROJECT CONNECT OTHER THAN THE ORANGE AND BLUE LIGHT RAIL LINES, BUT WE WILL FOCUS THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR TIME AND ATTENTION TODAY ON THE LIGHT RAIL.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND SCHEDULE AND START WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING.
AS I MENTIONED, WE'LL BE REVIEWING WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
[00:15:01]
LOT TO BE SAID FOR TRANSPARENCY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT JUST THE INFORMATION WE HAVE, BUT THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE USING IS MADE TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC.WE ALSO HAVE SOME IMPORTANT SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT PIECES TO WALK THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IS ENORMOUS AND IT'S SUCCESS REQUIRES PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR FUNDING.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR SCHEDULE IN A WAY THAT KEEPS US ON TRACK TO BEST BE ABLE TO GET THAT FEDERAL FUNDING.
AND WE WANT TO HAVE A TRANSPARENT DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DESIGN.
AS I MENTIONED, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF DECISIONS ON WHAT WE THINK MAKES SENSE.
AND SO WE'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE.
WE WANT TO ALSO DAYLIGHT THE LIST OF ISSUES THAT REMAIN TO BE STUDIED IN TERMS OF BOTH DESIGN AND SOME OF THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE TOPICS.
BUT IF YOU TAKE NOTHING ELSE AWAY FROM TODAY, WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT WITH THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS AND SCHEDULE THAT WILL BE OVER UNDERTAKING OVER THE COURSE OF THE REST OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
IT IS GOOD GOVERNANCE THAT WE MAKE SURE ALL OF THE PARTNERSHIP IS TRULY ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN IT COMES TO THESE DECISIONS.
AND TRADE-OFFS, THERE ARE SOME PLACES WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS.
AND SO OUR GOAL THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS TO GET TO THE END OF THE YEAR WHERE WE ASK THESE THREE PARTIES, THE TWO BOARDS IN THE COUNCIL TO VOTE A VOTE OF CONCURRENCE ON THE 30% DESIGN AND OUR IT KIND OF IMPLEMENTATION SEGMENTS THAT IS NOT REQUIRED BY ANY LAW, BUT WE BELIEVE IT TO BE GOOD GOVERNANCE.
AND AS I MENTIONED, TRANSPARENCY IS IMPORTANT TO THIS PROJECT AND ALL OF PROJECT CONNECT HAS BEEN DONE IN A VERY TRANSPARENT WAY.
SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT THE COMMUNITY IS, IS ONBOARD AND THAT WE'VE HAD A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE KIND OF DETAILED IMPLEMENTATION.
IT ALSO IS GOING TO BE A GREAT VOTE OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THE ATP BOARD, THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD AND THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, ALL IN CONCURRENCE ON WHERE WE ARE AS WE TAKE THE NEXT IMPORTANT STEP IN THE FEDERAL FUNDING PROCESS.
SO HIGHEST LEVEL SCHEDULE WISE, WE SPENT ALL OF 2019 AND IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE THAT REALLY DEVELOPING THE VISION WITH THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE DONE A TON OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND WE HAVE A TIME LEFT TO DO, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
2020, GOT US INTO THE WEEDS OF HOW MIGHT THIS GET FUNDED? WHAT SHOULD OUR GOVERNANCE BE? WE ESTABLISHED THE CONCEPTS AND GAINED VOTER APPROVAL.
AND SINCE THEN, AS CHAIR HAS VERONICA, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY HER LAST NAME RIGHT MENTIONED THAT WE'VE BEEN BUILDING THE TEAM.
AND SO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP TEAM HAS GROWN.
THE CITY HAS PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE CAPITAL METRO WAS BUILDING ITS OWN PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
AND WE'RE REALLY DOING A LOT TO GET ALL OF THE PROCESSES AND PEOPLE IN PLACE FOR WHAT IS GOING TO BE AN ENORMOUS TRANSFORMATION OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND BY THE END OF 2022, WE WANT TO BE AT A PLACE WHERE WE ARE READY TO GET THE GREEN LIGHT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BUILD THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES AND TO GO FORWARD.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE, AND IT'S A VERY EXCITING PLACE TO BE, BUT THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS.
RIGHT? SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, DAVE COUCHY, WE'LL START GETTING INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THE SCHEDULE.
AS DAVID COMES FORWARD, I JUST WANT TO, UH, TO, UH, TELL THE BOARD THAT ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO GET THROUGH THE NEXT TWO PRESENTATIONS AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A Q AND A PERIOD, SO, RIGHT.
OKAY, DADDY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, I'M DAVE COUCHER, I'M THE CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER FOR PROJECT CONNECT, UH, WITH ATP AS DADDY WENT THROUGH, THERE HAVE BEEN MILESTONES THAT HAVE GONE ON IN EACH ONE OF THE YEARS, BUT AS WE NOW GET INTO 2022, IT IS THE CRITICAL POINT THAT WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THE 30% DESIGN THE DECISIONS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND ALSO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS.
SO TO GET THAT TO A LEVEL, UH, OF MILESTONES, WE'VE DEVELOPED AN OVERALL SCHEDULE, AND THIS IS WHAT IT IS IN FORMAT, AND I'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO ACTUALLY READ IT.
SO THIS IS BASICALLY A MILESTONE SCHEDULE.
UH, IT IS THE OVERALL DECISION-MAKING SCHEDULE AS WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THAT RESULTS IN AN ACTION IN THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH AND WE'RE FINISHING UP THE 30% DESIGN AND ESTIMATES.
WE'LL USE THAT TO GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD TO RUN DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
THE SAME WAY THAT WE DID WHEN WE WENT BEFORE THE REFERENDUM, WHICH WILL THEN RESULT IN A STAFF RECOMMENDATION OF PRELIMINARY STAFF RECOMMENDATION
[00:20:01]
THAT WE'LL COME BACK DURING BASICALLY THE MONTH OF AUGUST, THAT TRIGGERS ONE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES, WHICH IS A 45 DAY REQUIRED PROCESS FOR PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.AND DURING THAT 45 DAY PERIOD, THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO AS WE GET TO THAT POINT IN THE PROGRAM, WHAT WILL BE REMAINING ARE BASICALLY THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE'VE RECEIVED A TREMENDOUS HELP AND COMMENTS FROM THE CITY AND OTHER ENTITIES THAT WE'RE INCORPORATING IN 30%, BUT BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE POINT THAT WE ARE THERE, IT WILL BE OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE WITH THE NEXT STEP, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION, UH, THAT WOULD COME FROM THE STAFF DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
UH, AND THEN BASICALLY GO INTO DECEMBER TO GO AHEAD AND FINALIZE THAT RECOMMENDATION, WHICH ALLOWS US TO MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE STEPS THAT GET US TO AFTER THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.
AND THAT ULTIMATE GOAL OF GETTING TO A FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT IN MID 20, 24, THAT'S THE OVERALL TIMELINE.
UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE NOW PUT IN THIS GANTT CHART.
SO WE HAVE A WAY TO GO AHEAD AND TRACK IT AND MOVE FORWARD.
THE BOTTOM HALF OF THIS CHART REALLY IS WHAT SHOWS THAT PARALLEL OF THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS THERE FOR THE SERIES OF COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS THAT ARE THERE BASICALLY THROUGH THE MONTHS OF MARCH THROUGH JUNE, THOSE ARE THE ITEMS THAT ARE THE MAIN ONES THAT WE STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND AGREE AND RESOLVE.
SO THAT WILL BE THE INPUT FROM THE OVERALL COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THAT AND BE ABLE TO HAVE IT.
WHEN WE COME OUT WITH THE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST, ALONG WITH THAT, WE SHOW EACH ONE OF THE MILESTONES THAT I MENTIONED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE WITH THE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION COMING IN AUGUST WITH A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN ONTO BASICALLY THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UH, AND THEN THE ACTION THAT WOULD COME IN DECEMBER.
SO THOSE ARE THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SIDE THAT MATCHES WHAT IS THERE WITH RESPECT TO THE INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY SLIDE THAT WAS BEFORE IT, IF I GO ONTO THE NEXT SECTION, THIS IS THE PROGRESSION THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH.
WE STARTED OUT WITH CONCEPTUAL ENGINEERING, WENT TO 15%, AND NOW WE'RE AT 30%, WHICH IS THE KEY TO US MAKING THE DECISIONS, GOING THROUGH, LOOKING AT WHAT THE SEQUENCE WILL BE, AND THEN MOVING ON FROM THERE TOWARDS THE FEDERAL PROCESS BEYOND THE 30%, IT REALLY IS AN EXPANSION OF WHAT THE BASE DESIGN IS AS WE GO FROM 30 TO 60 TO 90, TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
THOSE ARE THE STEPS THAT REALLY REFINE IT AND DEFINE EXACTLY WHAT WE'LL HAVE IT.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DEFINE MORE DETAIL.
FOR EXAMPLE, FOR STATIONS, THAT'S THE PROGRESSION THAT WE WILL WIND UP GOING THROUGH ON THE DESIGN SIDE OF IT, TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THAT NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO A WEEK, UH, FOR THE NEXT SECTION OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'M MONIQUE BEAU DAY MOBILITY OFFICER FOR PROJECT CONNECT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I'M THRILLED TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT, UM, A FRAMEWORK.
I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE DISCUSSION OF THE DETAILS, UM, THIS MORNING.
SO THE STAFFS HAVE COLLABORATED AND HAVE COME UP WITH, UH, THREE BUCKETS, SO TO SPEAK, UM, TO GO THROUGH THE DETAILS WITH YOU OF WHERE WE ARE AS OF TODAY.
SO THE FIRST BUCKET IS RESOLVED LIGHT RAIL DESIGN TOPICS.
THE SECOND IS AREAS REQUIRING RESOLUTION FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES STILL BEING DISCUSSED AND REVIEWED, AND THEN SOME THEMES ON PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE TOPICS THAT HAVE COME UP THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON.
AND WE WANT TO, UM, DAYLIGHT THOSE FOUR FOR ALL OF YOU.
SO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE FIRST BUCKET, WHICH IS THE, UM, DESIGN TOPICS THAT WE'VE REACHED CONSENSUS ON.
UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR THROUGH COLLABORATION AMONGST THE STAFFS.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, BEEN OUT IN THE COMMUNITY ALSO WITH EXTENSIVE, UM, WORKSHOPS AND OTHER TYPES OF MEETINGS WHERE WE'VE BEEN GATHERING AS MUCH PUBLIC INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON, AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE 15% AND NOW THE 30%, UM, AND WE'VE COME TO REALIZE THAT THERE ARE A LOT, THERE'S A LOT OF CONSENSUS ON A LOT OF, A LOT OF ITEMS AND THEY CAN BE GROUPED INTO CERTAIN THEMES.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS RELATED TO REAL ESTATE AND RIGHT OF WAY, AND ESSENTIALLY OUR APPROACH, THE THREE STAFFS,
[00:25:01]
CAPITAL METRO AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE HAVE AGREED THAT WE ARE GOING TO STRIVE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL MODES OF TRAVEL IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, UM, WHILE STRIVING TO, UM, IMPACT PROPERTY AND RIGHT OF WAY, IN THE LEAST IN THE LEAST AMOUNT THAT WE CAN.SO WE WANT TO ACQUIRE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RIGHT AWAY.
WE WANT TO HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DISRUPTION TO PROPERTIES AS POSSIBLE WHILE STILL ACCOMMODATING, NOT ONLY THE RETROFITTING OF RAIL INTO OUR RIGHT OF WAY, BUT OUR EXISTING PEDESTRIAN NETWORKS, UM, SIDEWALKS, VEHICULAR NETWORKS, UM, ET CETERA.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING AND COLLABORATING AND SEEING THE CONSENSUS AND THE CREATIVITY THAT COMES, UM, AS WE, AS WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO, UM, IMPLEMENT ALL OUR STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, WHICH, UM, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO RELY ON NOT ONLY TRANSIT, BUT ALL OTHER MODES AS WELL.
SO THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE COME TO CONSENSUS ON IS WHEN WE MUST IMPACT PROPERTIES, UM, WE ARE PRIORITIZING RESIDENTIAL, UM, AT THE HIGHEST PRIORITY TO PRESERVE BECAUSE OF OUR AFFORDABILITY, UM, CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN AND THE HOUSING CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN.
SO THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE ITEM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE IMPACTS UPON.
UM, THE NEXT THEME FOR CONCURRENCE IS ACTUALLY, UM, QUITE A LOT.
UM, WE HAVE TWO SLIDES ON THIS ONE, UM, RELATED TO WHERE WE'VE COME TO CONSENSUS ON NECESSARY ROADWAY MODIFICATIONS, AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH LEFT TURNS, UM, THROUGH THE, THE ORANGE LINE, THE COMPLETE ORANGE LINE CORRIDOR AND THE BLUE LINE CORRIDOR.
SO IT'S NECESSARY FOR US TO MODIFY, UM, ACCESS TO PRIVATE DRIVES ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE CORRIDORS.
SO LEFT TURNS WILL BE PERMISSIBLE, UM, AT SIGNALS AS THEY CURRENTLY ARE.
HOWEVER, WHERE THERE'S PERMISSIBLE LEFT TURNS, UM, WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE SAY A GREEN, UM, A GREEN ARROW FOR A LEFT TURN.
THOSE WERE B WILL BE REPLACED BY A U-TURN MOVEMENT.
SO ANOTHER WAY TO SAY IT IS ALL ACCESS FOR PROPERTIES ALONG THE LIGHT RAIL CORRIDOR WILL BE RIGHT IN RIGHT OUT.
SO I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN, WE'LL BE REPLACING LEFT TURN MOVEMENTS WHERE THERE'S NOT A PROTECTED LEFT TURN WITH, UM, UH, U-TURN MOVEMENT.
SO YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TRAVEL A LITTLE BIT FURTHER DOWN THE ROADWAY, MAKE A LEFT TURN AT A SIGNAL TO CROSS OVER AND ACCESS THE PROPERTY.
SO THAT IS A MAJOR MODIFICATION.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT, THE Y IS FOR EFFICIENCY OF ALL MODES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY SAFETY AS, AS WE ALL PROBABLY KNOW, LEFT TURNS ARE TRICKY TODAY.
AND ADDING THE CROSSING OF THE RAIL IS JUST ANOTHER MANEUVER THAT IS BETTER DONE WITH A, WITH A U-TURN MANEUVER.
THE OTHER MODIFICATION THAT WE'VE ALL AGREED UPON IS MODIFYING ON-STREET PARKING.
AND SPECIFICALLY, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH, UM, THREE LOCATIONS WHERE WE KNOW FOR SURE TODAY, AGAIN, THIS IS AS OF TODAY WHAT WE'VE HAD, WHAT WE HAVE CONSENSUS ON AS WE GO TO THE 30% DESIGN.
AND AS DAVE SAID, THE 30% IS JUST THAT IT'S 30%, THERE'S STILL A LOT THAT WE NEED TO DO, UM, BEFORE WE GET, UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE FINAL DECISIONS AND WE'LL BE HAVING THOSE WORKSHOPS OVER THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS.
SO ON-STREET PARKING WILL BE MODIFIED, UM, AND REMOVED, UH, IN THE BACK AND THE BACK IN ANGLED PARKING REMOVED ON SOUTH CONGRESS BETWEEN MILTON AND GIBSON.
SO WE KNOW THAT FOR SURE, MODIFIED OR REMOVED THAT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN BETWEEN CONGRESS, UH, ON CONGRESS, BETWEEN MILTON AND GIBSON, AND THEN THE REMOVAL OF PARKING ON GUADALUPE BETWEEN 41ST AND 43RD STREET, AND THE REMOVAL OF PARKING ON FOURTH STREET, DOWNTOWN BETWEEN GUADELOUPE AND TRINITY.
MOVING ONTO OTHER ROADWAY, OPERATIONAL CHANGES THAT WE'VE AGREED UPON IS THE RIGHT SIZING OF SEGMENTS ALONG THE RAIL ROUTES TO ACCOMMODATE RELIABLE, SAFE TRANSIT IN A DEDICATED GUIDEWAY.
UM, AND SO IN SOME CASES WE HAVE TO REDUCE VEHICULAR LANES IN ORDER TO, IN ORDER TO DO THIS.
AND SO I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC AREAS, UM, OF, SO THE FIRST IS JUST THE AGREEMENT THAT THE RAIL WILL BE CENTER RUNNING.
AND SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT WAS A DECISION THAT WAS MADE EARLY ON AND CONTINUES THROUGH TODAY.
SO ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE BETWEEN AND 180 3,
[00:30:02]
WE ARE GOING TO, UM, REDUCE BY ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION GENERALLY.SO AGAIN, RIVERSIDE, BETWEEN 35 AND 43, UM, LESSENING BY ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION, AND THEN GUADALUPE STREET BETWEEN MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BOULEVARD AND THE TRIANGLE AND INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY AREA OR THE DRAG WILL BE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALLOCATING A PORTION OF EXISTING RIGHT AWAY, UM, TO THE TRANSIT AND MULTIMODAL USE.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT REDUCING A LANE, UM, IN THAT AREA OF GUADALUPE AS WELL.
AND THEN ANOTHER MAJOR MODIFICATION IS AGAIN IN THE UT AREA, JUST NORTH OF THE UNIVERSITY, PROPER IS EXTENDING DEAN KEATON, WHERE IT CURRENTLY, UM, TEES INTO, UM, GUADALUPE EXTENDING THAT ONE BLOCK TO THE WEST TO CONNECT WITH SAN ANTONIO.
UM, AND THE REASONS FOR ALL OF THESE CHANGES ARE, AGAIN FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF ALL THE MODES TO TRAVEL ALONG THE CORRIDOR IN AN EFFICIENT AND SAFE MANNER.
AND THEN SPECIFICALLY ON THE EXTENSION OF DEAN KEATON, ONE BLOCK TO THE WEST, UM, WE WANT TO ASSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, CIRCULATION FOR VEHICLES, BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS CAN CONTINUE, WERE IMPROVED THAT IMPROVES THE EAST WEST CONNECTIVITY, WHICH IS AS A PLANNER, SOMETHING I'VE HEARD OVER THE YEARS A LOT FROM, UM, THE NEEDS OF WEST CAMPUS IS TRAVERSING, UM, UH, EAST WEST FROM WEST CAMPUS INTO THE UNIVERSITY.
SO THAT WILL BE HELPFUL WITH THAT.
UH, THE LAST ITEM ON ROADWAY, ROADWAY, MODIFICATIONS AND LEFT TURNS IS CHANGING MOVEMENTS AND INTERSECTIONS AND ADDING NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ADDING NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN COORDINATION WITH THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO FACILITATE SAFE, SAFE MOVEMENT AND OPERATIONS AROUND THE RAIL.
SO AS WE SEE THE NEED FOR THOSE THAT IS DEFINITELY ON THE TABLE, UM, WE'LL BE MAKING SOME CHANGES ALONG THE CORRIDORS, UM, AT INTERSECTIONS, UM, WHERE, UH, YOU CURRENTLY CONCUR CAN TURN, UM, FROM THE CORRIDOR ONTO CROSS STREETS.
THERE'LL BE SOME MODIFICATIONS TO SOME OF THOSE ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
UM, BUT GENERALLY THERE'S VERY FEW CHANGES TO SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS AS WE KNOW THEM TODAY.
SO WHAT W WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF, OF THIS IS OF THIS PORTION IS THAT WE STAFFS ARE COMPILING A LIST OF THESE CHANGES SPECIFICALLY AT EACH INTERSECTION, AND WE WILL POST THOSE AND MAKE THOSE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, UM, WITHIN THE NEXT PROBABLY TWO MONTHS.
SO WHILE WE WERE GOING, WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE SCHEDULE THAT DAVE POINTED OUT AND HAVING THE POINTED MEETINGS ON THESE UNRESOLVED LOCATIONS, THAT DAVID'S ABOUT TO WALK US THROUGH, UM, WE'LL BE POSTING, UM, THESE SPECIFIC INTERSECTIONS.
SO FOLKS ALONG LIVING ALONG THE CORRIDOR CAN SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT AREAS THAT THEY TRAVERSE OFTEN AND SEE HOW THOSE MIGHT CHANGE OR MIGHT NOT CHANGE.
UM, LET'S SEE, NEXT, WE HAVE CONCURRENCE ON, UM, HOW TO HANDLE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, UM, AND COORDINATION OF LIKE, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE, AND THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING.
UM, SO SPECIFICALLY, UH, WE'VE AGREED THAT AGAIN, WE WANT TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, ALL BUS LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE TRAVEL, AND WE'VE AGREED THAT WE MAY NEED TO REDESIGN THOSE TO A MINIMUM STANDARD IF NEEDED IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM ALL FIT.
AND WE HAVE A NEW TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL THAT WAS RECENTLY APPROVED THAT GUIDES US IN THAT WAY, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
UM, EVERY STATION, THIS IS A KEY POINT FROM A PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ASPECT IS EVERY STATION WILL HAVE, UM, PROTECTED SIGNALIZED, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AT BOTH ENDS OF THE STATIONS.
SO NO MATTER WHAT WAY AS YOU EXIT THE TRAIN, NO MATTER WHAT WAY YOU DECIDE TO GO, YOU'RE GOING TO BE PROTECTED AS YOU CROSS AS YOU CROSS THE STREET.
AND SO THAT WILL BE THROUGH A SIGNAL OR A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON.
AND THEN, UM, LASTLY, WE'VE AGREED ON LOOKING AT TRANSIT SIGNAL PRIORITY ALONG ALL OF THE CORRIDORS OF COURSE, TO ALLOW FOR THE EFFICIENT TIMING AND RELIABILITY OF THE RAIL.
SO WE WILL LIKELY LOOK AT SIGNAL TIMING CHANGES AS THE PROJECT DEVELOPS.
LASTLY, I WANT TO GO THROUGH SOME SPECIFIC LOCATIONS THAT WHERE WE REALIZED WE HAD SOME PROBLEMS TO RESOLVE AS WE WERE GOING FROM 15 TO 30%, AND MOSTLY THESE WERE RAISED, UM, SOMETIMES BY THE STAFFS, BUT THEN SOMETIMES, UM, AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE WE WEREN'T AWARE OF WAYS THAT THE CURRENT, UM, DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROJECT WAS IMPACTING RESIDENTS.
SO THE WALLER CREEK BOAT HOUSE THERE'S CONSENSUS THAT WE DO NEED TO MOVE THAT, AND WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND WITH THE BOATHOUSE, UM, COMMUNITY
[00:35:01]
ON, UM, ON HOW TO DO THAT.UM, WE HAD EXTENSIVE INPUT FROM THE NORWOOD PARK FOUNDATION, AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THE BLUE LINE AND RIVERSIDE, AND LEARNED THAT THEY HAD PLANS FOR RENOVATING, UM, AND UP-KEEPING THE NORWOOD HOUSE AREA.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO COORDINATE WITH THEM TO ASSURE THAT THEY DIDN'T DO ANY CONSTRUCTION THAT WOULD THEN BE TORN UP AND THAT WE COULD COORDINATE WITH THEM TO MAYBE HAVE SOME ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND HELP THEM WITH SOME OF THEIR, WITH THEIR SIDEWALK PLANS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN, UM, ONE OF THE MOST, UM, REWARDING, UM, BEFORE I PASS IT OVER TO DAVE TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE STILL RESOLVING, BUT ONE OF, ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING, UM, COLLABORATIONS WE HAD WAS HEARING FROM THE RIVER WALK CONDO FOLKS.
AND AS THEY WERE GETTING INVOLVED, UM, WITH THE BLUE LINE COMING RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR RESIDENTS, UM, THEY REALIZED THEY WERE GOING TO BE IMPACTED.
AND WE WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD TO MINIMIZE THAT IMPACT.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO A POSITIVE SOLUTION, AND I THINK THAT'S INDICATIVE, OR I KNOW THAT'S INDICATIVE OF HOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK, TO PRESERVE HOUSING IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN ALONG THE CORRIDORS.
SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME GO THROUGH THAT IN SUCH A DETAILED WAY, BUT THAT'S THE POINT OF THE MEETING TODAY IS TO GET AS MUCH OUT THERE AS, AS WE CAN.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE POSTING THOSE INTERSECTION LOCATIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND I'M GOING TO PASS THE PRESENTATION BACK TO DAVE NOW TO TALK THROUGH, UM, SEVERAL ITEMS WHERE WE'RE STILL DISCUSSING, WELL, LET'S, LET'S HOLD LET'S HOLD ON FOR A MOMENT, BECAUSE THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD BREAKING POINT TO HAVE DISCUSSION.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO HERE IS MAKE SURE THAT WE TALK ABOUT OUR, HAVE QUESTIONS ON EVERY, EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN OR ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED SO FAR.
WE WANT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY ON SCHEDULE.
SO LET'S, LET'S, UH, HAVE THE Q AND A PERIOD FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR SO.
AND, UH, AND WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE CALL ON FOLKS.
IF I CAN'T SEE YOU, THEN IF I SEE YOU COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, AND YOU FIRST IN LINE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE GET A CHANCE TO TALK FOR 30 MINUTES.
AND IF WE CAN'T GET EVERYTHING DONE, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE WRITE QUESTIONS DOWN.
AND IF WE HAVE TIME LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION, WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO THE AREA.
SO, UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOP.
UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ECON AND JUST TELL YOU THE THREE DIFFERENT POINTS THAT I MADE.
AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN THERE THAT IS, UM, THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN RESPOND TO IT RIGHT NOW, THAT'D BE GREAT.
OTHERWISE, AS THE CHAIR HAD RECOMMENDED, I'D LIKE TO JUST TOSS THEM INTO THE HOPPER FOR A LATER TURN AROUND.
SO I'M CURIOUS, UM, AND A COUPLE OF THESE ARE KIND OF IN THE WEEDS, UH, THE POINT YOU WERE MAKING ABOUT THE RIGHT OF WAY.
WHENEVER WE HAVE BIG PROJECTS, THERE'S ALWAYS A PLACE WHERE ALL OF THE SUPPLIES AND THE RESOURCES ARE STORED KIND OF LIKE A LAY DOWN OR WHATEVER THE STAGING AREA IS.
AND I JUST KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW WHERE ON THE MAP, THOSE PLACES WILL BE EVEN TEMPORARILY.
I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE VERY LITTLE DISRUPTION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONG THE PROJECT, BUT THERE WILL BE ENTRIES AND EXITS AND SO FORTH.
AND I JUST KIND OF LIKE TO GET A SENSE OF THAT BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY WILL WANT TO KNOW WHERE THOSE PLACES WILL BE ON THE LEFT TURN ACCESS.
I WANTED TO KNOW IF THE STREETS WILL BE RETROFITTED FOR THE STACK LANES AND WHAT WOULD THEY LOOK LIKE? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE CENTER TURN LANES, OR ARE THEY GOING TO BE PROTECTED? WHAT'S THE DESIGN ON THOSE? AND THEN THE COST OF THE PROJECTS IN THE FIRST BUCKET, FOR EXAMPLE, INSTALLING TRAFFIC SIGNALS, INTERSECTION CHANGES, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, THE NEW ROADS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE.
I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT THE FUNDING FOR THAT COMES FROM PROJECT CONNECT, BUT I WANT TO, I SHOULD CONFIRM THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
UM, LET ME TAKE THE FIRST ONE, AND I'M GOING TO REFER OVER TO DAVE COUCH ON THAT ON, UM, HAVE WE IDENTIFIED IF I COULD REPEAT THE QUESTION TO MAKE SURE I GOT IT, HAVE WE IDENTIFIED AREAS FOR TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION STAGING ALONG THE BLUE LINE AND ORANGE LINE? AND WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THAT, BUT AS FAR AS ANY CONFIRMATION, WE MAY HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU, BUT I'LL ASK DAVE IF HE CAN CONFIRM ANY LOCATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RESOLVED AT THIS POINT, WE'VE STARTED TO LOOK THROUGH THAT, BUT AS WE GO THROUGH IT AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT THE TYPES OF CONTRACTS AND HOW LARGE THE CONTRACTS WOULD BE, AND IN WHICH AREAS THAT'S, WHEN WE'D, THEY WILL BE DEFINING EXACTLY WHERE THAT HAS TO BE.
AND THE POINT DRIVING THIS OF COURSE, IS OUR COMMITMENT TO LET THE ADJACENT NEIGHBORS BE THEY COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL OR WHATEVER ARE WELL AWARE OF THE TIMING FOR THOSE STAGING AREAS WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO ARRIVE.
AND WHEN THEY'LL BE CLEANED UP AND RETURN TO, I GUESS, A BETTER STATE.
[00:40:01]
MAKE SURE AS WE MOVE FORWARD THAT WE'RE HAVING A PUBLIC INFORMATION PLAN THAT GETS FOLKS ALERT OF THOSE AREAS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.UM, ON THE RETROFITTING FOR THE LEFT TURNS, THE SPECIFIC DESIGNS WE HAVE, UH, SOME OF THAT DONE THAT WE'RE REVIEWING NOW AND THE 30%, AND THERE WERE UNDOUBT, THERE WILL BE, UM, SIGNAGE CHANGES AND STRIPING CHANGES MOST LIKELY REQUIRED AS WE MODIFY THE, UM, PERMISSIBLE LEFT TURNS.
AND SO, UM, THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO SEE AS MUCH OF THAT AS POSSIBLE IN THE 30%.
UM, AND AS WE'RE DEVELOPING IT, AND AS WE RELEASE THE LIST, WE'RE ALSO AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IF ANYONE HAS ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEIR SPECIFIC INTERSECTION MIGHT CHANGE, WE'D BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN, UM, WITH ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LOOK AT, UM, HOW THOSE PLANS ARE PROGRESSING.
CAUSE, UM, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS FOLKS MANEUVER THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT FOR THAT.
AND THEN AS FAR AS, UM, THE COSTS FOR, UM, A LOT OF THE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS, AS FAR AS PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACONS, UM, AT THE END OF EAST, EACH STATION AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MODIFY THE LEFT TURN LANES, THE LION'S SHARE OF THAT WILL BE, UH, FUNDED BY THE PROJECT, BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE WHAT WE CALL BETTERMENTS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, A TERM BETTERMENT THAT IS W WHERE THE COST FOR AN IMPROVEMENT.
UM, TWO CITY ASSETS WOULD BE BORN BY THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DIG ONCE AND IT'S AN ECONOMY OF SCALES AND IT JUST MAKES SENSE FOR US TO IMPLEMENT OUR URBAN TRAIL NETWORK OR IMPROVE OUR PEDESTRIAN NETWORK.
AND WE WANT TO DO THAT IN PARTNERSHIP SO THAT WE CAN SAVE SOME FUNDING AND DO IT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT WOULD BE BORN BY THE CITY.
AND WE WOULD USE VARIOUS, UM, FUNDS FOR THAT.
UM, MOST LIKELY, UM, PREVIOUS BOND FUNDS FOR LOCAL MOBILITY OR OTHER, UM, BUT THE LION'S SHARE OF IT WILL BE BORN BY THE PROJECT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF COORDINATION.
AND THAT IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE, UM, THAT IS CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT AND THE THEMES AND WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN BUCKETS THREE, THAT WE ARE STILL IN THE WORKS.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE ANSWERS, WITH REGARD TO THE BETTERMENTS AND THE SHARING OF THE COST.
I KNOW THAT WILL BE A PIECE THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSED BY THE COUNCIL.
AND SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION DISCLOSED.
OH, I RECOGNIZE, UH, THE MAYOR AND THEN, UH, AND THEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT CHAIR JUST IN TERMS OF FRAMING THIS PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WAY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL DID THIS.
IT'S KIND OF IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS MEETING, SINCE WE ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER TWO HOURS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO RESOLVE ANYTHING TODAY, BUT WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE IDENTIFY ISSUES.
UH, AND THAT'S HOW I READ THIS PACKET MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IT'S JUST BEGINNING TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WHAT THE ISSUES ARE THAT ARE BEING RESOLVED.
AND WHAT'S HAPPENING OBVIOUSLY THROUGH THE SPRING.
I GUESS WE GET TO THE CALENDAR IN A SECOND.
SOMEONE'S GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT HOW WE ACTUALLY GET THE INFORMATION AND HOW WE RESOLVE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN B KITCHEN.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY AND CLEARLY STATE A FEW THINGS THAT I THINK ARE INHERENT IN THIS.
AND LET ME JUST SAY FIRST, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND IT'S VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
SO, UM, I WANT, AND THIS IS ALL ABOUT PROCESS, THE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE AT THE MOMENT.
UM, I'M ASSUMING THAT THIS INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, IF YOU COULD JUST STATE HOW THE PUBLIC CAN ACCESS THESE MATERIALS, UH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO THERE'S HOW PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THESE MATERIALS WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THE OTHER THING IS IF YOU COULD STATE A LITTLE MORE CLEARLY THE PROCESS FOR CONSULTING WITH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES, THERE'S A WHOLE RANGE OF ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
I NOTE THAT IN THE BACK-UP, THERE IS THE CAC COMMITTEES, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE NOTED IN A DOT ON THE TIMELINE.
UM, SO I WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T HAD, I APPRECIATE THE, THE BACKUP AND THE, THE CONVERSATION THAT THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY INPUT, BUT I'M NOT HEARING THE DETAILS OF THAT.
SO I'D LIKE FOR, JUST TO, IF YOU WOULD JUST TALK FOR A FEW MINUTES TO EXPLAIN THAT THOSE ADVISORY COMMITTEES, INCLUDING THE CAC ARE PART OF THE INPUT PROCESS, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND, AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE THAT VERY CLEARLY THAT YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO IS DECIDING, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR DECIDING AND WHAT IS DRIVING THE TIMELINE?
[00:45:01]
SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THE IMPORTANCE AND THE CRITICAL NATURE OF COMPLETING THE 30% DESIGN AND SUBMITTING IT TO THE FTA THIS YEAR, OR BY DECEMBER GETTING CONCURRENCE IS, IS WHAT IS DRIVING OUR TIMELINE.THAT THE PROCESS IS WHAT IS LAID OUT HERE FOR WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS OUR STAFF, WORKING TOGETHER, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT PROCESS, AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THE THREE BOARDS CONCURRING WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE SUBMITTAL TO THE FTA.
SO I WANTED TO JUST BE REAL CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS.
SO IF SOMEONE COULD JUST SPEAK TO THE, THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THE, AS YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES AND THE DOTS, IF YOU WILL, THAT ARE ON THE TOP OF THAT SECTION, UH, WHAT IT DOES IS IT SHOWS THE SUBJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES AND THEN HOW THAT COMES FORWARD TO EACH ONE OF THE COMMITTEES.
THAT'S HOW SOME OF THEM VARY THAT WAY.
UH, AND IN TERMS OF THE WAY YOU'VE DESCRIBED THE PROCESS OF GETTING THROUGH, UH, TO DECEMBER, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, UH, WITH, AS WE GO THROUGH ISSUES, THEN THERE WILL BE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COME ALONG, UH, TO EACH ONE OF THE TIMES FROM PRELIMINARY IN AUGUST UP TO THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION IN NOVEMBER.
AND IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THE TIMELINE CORRECTLY, THEY'LL THE ACTUAL DRAFT OF THE SUBMITTAL WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO, TO READ AND REVIEW.
AND THAT IS AFTER THE SERIES OF WORKSHOPS THAT ARE GOING TO OCCUR SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND IN MORE DETAIL, THE KINDS OF DECISIONS THAT WILL BE MADE, BUT THERE WILL BE A DRAFT DOCUMENT THAT PEOPLE CAN REVIEW.
I THINK THAT WAS IN AUGUST, THAT'S THE 45 DAY PERIOD THAT IS REQUIRED BY, UH, THE NEPA PROCESS.
AND JUST TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT POSTED MATERIALS, UM, THAT CAPITAL METRO BOARD AND ATP BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL HAVE ALL POSTED THIS AS A PUBLIC MEETING.
SO, UM, ALL THREE OF THEM HAVE ALSO POSTED THE MATERIALS FOR THIS MEETING AT THAT SITE.
SO WHICHEVER SITE YOU'RE MOST FAMILIAR WITH IN TERMS OF GOING TO, TO ACCESS PUBLIC MEETING MATERIALS, IT'S ON ALL THREE.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS I HAVE MY HAND UP? OH, I WASN'T LOOKING AT THE BOARD, THE COUNCIL MEMBER LIST, PLEASE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT FOLKS IN THE ROOM, SO I WASN'T SURE HOW VISIBLE WE WERE ON THIS SCREEN.
UM, I APPRECIATED COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN'S QUESTION ABOUT WHERE THESE DOCUMENTS ARE GOING TO BE STORED.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE, UM, LIKE A PROJECT CONNECT LANDING PAGE WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY INPUT TO HAVE THE GANTT CHART THAT WAS POSTED VISIBLY THERE.
SO THAT IT'S VERY EASY FOR US TO SHARE IT WITH FOLKS, BUT I ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE SIGNALS AND WHAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO BE USED THERE.
CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME ON THE MARKET THAT ARE EITHER HEAT CENSORED OR THINGS THAT CAN BE TRIGGERED WITHOUT PEOPLE NEEDING TO GET OFF THEIR BIKE OR TO BE NEAR A SENSOR TO PUSH THE BUTTON.
AND SO I JUST WOULD WANT TO KNOW THAT, UM, IN THE FUTURE TO UNDERSTAND, ARE WE USING THE MOST MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT KIND OF PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES FOR THE BIKE, PEDESTRIAN AND WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE SPACES OF THIS PROJECT ARE GOING TO BE THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
UM, I'VE MADE A NOTE THAT WHEN WE POST THE, UM, LEFT TURN INFORMATION, WE CAN POST INFORMATION IF WE KNOW IT AT THAT TIME, OTHERWISE WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND.
WE, AT THIS POINT, I JUST LOOKED OVER IT, MS. MARTIN, WHO IS HERE AND WHO'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNER, UM, FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
AND, UM, WE ARE STILL LOOKING INTO THE BEST TECHNOLOGY.
UM, THE THINGS ARE, ARE CHANGING QUICKLY WITH IT, WITH REGARDS TO MATURING, UM, HOW WE DO BUY COMPARED, UM, SYSTEMS AS YOU KNOW.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, DOING THAT IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN AND WE'LL KEEP, WE'LL KEEP EVERYONE UPDATED.
DID I SAY BOARD MEMBER COOPER, THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR DAVE.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE TECHNICAL MILESTONES FOR A MOMENT AND JUST BE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND AND PERHAPS THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, THE SCALE, THE TIMESCALE CHANGES AT THE TOP.
SO I WAS SPENDING A MOMENT JUST LOOKING AT THIS, BUT THE KEY OBJECTIVE I GATHERED FOR THIS YEAR, THE REMAINING NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR IS TO GET TO THE POINT TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR WHERE THE THREE BOARDS CAN AGREE ON 30% DESIGN AND S AND SEGMENT PHASING PLAN.
AND THE 30% THE SEGMENT PHASING PLAN ARE THE
[00:50:01]
TWO PRIMARY ONES.SO BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR, WE NEED TO MAKE THE MAJOR DECISIONS COLLECTIVELY ON THIS, UH, ON THE DESIGN OF THE BLUE LINE AND THE ORANGE LINE, WE HAVE NINE MONTHS TO GET THAT DONE.
THAT'S THE GIVEN THE PROCESS OF THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND THEN THE STAFF CONCLUSIONS, AS WE'VE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT, THAT WOULD BE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD COME FORWARD FOR ACTIONS.
AND THEN, SO THAT TAKES US THROUGH THE END OF 22.
AND THEN BY THE END OF 23, UM, WHICH I GATHER WOULD BE WINTER OF 23 AND WINTER OF 24, UM, WE'LL HAVE FINALIZED THE NEPA ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS AND SUBMITTED THOSE AND GOTTEN A RECORD OF DECISION FROM, UM, FTA ON THAT DOCUMENT.
CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULARITY ON HOW MUCH TIME WE WOULD EXPECT FTA THAT NEED TO GET TO A RECORD OF DECISION? SO I'M TRYING TO JUST FIGURE OUT WHEN OUR WORK ENDS ON THAT AND WHEN THE FTAS WORK BEGINS AND HOW MUCH TIME THEY NEED, W WHAT WOULD PUT IN THERE RIGHT NOW, UH, IS TYPICAL TIMES THAT IT IS FOR FDA TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS.
WE'VE COORDINATED IT WITH THEM.
UH, AND AGAIN, IT DEPENDS UPON THE PROCESS, THE NUMBER OF COMMENTS THAT THEY HAVE.
UH, BUT THAT'S OUR PROJECTION RIGHT NOW IN WORKING WITH FTA, UH, WHEN WE WOULD GET THERE, JUST BECAUSE I'M STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT WITH THESE LAST COUPLE OF BENCHMARKS ON THE ONE THAT'S ENTITLED BLUE LINE, ORANGE LINE, FINALIZATION OF NEPA, ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS, THAT'S ON US.
NO, THAT THE NEPA DOCUMENT IS ACTUALLY AN FTA DOCUMENT THAT WE DO THE ANALYSIS AND PROVIDE THE INPUT.
IT'S UP TO FTA TO PROCESS THAT, UH, AND TO PUT IT TO THE RU AND THEN THEY PROVIDE THE APPROVAL OF THE NEPA DOCUMENT.
THAT'S NOT A DOCUMENT THAT IS OWNED AT THE PROJECT LEVEL.
UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS OWNED BY FTA.
SO BETWEEN DECEMBER AND MARCH OF 23, DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, WE WOULD HOPE TO HAVE THOSE DOCUMENTS IN THE HANDS OF FTA, UH, WITH THEM REACHING A RECORD OF DECISION BY THE END OF FEBRUARY MARRIAGE.
THAT'S THE CURRENT PROJECTION.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S, THAT GETS US TO THE POINT THAT WE'VE WORKED THROUGH IT, AS I SAID WITH FTA.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT THE NORMAL TYPE OF PROCESSES, UH, AGAIN, ONCE WE GET PAST DECEMBER, IT'S IN THE FDA'S HANDS, BUT NO, THAT'S WHERE WE BELIEVE WE CAN GET.
AND THEN THE FOLLOWING FTA COORDINATION FOR APPROVAL AND TO ENGINEERING PHASE.
COULD YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT PIECE, THAT THERE WERE A WHOLE SERIES OF THINGS THAT ARE, UH, THE PROCESS PROCEDURE, ADMINISTRATIVE TYPES OF THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO, UH, IN ORDER TO HAVE A GRANT FROM FTA, EVERYTHING FROM CHANGE, RECOIL CHANGE CONTROL REQUIREMENTS, TO CLAIMS, TO PROCESSING OF DOCUMENTS AND, AND YOU HAVE TO GET THROUGH A WHOLE LIST OF THOSE AND HAVE APPROVAL OF THOSE, UH, BEFORE YOU GET TO THE END OF THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PHASE.
UH, SO WE REALLY HAVE THREE THINGS TO DO IN THAT PROCESS.
IT'S THAT ADMINISTRATIVE TYPE IS WHAT I'D SAY.
UH, AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS THE NEPA PROCESS AND THE 30% DESIGN.
AND THEN JUST TO WRAP THIS UP, CAUSE I KNOW TIME IS TIGHT.
IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BY THE END OF DECEMBER, OUR WORK TO SOME DEGREE IS LARGELY DONE AND IT'S MORE ON THE FTC.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY IN THEIR HANDS, BUT THEN IF THEY IN THEIR REVIEW AND THEIR PUBLISHING THE DOCUMENT, UH, THERE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP.
WE WILL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE WITH THEM.
SO IF THERE'S SLACK IN THIS TIMELINE ON OUR END, WHERE DOES IT, IT'S VERY, VERY TIGHT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS YEAR AND OUT THROUGH THE NEXT STEP OF GETTING TO THE FDA DURING THE MIDDLE OF 24.
THIS IS AN X-RAY, THIS IS A VERY TIGHT TIMELINE TO GO THROUGH.
THAT'S WHY THIS YEAR IS CRITICAL.
UM, LET'S SEE, UH, LET'S HAVE A QUICK COMMENT FOR, FOR THE CEO AND THEN WE'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL COUNCIL ORDER COUNT, UH, VERY, VERY QUICK COMMENT.
UM, FORMER MEMBER COOPER, I THINK YOU'RE LEADING TO SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TOWARDS THE END OF THIS CHART, WHICH IS THE FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT, AS WE ALL KNOW IS CRITICAL TO THIS PROGRAM AND GETTING AS MUCH FEDERAL FUNDING AS POSSIBLE.
JUST, JUST ANCHORING EVERYONE TO GET FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT IN 2024.
AND I, AND WE PUT AN S THERE BECAUSE REMEMBER THE ORANGE BLUE LINE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
[00:55:01]
IN THE RATE AND THE FTA RATING PROCESS, WHICH IS AUGUST OF 23 TO GET IN THE RATING PROCESS.WE THEREFORE HAVE TO HAVE A RECORD OF DECISION AND WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO THOSE ARE ANCHOR DATES AND THAT THE FTA AUGUST IS AFFIRM PIECE.
THERE IS NO WIGGLE ROOM IN THAT THAT'S THEIR PROCESS EVERY YEAR.
AND BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT IN THE RATING IN AUGUST, IT CAN'T GET IN THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
SO TO DAVE'S POINT A FAIRLY AGGRESSIVE SCHEDULE, THAT'S WHY WE BUILT SO MUCH COMMUNITY PROCESS AT THE FRONT END.
SO WE CAN REALLY GET TOWARDS CONSENSUS AS WE GET TO THE END VERSUS TRYING TO SOLVE SOMETHING.
AND LATER IN THE FALL, WE WANT TO REALLY WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO SOLVE AS MANY THINGS AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THE END OF THE PROCESS IS SMOOTH VERSUS THE OPPOSITE.
IT'S WANTING TO REALLY ANCHOR EVERYONE IN THOSE CRITICALITY OF THE, OF THE GRANT PIECE.
SO I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER OFFICER.
IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE TODAY AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK PERIOD, AND I DIDN'T SEE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED ANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR OUR PARTNERS WITH THE SCHOOLS.
I WAS WONDERING IF WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO INCLUDE THAT.
I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY A NECESSARY THING TO CONSIDER IF CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE USING THIS TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL OR EVEN TO AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL INFORMATION.
AND THEN I WAS WONDERING HOW THESE PLANS MIGHT FIT INTO THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS PROGRAMS IF YOU ALL HAD CONSIDERED THAT.
UM, AND THEN ALSO EXISTING SCHOOL ZONE AREAS THAT MIGHT BE AFFECTED BY PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, UH, NICO DAY WITH, WITH THE CITY, UM, ALL RESPOND, UM, AS WE HAVE THE FROST TO SCHOOL PROGRAM, THAT'S QUITE ROBUST AS, AS YOU KNOW, AND, UM, DEFINITELY AS WE TALK ABOUT THE BETTERMENTS, AS I'M ALWAYS RESPONDING TO COUNSELOR RIPPLE'S QUESTION, UM, WE ARE LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS OF WHAT ARE OUR ANNUAL, UM, WHAT ARE OUR ANNUAL PLANS FOR THE LOCAL MOBILITY, MOBILITY, BONDS, AND PROJECTS, AND HOW DO THEY COORDINATE WITH, UM, WITH WHAT WE'RE DEVELOPING FOR PROJECT CONNECTS? SO THAT IS ABSOLUTELY PART OF THE COLLABORATION PROCESS.
UM, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT SPECIFICALLY AT SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, BIKE, AND PEN AND TRAIL AND SIGNAL SIGNAL LOCATIONS.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO AS THOSE SYSTEMS AS A WHOLE.
SO THAT IS DEFINITELY PART OF IT.
UM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
WE CAN CERTAINLY ADD THAT, UM, TO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, SO, UH, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE MY RESPONSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF DOTTIE OR DAVE WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE WILL BE GLAD TO ADD WHOMEVER IN WHICHEVER ASSOCIATIONS OR SCHOOLS TO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
UH, THAT'S OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO GET AS MUCH COMMUNITY INPUT AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, AS WE GET THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I KNOW THAT OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN ISD ROUND ROCK ISD ALSO COVERS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF MY DISTRICT.
AND THEN WE'LL BE PART OF THIS PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
SO I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEM OUT UNINTENTIONALLY.
OH, THIS ONE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ON.
UM, THREE MIKES I'M EVERYONE REALLY WANTS TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
UM, SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S IN THIS SECTION OR LATER, BUT, UM, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE TRIANGLE AS YOU MAKE THE TURN OFF OF LAMAR ONTO GUADALUPE.
UM, AND IN THAT AREA, WHAT DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AND THEN PARTICULARLY, UM, HOW WE ARE WORKING WITH THE STATE FOR THEM TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT THROUGH THAT AREA.
BUT ALSO SOME OF THAT AREA HAS QUITE A LOT OF STATE PROPERTY, WHICH FOR STAGING AND OTHER THINGS MIGHT BE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL TO THE PROCESS.
[01:00:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE BEEN BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT THERE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET THIS OFF THE GROUND EARLIER.UM, SO I'M NOT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW THAT'S WORKING AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT OR NOT, BUT I WANT TO JUST SURFACE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS NOT A PART OF THE REST OF THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, BUT WE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GET TOGETHER WITH YOU, UH, AFTERWARDS, UH, AT A DIFFERENT TIME TO GO THROUGH EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT WHERE THE RAIL LINES ARE GOING.
UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE THINK THE KNOCK ON EFFECTS ARE GOING TO BE FOR LAMAR WHEN WE PUT THE RAIL DOWN GUADALUPE, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WE WILL COVER PART OF THAT WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE DRAG A LITTLE BIT LATER, UH, BUT THE ENTIRE TV ALIGNMENT, UH, WE CAN GO THROUGH THAT AT WHICHEVER TIE POINT IN TIME FOR SPECIFIC AREAS.
AND I'LL ADD TO THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER THAT WHEN WE, UH, GO AHEAD AND POST THE SPECIFICS ON THE LEFT TERM MANEUVERS AND DIFFERENT OPERATIONS, UM, I THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, TO THAT DEGREE AROUND THE TRIANGLE.
UM, AND AGAIN, DAVE, WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF IT IN SOME OF THE UNRESOLVED ISSUES, BUT THOSE ARE DEF, THOSE ARE AREAS THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON AND AS WE KNOW THEM, WE'LL CIRCLE BACK, UM, WITH YOUR OFFICE, FOR SURE.
AND THEN WITH REGARDS TO WORKING WITH THE STATE, WE'VE, WE'VE DEFINITELY HAD SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS ALONG THE ORANGE LINE WITH SOME DIFFERENT STATE FACILITIES, UM, TO MAXIMIZE USE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY AND, AND OTHER THINGS.
THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAGING THAT WE'RE AWARE OF AND THAT WE'RE PURSUING DISCUSSIONS WITH.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO CLAIRE TO CLARIFY THAT THE, THE DISCUSSION TODAY IS ORANGE LINE AND THE BLUE LINE THAT THE CONSENSUS CONSENSUS POINTS THAT YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT MAY OR MAY NOT APPLY TO THE BRT LINES.
AND SO I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC NOT TO GET CONFUSED.
AND FOR US NOT TO GET CONFUSED, I'M REMINDING MYSELF THAT THESE CONSENSUS THINGS THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TO US ARE ORANGE LINE AND BLUE LINE SPECIFIC.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS SECTION OR SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD TO GET MORE INFORMATION THEN? WE'RE JUST, WE'RE STILL ON SCHEDULE.
UH, DAVE, I THINK YOU HAVE THE NEXT SECTION.
UH, THE NEXT SECTION IS BUCKET NUMBER TWO.
THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE STILL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH, UH, TO COME UP WITH A RESOLUTION.
THERE ARE A SERIES OF THEM THAT ARE LISTED ON THIS SLIDE.
AND BASICALLY WE HAVE GOT THE GUADALUPE SECTION IN THE DRAG THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH CONFIGURATION.
UH, PLEASANT VALLEY IS ONE WE'LL USE AS AN EXAMPLE IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES WITH RESPECT TO, DID I GET THE WRENCH? I JUMPED A SLIDE.
UM, PLEASANT VALLEY IS ONE THAT WE WILL USE AS AN EXAMPLE IN THE NEXT SLIDE TO GO AHEAD AND SHOW WHAT THE PROS AND CONS ARE FOR EACH SECTION OF IT.
UH, CRESTVIEW, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DO AN AREA THERE WITH THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY CONFIGURED, UH, THAT WOULD HAVE AN ELEVATED SECTION FOR THE LIGHT RAIL.
UH, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL TO GO AHEAD AND DEPRESS THE RED LINE.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL GO THROUGH IN DETAIL AT A FUTURE TIME.
UH, LADY BEAR BREAK BRIDGE IS ONE THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WITH RESPECT TO UTILIZATION OF THAT BRIDGE.
EACH ONE OF THESE ARE LISTED IN THAT TIMELINE FOR THE COMMUNITY EVENTS, UH, THE SUBWAY SCOPE AND LENGTH.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GO DOWN SOUTH CONGRESS? WHAT DO WE DO AT THE MLK AREA GOING BACK UP ON TO GUADALUPE? AND WHAT DO WE DO AT THE TRINITY SPUR WHERE WE'VE GOT AN AREA THAT COULD GO UP FOURTH STREET BEYOND TRINITY? UH, WHAT DO WE DO WHERE THERE IS THE DOWNTIME CRIME COURSES RIGHT NOW IN THE 30% DESIGN, UH, WE HAVE CONCOURSES BETWEEN, UH, ALL THREE OF THE STATIONS, UH, THAT ARE THERE ON THE BLUE LINE.
AND THEN AS YOU GO FORWARD WITH THE RAIL MAINTENANCE FACILITY, IT REQUIRES A 68 YEAR FACILITY.
SO WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THAT, FINALIZE IT, UH, VEHICLES AND SYSTEMS,
[01:05:01]
UH, IS A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH.THINGS ARE CHANGING RAPIDLY IN THE SYSTEMS AREA.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE WILL WORK OUR WAY THROUGH AS TIME GOES ON.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S THERE IS THE UTILITIES.
ANYTIME YOU DO SOMETHING IN A CITY THAT HAS GOT A SERIES OF UTILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS, IT'S ALWAYS ONE OF THE COMPLICATED AREAS.
IF I COULD GO AHEAD AND SPECIFICALLY USE AN EXAMPLE, UH, WHICH IS RIVERSIDE AND PLEASANT VALLEY, THERE'S TWO OPTIONS THERE.
UH, BASICALLY THE FIRST OPTION IS TO GO AHEAD AND PUT AN UNDERPASS, UH, THAT WOULD GO UNDER THE SECTION OF PLEASANT VALLEY.
THAT IS BETWEEN THE EASTBOUND AND THE WESTBOUND LANES.
UH, THAT'S WHAT SHOWN ON EXAMPLE, A IT WOULD BASICALLY KEEP THE ROADWAY IN THE SAME CONFIGURATION, UH, OPTION TWO, UH, IS BASICALLY TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THE BUS AND RAIL TOGETHER, UH, AT A COMMON FACILITY, WHICH THEN WOULD WIND UP WITH, IN ESSENCE, A TRAFFIC CIRCLE AROUND THE AREA.
THOSE ARE THE TWO OPTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
AND AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SERIES OF CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE TALK TO TALK THROUGH, TO COME TO A RESOLUTION.
IN THIS CASE, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ACCESSIBILITY, MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS THERE AND EVERYTHING COMPLIES WITH ADA REQUIREMENTS TRANSFER BETWEEN TRANSIT MODES, SOMETHING THAT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT, UH, SAFETY TRAVEL TIMES, UH, THE THINGS THAT ARE THERE WITH WATER, QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND PLACE-MAKING AND LANDSCAPING, HOW WILL THAT STATION FIT IN WITH THE SURROUNDING AREA? AND THEN ALSO A FACTOR THAT WILL BE THERE ON WHAT THE COST WOULD BE, UH, FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE TWO OPTIONS.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH.
IT'LL BE THAT SAME FORM AND FORMAT.
AND AS WE MEET COLLECTIVELY, UH, WITH THE CITY ATP AND CAP METRO, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'LL WORK THROUGH TO GET A PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE OPEN ITEMS. ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS IF I MAY JUMP IN BRIEFLY, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY IN THE APPENDIX, IT WAS AT YOUR SEATS AS WELL AS, AS POSTED ON, UM, ALL THREE PARTIES SITES.
UM, THERE IS A SHEET THAT LOOKS MUCH LIKE THIS SLIDE THAT DAVE PRESENTED FOR PLEASANT VALLEY AND RIVERSIDE FOR EACH OF THE OTHER TOPIC AREAS THAT STILL REQUIRE RESOLUTION.
I JUST WANTED TO CALL THAT OUT.
AND THIS IS A FAIRLY ROBUST AREA, SO LET'S, LET'S, UH, TAKE THE TIME, UH, FOR 30 MORE MINUTES OF QUESTIONS RIGHT HERE, BUT LET'S START OUT WITH THE MAYOR.
UH, WELL, JUST AS, AS REDISCUSSED CHAIR, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO RESOLVE ANY OF THESE OBVIOUSLY.
UH, BUT I NOTE THAT, UH, ON THE TIMELINE THAT YOU HANDED OUT TO US A MOMENT AGO, THERE'S A BLUE DIAMOND ON THE CALENDAR THAT POINTS US TO WHEN EACH OF THESE IS GOING TO BE PUT BACK IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY AT A COMMUNITY MEETING, UM, KEEP, UH, PLEASED THE, THE, THE COUNCIL AND THE CAP, METRO BOARD AND ATP ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE CONCEPTS AND THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AS THEY HAPPEN.
SO THAT WE'RE CURRENT, UH, THE GOAL BEING TO MAKE SURE THAT NEITHER WE NOR THE COMMUNITY IS SURPRISED WHEN BY ANYTHING, WHEN THE 30% DRAWINGS RECOMMENDATION COMES OUT.
I MEAN, AT THAT POINT, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF, OF, OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AND HOW THESE THINGS ARE BEING RESOLVED.
UM, UH, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DAYLIGHTING HERE NOW, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A REAL IMPORTANT STEP TO GETTING US TO THAT PLACE.
BUT I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO RESOLVE ANY OF THESE TODAY TO GO THROUGH THE PROS AND CONS.
YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP THAT, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH BIGGER BITE.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU ELEVATING THOSE NOW.
SO THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE WHERE THE TOUGH CHOICES ARE.
UM, QUESTIONS, UM, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST TO DOVETAIL ON WHAT MAYOR ADLER HAD SAID.
I KNOW THAT WHEN WE FIRST WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WHEN WE WERE FIRST DESIGNING THE PROJECT CONNECT MASTER PLAN, THAT WE WERE INITIALLY LOOKING AT THINGS SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE DO BUS RAPID TRAIN OR BUS BUS, RAPID TRANSIT BRT LINES, OR SHOULD WE DO LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT AND STAFF BROUGHT TO US VARIOUS PROPOSALS AND THEY SHOWED US WHAT THE PROS AND THE CONS WERE BOTH ALL THREE BODIES.
AND THEY BROUGHT TO US SOME, SOME COST ESTIMATES AND THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, BUT AS I SEEM TO RECALL, THE, WE AS
[01:10:01]
BODY, AS THE THREE BODIES, DIDN'T ACTUALLY TAKE A VOTE NECESSARILY PER SE, ON, OH, WE WANTED THIS VERSUS THAT.THE PROCESS WAS, WE WENT THROUGH THESE WORK SESSIONS, STAFF BROUGHT US IDEAS.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY WHEN IT CAME TIME AND THE FEEDBACK ALSO CAME FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN AT THE VERY END OF THE DAY, WHEN WE DID HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE, THERE ALREADY WAS KIND OF CONSENSUS BUILT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND WE SAW WHAT WE NEEDED TO SEE AND THEN, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT IT IS.
AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
IS THAT GOING TO KIND OF BE THE PROCESS HERE WITH THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW RIGHT NOW YOU'RE SHOWING US, OKAY, HERE ARE TWO RENDERINGS AND POSSIBILITIES OPTION A AND OPTION B FOR EAST SIDE PLEASANT VALLEY.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE IN OUR APPENDICES FOR THE DRAG.
IS, IS THIS GOING TO KIND OF BE THE SAME SORT OF PROCESS MR. COUCH, THAT WE WENT THROUGH AS WE WERE FIRST EVEN DESIGN DECIDING HOW WE WERE GOING TO PROCEED WITH PROJECT CONNECT IN THE FIRST PLACE? YEAH.
THAT'S THE REASON, UH, THAT WE WIND UP WITH ALL THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO GET THE COMMUNITY INPUT.
UH, IT'S WHERE WE WILL GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE, UH, BRIEFINGS BACK TO EACH ONE OF THE COMMITTEES.
AND AS WE DID PREVIOUSLY, INITIALLY WITH COMING BACK WITH A STAFF RECOMMENDATION, THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE WILL GO AHEAD AND FOLLOW IN THIS CASE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH ON BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TOO.
AND I KNOW WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TALK ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE CONTENT TODAY AND THAT THAT'S FINE, BUT I THINK THAT IN PRESENTING THESE A NEED TO UNDERSTAND A BIT, A BIT BETTER ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO US, BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, I CAN'T, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT, AT A LITTLE MORE DEPTH IN TERMS OF, OF, I GUESS IT MIGHT BE PROS AND CONS, YOU KNOW, TYPE OF THING, BECAUSE THIS GIVES ME A HEADS UP THAT THERE ARE TWO CONSIDERATIONS.
IT GIVES ME A HEADS UP ON TRADE OFFS, BUT IT DOESN'T TELL ME WHAT THE ISSUE IS.
YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T TELL ME WHAT THE, WHAT THE CHALLENGE IS BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE'S CHALLENGES IN ALL THESE AREAS.
AND IT DOESN'T TELL ME WHY WE MIGHT CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER, NOT WE, BUT WHY THE PROCESS IS GOING THROUGH TO CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER.
SO, UM, SO MY COMMENT IS I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT LEVEL OF CONVERSATION WILL HAPPEN IN THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
AND I ALSO THINK IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR US AS BOARD MEMBERS TO GET THAT LEVEL OF FEEDBACK.
SO WE COULD DO THAT BY PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, WHICH IS FINE, BUT, BUT JUST PRESENTING IT THIS WAY, IT GIVES ME A HEADS UP THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE, BUT IT DOESN'T TELL ME ANYTHING ABOUT WHY WOULD I CARE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ON OTHER THAN MY OWN, WHAT I MIGHT BRING TO THE TABLE, WHICH IS REALLY NOT GOING, NOT THE, YOU KNOW, THE DECISION MAKING THAT YOU WANT IS NOT EVERYBODY, EVERY INDIVIDUAL'S PREFERENCES OR BIASES, WHAT YOU WANT IS DECISION-MAKING AROUND THOSE CONSIDERATIONS.
AND TRADE-OFFS, I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME FEEDBACK THAT THIS LEVEL OF DETAILED DOESN'T TELL ME MUCH, WHICH IS FINE.
I THINK TODAY, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A CRITICISM, IT'S JUST A SUGGESTION FOR THE NEXT LEVEL OF CONVERSATION, WITHOUT SOME MORE SPECIFICITY AROUND, WELL, WHICH ONE OF THESE IS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND WHY ARE WHICH ONE MAKES IT FASTER FOR WHO I CAN'T.
I CAN TELL IF THAT'S, IF YOU, THAT'S WHY THE WAY THAT WE PUT THIS TOGETHER IS CONSIDERATIONS AND TRADE-OFFS AND EACH ONE OF THE ITEMS WILL BE LOOKED AT AND EXAMINED AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE A LARGE, UH, PRO SOME WILL WIND UP BEING A CON.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL GO THROUGH WITH THE COMMUNITY PROCESS AND THE MORE INVOLVEMENT THAT'S THERE FROM COUNCIL BOARD MEMBERS, THEN THAT, THAT WILL BE SUPER AS WE GET THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO THE LEVEL OF DETAIL I'M ASKING ABOUT WILL BE DISCUSSED WITH, UH, AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY PROCESS WE'LL DISCUSS IN DETAIL EACH ONE OF THESE ITEMS. YES.
AND THEN SOMEONE WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS, THAT THOSE WILL BE PART OF MATERIALS AND BACKUP AS WELL AS RECORDED IN THE DISCUSSIONS.
IF I MAY ALSO COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, WE ARE ALSO IN THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUPS, WE ARE DOING DEEP DIVES WITHIN THESE SECTIONS.
AND ONE THING I HAVE ASKED THE TEAM AS WE PREPARE FOR THOSE MEETINGS IS TO
[01:15:01]
GIVE THE MATERIALS TO THE ADVISORY BOARDS AHEAD OF TIME AND ASK FOR THEIR FEEDBACK AND EXPERTISE AND WHAT QUESTIONS WE'RE SEEKING ANSWERS FROM THEM AS WELL.SO WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO BE, TO MAKE THOSE ADVISORY MEETINGS MORE MEANINGFUL AND PRODUCTIVE.
AND ALSO ONE THING THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THIS PARTICULAR INTERSECTION, ONE THING THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM MEMBERS OF THE CAC WHO HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED IN OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES IS THAT WHENEVER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE GREAT CHANGES OR SUBTERRANEAN STATIONS, THAT THERE IS A LEVEL OF REDUNDANCY FOR ACCESSIBILITY, BECAUSE IF THE ELEVATOR'S TURNED ENDED UP BREAKING DOWN OR HAVE NOT BEEN MAINTAINED.
SO WHAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN EMPOWERED TO DO IS TO REALLY THINK THROUGH SOLUTIONS THAT ARE NOT JUST ELEVATORS, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO HAVE REDUNDANCIES TO HELP THROUGH THESE VERY UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES? SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
YES, THAT REMINDS ME, THAT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THAT IF FOR FREE, FOR PEOPLE THAT MIGHT REALLY WANT TO DIG INTO THE DETAILS, THAT THERE'S A PROCESS FOR THAT, THAT THEY CAN LISTEN TO THROUGH THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
I THINK, UM, NOW I CAN NOT SEE, UH, THE, UM, THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT HERE.
SO IF THERE'S SOMEONE THAT HAS A QUESTION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
BUT, UM, BUT, UM, ONE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF, THERE ARE A LOT OF INVESTMENTS CURRENTLY BEING MADE, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WITH PICKUPS ZONES.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DESKTOP, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PLEASANT VALLEY, DOVE SPRINGS, DELCO SENATE, UH, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE KIDNEY ACTIVITY BETWEEN THE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT NOW AND HOW THEY WILL BE IMPACTED AND WHETHER IT WILL BE A MORE EFFICIENT, UM, WHEN ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS COME IN PLACE, JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW WE'RE, UM, TELLING PEOPLE WHERE THEY CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION, OR IS THAT, THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS A LITTLE MORE ON.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE ARE STILL DRILLING DOWN TO HOW ALL OF THE TRANSIT NETWORK IS GOING TO CONNECT TO, UM, THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES.
AND AS WE GET INTO VERY LOCATION, SPECIFIC AREAS, UM, THE DEEP DIVES THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN WAS REALLY TALKING ABOUT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AS WELL.
UM, ON ALL OF THESE TOPICS THAT REMAIN IS, ARE OUTSTANDING ISSUES.
WE'VE DONE IN MANY CASES, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST ONE, IF NOT TWO OR THREE ROUNDS OF COMMUNITY, UM, INPUT TO DATE.
AND OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT THIS LAST ROUND OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WILL GIVE US THE LEVEL OF INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
UM, AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE BEFORE THE VISION WAS EVEN AN ADOPTED VISION, WE ARE OPEN TO TALKING TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE WHO HAS AN INTEREST IN THE PROGRAM AND WOULD LIKE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAFF TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT THEY OR THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR WHOMEVER IS INVOLVED.
UM, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE OUR STAFF IS GREAT OR GREAT BECAUSE OUR BOARDS AND COUNCIL IT'S GREAT.
IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT BECAUSE WE WERE ALL INVOLVED IN PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AM I MISSING ANYONE? LET'S SEE.
UM, LET ME RECOGNIZE A BOARD MEMBER, UH, RENTERIA, AND THEN I'LL, AND I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU.
SO I'LL GET YOU NEXT AND THEN I'LL GET YOU.
UM, UH, MY QUESTION IS, UH, YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKED THE DESIGN THAT THE OPTION A THERE ON RIVERSIDE AND PLEASANT VALLEY.
UH, I USE THAT QUITE A LOT AND I LIKED THE CONFIGURATION.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ON THE, UH, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THIS STREET THAT ACTUALLY WALKS TO THE STORES AND, AND ALL THE OTHER LITTLE CONVENIENCE STORES AND, AND SHOPS THAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND, UH, SO, UH, I LIKED THE CONCEPT OF BEING ABLE TO JUST WALK ACROSS AND, AND TO HEB CLEAR THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE, UH, PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THE SOUTH COAST.
BUT, UH, CAN YOU TELL, CAN YOU LET ME KNOW, UH, I'M I'M, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION, BUT THE TWO OPTIONS, IS IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU DESIGNED IT BECAUSE OF THE COST OR I, CAN YOU EXPLAIN IT, GIVE ME SOME MORE, A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON HOW THESE TWO DESIGNS CAME ABOUT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER TODAY, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEND IT TO MY OFFICE LATER.
UH, BASICALLY WHAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IS THE TWO CONSIDERATIONS THAT, THAT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BE LOOKING AT IN DETAIL BEYOND IT.
EACH ONE HAS ITS ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES, UH,
[01:20:01]
AND WE'LL BRING ALL OF THOSE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY MEETING, BUT WE CAN SEND YOU MORE INFORMATION.I DIDN'T SEE IT A LITTLE GREEN DOT.
I JUST WANTED TO BUILD OFF WHAT YOU WERE SHARING ABOUT HAVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITIES, FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO COMMENT ON NEIGHBORHOOD PICKUP ZONES.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT CERTAINLY FOR SOUTHEAST AND IN-DEPTH SPRINGS, THAT HAS BEEN A BUBBLING CONVERSATION THAT FOLKS HAVE BEEN HAVING.
SO HAVING THAT BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP SESSION, I THINK, AND HAVING IT, UM, VERY OVERT TO, TO, FOR FOLKS TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIVERSIDE PLEASANT VALLEY STATION DESIGN, UM, THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL PICKUP AS WELL.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS AREA IN PARTICULARLY AROUND RIVERSIDE AND PLEASANT VALLEY HAS BEEN SUPER INVOLVED, I PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS AND WAS VERY THRILLED TO SEE OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE ON THAT VIRTUAL ZOOM MEETING.
SO I KNOW THAT THE FOLKS, UH, THAT OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE A LOT OF FEEDBACK TO GIVE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE RESPONSES ON OPTION A OR OPTION B.
AND AS PART OF THAT COMMUNITY WORKS SESSION, YOU KNOW, REALLY HONING IN ON TRAVEL TIMES AND UNDERSTANDING THE OPTIONS.
IF WE, IF YOU GO WITH OPTION A, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, FOR, FOR THE PURPLE LINE FOR THE BRT, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN ONE EXPECT TO HAVE? WHAT TYPE OF WAIT TIME ONE COULD EXPECT TO HAVE? AND THEN LASTLY, MY QUESTION IS, UM, IS THIS JUST, IS IT ONE WORKSHOP IN MAY TO TALK ABOUT, UH, THIS STATION DESIGN OR WILL THERE BE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT MAY? THE INTENT RIGHT NOW IS ONE, BUT IF THERE'S A DESIRE TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE, UH, THEN WE CAN WORK OUR WAY THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHATEVER THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD AND WORK THROUGH THAT.
AND PART OF THIS ALSO WILL BE IN ALL PROBABILITY WILL BE VIRTUAL.
UH, SO THAT'LL GIVE PEOPLE CAPABILITY AT THEIR LEISURE TO GO AHEAD AND SEE IT.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS.
I MEAN, AGAIN, JUST KNOWING THAT WE HAD THAT MANY PEOPLE ON A ZOOM MEETING, UM, SHOWS AND DEMONSTRATES THE EXTENSIVE WORK THAT THE TEAM IS DOING AND MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS KNOW ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE.
I THINK THAT THE OTHER THING THAT SHOULD NOT BE LOST HERE IS AS WE PREPARE FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS AND AS WE, AS WE, UM, AS WE TALK ABOUT WHAT'S COMING, UH, WE KNOW THAT ALL THE MATERIALS ARE ONLINE AND PEOPLE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THEM.
AND THEN THEY CAN ASK QUESTIONS AND GIVE US FEEDBACK THROUGH FEEDBACK@PROJECTCONNECT.COM, SO THAT IF WE GET A, A CERTAIN NUMBER OF QUESTIONS, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INTEREST, THEN THAT MIGHT DRIVE WHERE OUR MEETINGS GO AND WHO WE'RE TALKING TO.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT W WE NEED TO, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE GET AND THE QUESTIONS THAT WE GET, HOPEFULLY COME IN WRITING AND GET WRITTEN ANSWERS AS WELL.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT'LL DRIVE, UH, CO UH, THE MEETINGS AS WELL.
UH, DID I, DID I SEE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN? YES.
AND I APOLOGIZE, THIS IS REALLY FROM THE PRIOR SEGMENT, BUT I'LL BE QUICK ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAD GONE OVER, YOU HAD GONE OVER A NUMBER OF, I THINK YOU CALL THEM UNIVERSAL DESIGN OR SOME THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I SEE HERE THE CONSIDERATION AS PLACE-MAKING AND LANDSCAPING.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS JUST, IS THERE A, IS THAT APPLICABLE ACROSS THE BOARD? IN OTHER WORDS, HAS THERE BEEN AN EASE, A DECISION COMPARABLE FOR LANDSCAPING, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE USE OF TREES FOR, FOR SHADING, OR IS THAT MORE OF A CASE BY CASE BASIS THAT THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE? IT JUST, YOU KNOW, THE EARLIER CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LEFT-HAND TURN LANES, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE SAME.
HAVE YOU MADE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT THE USE OF TREES AND LANDSCAPING FOR, FOR WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, WHAT THE EXISTING TREES ARE UP AND DOWN THE CORRIDORS.
AND AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT PHASES OF DESIGN, UH, AND DEVELOP PLACEMAKING AND THINGS OF THAT, THAT'S WHEN ALL OF THAT WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN DETAIL.
CAUSE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER.
IT SEEMS TO ME, I UNDERSTAND THAT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME CASE CASE BY CASE, DEPENDING ON LOCATION AND STUFF, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT ONE OF THE UNIVERSAL POLICIES MIGHT BE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO, TO, TO USE TREES AND LANDSCAPING BOTH FOR, WELL, IT JUST, IT MAKES THE AREAS MORE WALKABLE.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR OUR CLIMATE, LOTS OF OTHER REASONS.
[01:25:01]
SO I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE POLICY IS GOING TO BE ONE SHALL GET TO THAT POINT AROUND THE USE OF PLACEMAKING IN PARTICULAR AND ESPECIALLY THE LANDSCAPING AND TREES.UM, LET ME RECOGNIZE IT WILL BE A COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, AND THEN A VANC FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I APPRECIATE US BEING ABLE TO DAYLIGHT SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE WILL NEED TO TAKE BEFORE, UM, FINALIZING WHAT THIS PARTICULAR INTERSECTION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
ANOTHER FACTOR THAT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WHEN THE INFORMATION COMES BACK TO US, THAT WE HAVE WOULD BE ABOUT ONGOING COSTS OF BRIDGE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTIONS.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, ANY SORTS OF ISSUES WITH NESTING BIRDS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I KNOW OFTENTIMES WHEN WE'RE JUST REBUILT, UM, IT'S VERY COMMON THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING ROUTINE INSPECTION, THEN THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE COSTS.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AGAIN, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T END UP IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE BIRDS ROUTINELY NESTING THERE, AND THEN IT BECOMES UNSAFE FOR, FOR THEM AS, AS THE LIGHT RAIL IS, IS BUILT INTO THAT SPACE.
AND, AND THERE COULD BE SOME IMPACTS THERE THAT WE JUST WANT TO CONSIDER.
UM, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE, UH, CHAIR CASTRO DE BODAS COMMENTS ABOUT COMMUNITY INPUT ASPECTS.
AND IT REMINDS ME IN CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD ONGOING ABOUT WHAT IS MOST INVITING TO THE PUBLIC AND WHERE ARE PEOPLE INVITED AND WHERE PEOPLE TOLERATED.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE BUILD OUT THIS PROJECT, WE'RE CONSIDERING MAKES THINGS REALLY INVITING AND EASY FOR THE END USER TO BE ABLE TO, TO USE LIGHT RAIL AND MULTIMODAL TRANSIT IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS PROJECT REALLY SUCCESSFUL.
SO I KNOW WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE HAVING TO WEIGH THE COSTS AND JUST THE PLANNING ASPECTS OF HOW, HOW TO DO A PROJECT LIKE THIS.
AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE EASIEST WAY.
WE KNOW THAT BRIDGES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN NOT BUILDING BRIDGES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF IT CREATES A REALLY INVITING SPACE, THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO USE PUBLIC TRANSIT, THAT SOMETHING I WOULD BE ON BOARD WITH.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER LS FOR TALKING ABOUT BRIDGES AMONG THE OTHER, THE OTHER ISSUES YOU RAISED, BECAUSE ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO, TO LOOK TOWARD ARE THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT STAKEHOLDERS HAVE SUGGESTED FOR BRIDGES, FOR BUS, BUS SERVICE, AND PEDESTRIAN, UM, DESIGNATED AREAS OVER BRIDGES.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS FLOATING OUT THERE.
I HAD TO STEP OUT FOR JUST A BIT OF THIS DISCUSSION.
SO THIS TAKES US BACK A LITTLE BIT TO THE EARLIER PIECE, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF, UM, FROM ALL OF THE ENTITIES FOR LAYING OUT.
SO CLEARLY THE DIFFERENT BASIC PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE BEEN, BECOME GUIDING GUIDANCE GUIDELINES AT THIS POINT.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY USEFUL TOO, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR WHAT ARE THE BASIC GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
AND THEN WHERE ARE THE POINTS OF CONTINUED DISCUSSION? UM, THANK YOU FOR WORKING HARD ON WALLER CREEK, UH, ROADHOUSE BOATHOUSE.
I KNOW THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE LOTS OF COMMUNITY INPUT ABOUT IT AT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT THE WAY IN WHICH THE STAFF ARE CARRYING OUT THAT DIRECTION, THAT I BROUGHT TO REALLY WORK WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS TO FIND A SOLUTION AND BE PROACTIVE ABOUT THAT ALSO IN MY DISTRICT, UM, YOU'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE NORWOOD PARKED FOLKS, AS YOU INDICATED IN NORWOOD HOUSE AND NORWOOD PARK, UM, STAKEHOLDERS.
AND SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW FROM, FROM THE NORWOOD HOUSE TO THE RIVERWALK, TO OTHER COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS GOING ON, THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY WORKING TO PRESERVE SOME OF THOSE KEY KEY ASSETS, HE COMMUNITY ASSETS, WHILE WE EMBRACE WHAT IS GOING TO BE A TRANSFORMATIVE MOBILITY SYSTEM.
SOME AREAS THAT I'M CONTINUING TO, TO REALLY FOCUS ON, UH, ONE IS THE BRIDGES THAT I JUST MENTIONED AND WHAT WE DO WITH THOSE AND HOW WE REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A ROBUST US OR PEDESTRIAN AND PEDESTRIAN WAYS ALONG THOSE.
AND THEN THE OTHER AREA OF PARTICULAR FOCUS FOR ME IS THE AREA AROUND CAMPUS.
AND WE'VE HEARD, AND I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE HEARD A LOT FROM COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS IN THAT AREA FROM UNIVERSITY AREA PARTNERS AND OTHERS ABOUT THAT.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO URGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT OTHER OPTIONS THAT WOULD REALLY MINIMIZE, UH, THE CON THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT OR POTENTIAL BUSY-NESS IN THAT AREA, BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PEDESTRIANS.
AND SO ONE OF THE AREAS THAT'S, ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT'S BEEN MADE IS TO MAYBE KEEP THE TUNNEL A BIT LONGER.
OF COURSE, WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO REALLY SERVE THAT CAMPUS AREA ROBUSTLY WITH TRANSIT.
AND SO IT WILL BE A BALANCE OF DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT INTERESTS, BUT I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU
[01:30:01]
HAVE BEEN DOING WITH THOSE STAKEHOLDERS, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO STAY TO STAY PLUGGED INTO IT.SO THANKS AGAIN FOR THE CONVERSATION TODAY.
WELL, LET'S SEE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, I'M CURIOUS ALSO THAT WHERE IN THE PROCESS THAT CONVERSATION WILL HAPPEN ABOUT THE OVERALL IMPACTS OF PARTICULAR DECISIONS.
PERHAPS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES TO US AT THE END OF THE PROCESS, BUT IN COST IS WHAT I HAVE IN MIND WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE IF WE, I'M THINKING THAT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT COSTS INDIVIDUALLY ACROSS EACH ONE OF THESE AREAS, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE OVERALL COST AND HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT OTHER ASPECTS OF, OF THE PROJECT CONNECT PACKAGE.
SO WHERE, WHERE IN THE PROCESS, OR WHAT, WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THINKING FOR, FOR, FOR DAYLIGHT DAYLIGHTING, ANY ISSUES LIKE THAT, IS THAT COME THE END OF THE CONVERSATION, OR JUST TELL ME WHERE IN THE CONVERSATION WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF ANY OF THESE DECISIONS ON THE OVERALL COST AND THE TIMELINE FOR PROCEEDING WITH THE ENTIRE PROJECT AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT.
THAT'S WHAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION IN AUGUST THAT WOULD TIE TOGETHER THE COST AND THE SEQUENCE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO, SO A PACKAGE OF DECISIONS IN, IN AUGUST, YOU KNOW, ON EACH ONE OF THESE AREAS, AS WELL AS THE OTHER ASPECTS OF PROJECT CONNECT AND PART OF THAT WOULD HELP US UNDERSTAND ANY IMPACT CITY OF THOSE DECISIONS AS EITHER COLLECTIVELY OR INDIVIDUALLY WERE HAVING ON THE OVERALL PROJECT CONNECT PLAN AND TIMELINE, RIGHT.
IT WOULD BE AS WE GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE AND COME TO A RESOLUTION AT STAFF, THEN WE'LL RUN VARIOUS SCENARIOS THAT WOULD COME FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF THE ENTIRETY OF IT.
SEE ANY MORE QUESTIONS AND, OH, OKAY.
JUST A BREAK QUESTION ABOUT, I SEE THAT THE UTILITY COORDINATION IS ONE OF THE, UH, AREAS, UH, THE PENDING.
AND, UH, I SPOKE TO US STATS, UH, BRIEFLY, UH, ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY, BUT, UH, WHERE ARE WE, OR WHAT ARE OUR THOUGHTS, UH, REGARDING, UH, BEARING THE UTILITY LINES, UH, IN PARTICULAR ALONG, UH, NORTH LAMAR? UM, UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S AN, A TREMENDOUS, UH, TRANSIT OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, TO GET THE, UH, HIGH-QUALITY, HIGH-SPEED TRANSIT ALONG NORTH LAMAR, BUT IT'S ALSO A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO REDEVELOP THE NORTH LAMAR QUARTER INTO A REALLY VIBRANT, UH, BORDER WITH RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE ASPECTS THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE AMOUNT OF RIGHT AWAY THAT THE, UH, UTILITIES TAKE, UH, CURRENTLY.
AND, UH, I, I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES OF, UM, BEARING THOSE UTILITY LINES ALONG THE NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD STRETCH OF, UM, AND, AND WHAT ARE, UH, STAFF'S THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT, UTILITIES ARE ONE OF THE MORE COMPLEX PORTIONS OF THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT, PARTICULARLY WHAT IS A GRADE.
AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE UTILITIES, UH, SOME OF WHICH WILL HAVE TO BE RELOCATED BECAUSE OF THE GUIDEWAY OTHERS WILL BE INCREASED IN SIZE.
SO IT'S A WHOLE PACKAGE THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ON ALL OF THE UTILITIES COUNCIL MEMBER VELA WOULD RESPOND AS WELL ON THE, ON THE CITY SIDE THAT, UM, AFTER MEETING WITH YOU AND MEETING WITH FOLKS IN THE DISTRICT FOR COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS, WE REALIZED THAT IS AN IMPORTANT DESIGN ASPECT, AND WE'RE DISCUSSING IT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY RESOLVE ON THAT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND ALSO TALKING WITH MIKE TRIMBLE, WHO RUNS THE 2016 QUARTER PROGRAM, AND HE'LL BE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS IN SOME OF THESE CORRIDORS, MORE NEAR TERM.
AND SO WE'RE TALKING TO HIM ABOUT THOSE AS WELL.
AND JUST A QUICK FOLLOW-UP IN TERMS OF THE DECISION-MAKING ON THAT, WOULD THIS ALSO BE IN THE KIND OF LATE 20, 22 TIMEFRAME FOR FINAL DECISION ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE UTILITIES OR WHAT WOULD BE THE TIMEFRAME ON THAT DECISION? IT WILL BE TIED INTO WHAT WE COME FORWARD WITH IN THE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD BE THERE IN AUGUST, UH, WHICH THEN CAN GO FORWARD.
AND THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN WE COME BACK WITH A FINAL RECOMMENDATION IN NOVEMBER.
UH, BUT THE BASIC POINT WOULD GET THERE, UH, IN THE AUGUST TIMEFRAME.
[01:35:01]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.LET'S SEE, WE'VE GOT TWO MORE SECTIONS THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO COVER BEFORE WE GET DONE.
SO IF, IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN LAY OUT, I THINK, UH, NIQUE, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL PROVIDE OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, BUT, UH, WE WILL HAVE A FEW MINUTES, UH, LEFTOVER FOR QUESTIONS AFTER WE GET THESE TWO PRESENTATIONS OUT OF THE WAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, THIS IS ONE SLIDE ON TO DAYLIGHT.
SO I CAN ADVANCE, COULD YOU ADVANCE THE SLIDE FOR SOME REASON THIS ONE'S NOT WORKING? THERE WE GO.
UM, PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE TOPICS.
SO AS THE STAFFS HAVE BEEN COLLABORATING OVER THE LAST YEAR, UM, WE'VE HAD, UH, FOUR THEMES THAT WE WANTED TO DAYLIGHT THAT HAVE COME UP, UM, THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING TOWARDS.
UM, AND SO THERE'S FOUR THAT HIGHLIGHT TODAY.
UM, SO SPECIFICALLY I'LL BRING US BACK TO THE OCTOBER.
THE LAST TIME WE ALL WERE TOGETHER ON OCTOBER 29TH AND A RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BY MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO WORK THROUGH A SCAN OF OUR PROCESSES, OUR PERMITTING PROCESS, AND OUR CITY CODE TO BE PROACTIVE ON THINGS THAT MAY NEED TO BE CHANGED IN ORDER TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY FOR DIFFERENT RESULTS TO FACILITATE THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE PREDICTABILITY ORDINANCE TO SEE HOW, WHAT THINGS MAY NEED TO CHANGE.
W WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU ALL ON, ON HOW THAT'S PROGRESSING IN APRIL.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE ARE WORKING THROUGH OUR ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR REAL ESTATE ACQUISITIONS, UM, HOW WE'RE DOING RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS THAT HAPPENS RIGHT HERE IN THIS BUILDING THAT WE'RE IN WITH THE DSD BEING HOUSED HERE.
UM, AND JUST OUR OVERALL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, WHICH LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WHAT WE'VE DETERMINED IS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DISTURBANCE POSSIBLE TO PROPERTIES, UM, WITH, WITH A PRIORITY ON, ON RESIDENTIAL.
UM, AND THEN, UH, SO THERE'S A LOT THAT, THAT WE STILL NEED TO WORK THROUGH, UM, ADMINISTRATIVELY ON THOSE PROGRAMS. AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, YOU MENTIONED TREES, AND THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE FOCUSED ON, UM, FROM A PROGRAMMATIC ASPECT, AS YOU SUGGESTED, DEFINITELY, UM, SITE BY SITE, ESPECIALLY WHERE THERE'S LARGE STATIONS WITH A LOT OF TRANSFERS THERE OFFERS, UM, YOU KNOW, A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT SPECIFIC CONTEXT, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH, UM, DSD AND THE TREE PROGRAM TO LOOK AT A PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTING OUR, UM, URBAN FORESTRY PLAN, AS WELL AS OUR CLIMATE PLAN.
I'M WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING STILL IN DISCUSSION.
AS DAVE MENTIONED, WE ARE DOING A COMPLETE TREE SURVEY WITH THE 30%, SO WE WILL UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT WE MAY BE IMPACTING AND THEN REALLY START THINKING, UM, UH, AS UPFRONT AS POSSIBLE, HOW TO MITIGATE AND HAVE THE LEAST IMPACT AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THEN AS COUNCIL MEMBER POOL MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, WE W WE ARE WORKING ON SINKING THROUGH A SERIES OF INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENTS THAT WILL COME, UM, AT VARIOUS ASKS, UH, VARIOUS IN VARIOUS TIMING, UM, ACROSS THE PROGRAM FOR AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE THREE AGENCIES ON THE BETTERMENTS RELATED TO UTILITIES, COST SHARING, AS WELL AS, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO OTHER ASPECTS OF THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
SO EITHER THESE ARE, ARE ALL ONGOING TOPICS.
UM, THAT THREE STAFFS ARE WORKING ON.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, UM, RELATED TO ANY OF THESE TOPICS, PLEASE CONTACT THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE AND I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S ALL THAT I HAD ON THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIVE TOPICS.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO NOW TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO BRIAN BUCHANAN WHO'S WITH, WHICH ARE WITH OUR PROGRAM OFFICE AND, UM, CHAIR TREVELYAN.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TAKE QUESTIONS ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE TOPIC OR GO, WELL, IF WE CAN GET THROUGH THE PRESENTATIONS SO THAT WE CAN HEAR EVERYTHING, THEN WE CAN BRING QUESTIONS BACK FROM ANY AREA THAT WE NEED TO.
I'M A PROGRAM MANAGER AND VICE-PRESIDENT WITH HDR HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, I HAVE THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY TO WORK WITH THE GREAT INDIVIDUALS OF YOU GUYS HAVE ALL BROUGHT ON BOARD, UM, TO NOT ONLY GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY, BUT TO WHERE YOU ARE TRYING TO GET TO IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEY ARE A DEDICATED TEAM OF,
[01:40:01]
OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WORKED THROUGH EVERYTHING WE'VE ALL WORKED THROUGH OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS TO GET TO THIS CONVERSATION TODAY.SO I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD ALL BE VERY PROUD OF WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY AND, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
BUT, UM, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT BEING ALMOST LAST IS A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION HAS ALREADY OCCURRED AND JUST TRYING TO WRAP IT UP AND PUT A BOW AROUND IT ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT MOVE FORWARD.
SO WE'VE MENTIONED OVER THE LAST, UM, OVER THE SUMMER TIMEFRAME OR THE TIME FROM NOW UNTIL THE SUMMER THERE'S MANY DESIGN INPUTS THAT YOU'VE, UH, YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT TODAY RELATED TO STATION DESIGN STREET DESIGN, WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT DESIGN ELEMENTS AT A STAFF LEVEL TO TRY TO GET SOME CONCURRENCE MOVING FORWARD.
BUT THERE'S ALSO A SERIES OF THINGS THAT, UH, I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND NOW MORE THAN EVER SUCH AS ECONOMIC AND RESOURCE INPUTS THAT WE GOT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, SUPPLY CHAIN, OUR REAL ESTATE MARKET HERE IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS MARKET, THE FEDERAL FUNDING LANDSCAPE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE FEDERAL PROGRAM, OUR WORKFORCE AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, THE GREAT GROWTH THAT'S OCCURRING, AND JUST, HOW DO YOU BRING ALL THOSE ELEMENTS TOGETHER AS PART OF THIS DECISION-MAKING PROCESS? AND THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE COMMUNITY INPUTS AND THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WE NEED AND WANT TO HAVE, AND CONTINUE TO HAVE IN, IN DRIVING THE DESIGN OF THE PROGRAM AND THE ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION OR RECOMMENDATION, AS WE MENTIONED IN THIS SUMMER, HEADING TOWARDS THAT AUGUST, UH, MILESTONE WE HAVE IN THE, IN THE SCHEDULE, WE WILL BE BRINGING TOGETHER 30% DESIGN AND COST ESTIMATES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
THAT WILL ALSO BE FED INTO A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT THAT WILL THEN HEAD OUT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING IN THE 45 DAYS.
AND SOME OF THE PUBLIC PROCESS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AND GO OUT AND GET COMMUNITY IMPACT ON THAT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
BUT ALONG WITH THAT, OUR TEAM IS GROWING.
WE HAVE RECENTLY BROUGHT ON SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THROUGH THERE'S SOME CONTRACTS WITH ATP TO DO SOME BREASTS IN SOME FINANCIAL MODELING ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM.
SO THEY, WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM TO DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED FINANCIAL MODEL, INCLUDING FUNDING AND FEDERAL FINANCE STRATEGY AND ANALYSIS AND RISK AND CONTRACTING AND PROCUREMENT STRATEGIES MOVING FORWARD.
AND ALL THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED INTO A SEGMENT PHASING PLAN THAT WILL, WE WILL BE BRINGING BEFORE YOU IN THE FALL FOR RECOMMENDATION AND THE ULTIMATE VOTE IN, IN THE DECEMBER TIMEFRAME ALL TO TRY TO STAY ON THAT TIMELINE, TO GET A ROD.
AS WE MENTIONED, RECORD OF DECISION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, UM, IN, UH, EARLY 20, 23 TIMEFRAME, AND THEN ULTIMATELY AN FFCA IN 2024.
ONCE WE RECEIVE THAT ROD THAT ALLOWS THE, THE AGENCIES AND THE ENTITIES TO START CONTRACTING FOR DIFFERENT ELEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, THAT THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT THROUGH THE EVENTUAL GRANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY GET IT FDA.
SO THOSE COSTS WILL THEN BE ELIGIBLE.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DECISION INPUTS.
WE'VE TALKED ONCE AGAIN, A LOT ABOUT THESE, BUT FINALIZING THE PROGRAM SCOPE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, WHAT IS THE PROGRAM THAT YOU WANT TO ASK IN, MOVE THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROCESS? WHAT IS THE PROGRAM YOU WANT TO BUILD FOR THE COMMUNITY AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO IMPLEMENT THAT? UM, I'VE MENTIONED A LOT OF OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON.
IT'S NOT ONLY FROM A WORKFORCE AND LABOR, BUT HOW DO YOU MOVE AROUND THIS COMMUNITY? WHEN YOU'VE GOT CONSTRUCTION, YOU HAVE MAJOR CORRIDOR PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING ON OTHER MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS GOING ON AIRPORT EXPANSION AND ALL THAT, ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE FIGURED OUT AND THOUGHT ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, ONCE AGAIN, LABOR AND WORKFORCE AVAILABILITY.
I DON'T THINK I NEED TO MENTION ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THAT.
I'M ALSO LAYING OUT THE PROGRAM FOR OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, ULTIMATELY FOR TURNING THE SYSTEM OVER TO CAP METRO, WHAT ARE THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SAFE, RELIABLE TRANSIT FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN BRINGING ON OUR OTHER PARTNER THAT WE ALL WANT AND NEED.
AND THAT'S BRINGING SOME OF THAT FEDERAL MONEY HERE TO AUSTIN AND WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROCESS AND THE GOVERNANCE PROCESS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROGRAM.
ALL THAT LEADS TO, YOU KNOW, A SERIES OF COST DRIVERS IN, IN THINGS THAT WE ANTICIPATE WILL BE TALKED ABOUT IN THE AUGUST TIMEFRAME AS WE DEVELOP THEM.
BUT I'M TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON WHAT IS THE INFLATION IN THE LABOR IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTING THIS PROGRAM UNDER AND TRYING TO PUT SOME BRISK AND SOME ANALYSIS AROUND THAT THE REAL ESTATE AND RIGHT AWAY NEEDS FOR THE, FOR THE PROJECT.
AND HOW DO WE WORK WITH THAT, MINIMIZE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO ACQUIRE WHAT WE NEED TO ACQUIRE OR TO BUILD THE BEST PROJECT.
WE MENTIONED THIS ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT I'VE HEARD IS OBVIOUSLY LIKE THE
[01:45:01]
SUBWAY, LIKE THAT IS A MAJOR COST DRIVER, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING BEFORE YOU IN A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT WHAT WE'VE HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT WE NEEDED TO WORK THROUGH THROUGH DESIGN PROGRESSION IN 30% AND BRING THOSE BEFORE YOU AT THE AUGUST TIMEFRAME.SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE IT IN FIVE NICE COLORED BLOCKS FROM NOW UNTIL THE JUNE TIMEFRAME, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PRELIMINARY DESIGN, TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THESE DESIGN DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
STAFF WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT DESIGN IN AUGUST AND THE PHASING ASSOCIATED WITH THAT DESIGN AND DELIVER THAT PROGRAM THAT WILL THEN KICK OFF THE PUBLIC PROCESS FOR THAT DESIGN, THAT SEGMENT PHASING IN THAT ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND THEN A FINAL RECOMMENDATION BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROCESS.
AND DURING THE SUMMER OF 20, 22 OF THIS YEAR, WE WILL COME BEFORE THE BOARDS AND THE BODIES OF, WITH A RECOMMENDATION WITH AN ULTIMATE RECOMMENDATION OR WHATEVER POLICY DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE INTO DECEMBER TIMEFRAME.
SO WITH THAT, UM, THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
SUDDENLY AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT SERIES OF POLICIES THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS.
LET'S START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
UM, I GUESS FOR UNEEK WHEN YOU WERE LAYING OUT IN YOUR LAST PIECE ABOUT, UM, MEETINGS AND COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS AND SO FORTH, I WANTED TO, UM, ASK OR HAVE YOU, UM, GIVE US SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON, ESPECIALLY IN THE REALLY COMPLEX DIFFERENT STATION DESIGN SITU LOCATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, CRESTVIEW STATION.
UM, I WAS INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHETHER WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM, ORGANIZE NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC MEETINGS TO HEAR AND ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT RESIDENTS MIGHT HAVE, AND THAT WOULD BE SPECIFIC TO DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
AND, UM, THE PARTICULAR RESIDENTS WHO MAY LIVE OR WORK IN A PARTICULAR AREA THAT MAYBE EVEN WOULD BE NEAR THE SITE WHERE THOSE RAIL STATIONS WOULD BE AS, AS DAVE MENTIONED, UM, THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS AT LEAST ONE, AND THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE AT HYBRID IN PERSON AT THIS POINT WITH US BEING AT STAGE THREE, A HYBRID AND IN-PERSON OPTION.
MOST LIKELY THEY WOULD BE CLOSE, LOCATED, CLOSE TO THE IN-PERSON, UM, TO THE LOCATION AS POSSIBLE.
AND IF THERE'S A COORDINATION WITH THE DISTRICT OFFICES WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HELP US GET THE WORD OUT, UM, WE WILL WORK WITH JACKIE NUREMBERG, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT AT ATP TO TAKE, TO TAKE THAT INPUT.
AND, AND, UM, WE DEFINITELY WOULD RELY ON YOUR Y'ALL'S ASSISTANCE IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE TOWN HALLS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT SPECIFIC, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE ARE OPEN, AS DAVE SAID, TO TALKING TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AS WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THESE CRITICAL UNRESOLVED MATTERS.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS BEYOND WHAT YOU ALL ARE ALREADY PLANNING, IF THOSE OF US WHO HAVE A RAIL STATION IN, OR NEXT TO OUR, OUR DISTRICT, UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HOLD SPECIFIC AREA MEETING.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT THAT FEEDBACK EMAIL IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE CAN COMMENT ON.
ASK FOR, ASK FOR THINGS, ASK QUESTIONS.
I SEE, RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR NEXT.
IF I MAY JUST ADD ON THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PIECE, ONE OF THE TOOLS THAT, UM, JACKIE NIRENBERG FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GROUP HAS BEEN DEPLOYING AND HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, HAS BEEN BLOCK WALKING.
UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF BLOCK WALKING AROUND SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
I KNOW THE TEAM IS IN THE SOUTHEAST AUSTIN AREA TODAY OR TOMORROW.
I'M HIGHLIGHTING THE UPCOMING WORK SESSIONS TO TALK ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PLEASANT VALLEY INTERSECTION THAT WE HAD EARLIER.
SO AS YOU, AS LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE AWARE OF GROUPS AND OR LOCATIONS WHERE YOU THINK WE CAN GAIN ACCESS TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WHO MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST IN A PARTICULAR TOPIC, PLEASE HIGHLIGHT THOSE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE GET OUT.
LIKE WE MENTIONED BEFORE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WHO MIGHT POSSIBLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN THESE DECISIONS.
AND THIS PROJECT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR VOICE TO BE HEARD R AND R RECOGNIZED THE MAYOR.
AND THEN I SAW A WEED COOPER NEXT, IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE THAT I MISSED, JUST LET ME KNOW.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME, DO SOME UPDATES IN A SECOND.
UH, BUT AS CONCERNS, THE MAIN THRUST OF TODAY'S MEETING AND THE MATERIALS WE WENT THROUGH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I WOULD JUST REITERATE THE, THE, THE HOPE THAT THE PROCESS THAT YOU'RE SETTING UP GETS US TO THE PLACE WHERE WHEN THE
[01:50:01]
30% DRAWINGS COME OUT IN AUGUST, THERE ARE NO SURPRISES.EVERYONE PRETTY MUCH KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO BE IN THEM BECAUSE THEY WATCHED THE CONVERSATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY PARTICIPATED IN THOSE, THEY HEARD THE PROS AND CONS LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN WAS ASKING ABOUT EARLY ENOUGH TO REALLY BE ABLE TO ENGAGE ON THEM SO THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENED IN THE COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, JUST SO THAT THERE ARE NO SURPRISES ABOUT BUDGET, ABOUT SEQUENCING, ABOUT THE DESIGN CHOICES.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.
I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION TODAY.
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND KIND OF THE QUESTION IN AN AMORPHOUS KIND OF WAY, WHO DECIDES THE ISSUES? UH, IS IT THE COUNCIL? IS IT ATP WHO DECIDES, AND, AND I THINK THAT THE, WHAT YOU HAVE LAID OUT HERE TODAY REALLY EMPHASIZES THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO SIMPLE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
UH, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO SEE ANY BIG DECISION HERE THAT DOESN'T IMPACT SEQUENCING AND BUDGET SEQUENCING AND BUDGET ARE ULTIMATELY THINGS THAT ARE DECIDED BY US ALL TOGETHER.
UH, SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE ALL OF US TOGETHER THAT REALLY NEED TO JOIN TOGETHER AS, AS, UM, UH, UH, BOARD MEMBER OF STRATTON, UH, HAD, UH, HAD LAID OUT.
AND I HAVE ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE THAT WHEN THE, WHEN THE THREE STAFFS REALLY FIGHT THROUGH THE TOUGH ISSUES AND BRING TO US A CONSENSUS OPINION, UH, AS WE SAW BEFORE, I THINK THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF MOMENTUM BEHIND THOSE, BUT TO THE DEGREE THAT THOSE ARE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE, WE ARE HERE TO BE ABLE TO HELP FACILITATE THAT.
UH, BUT AGAIN, UH, DON'T DISAPPEAR INTO A BACK ROOM SOMEWHERE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, BECAUSE THEN IT'LL BE A SURPRISE TO ALL THE REST OF US.
AND, AND THAT AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL IS WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO AVOID.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU HAVE TO PUBLICLY CONFRONT THE TOUGH ISSUES, DON'T SAVE THE PUBLIC OR US FROM THE TOUGH ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING, ELEVATE THE TOUGH ISSUES SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN SEE THAT THIS IS HARD.
AND THIS ULTIMATELY PROJECT WILL INVOLVE CHOICES.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET EVERYTHING WE WANT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE HARD CHOICES.
AND THE MORE YOU BRING ALONG THE COMMUNITY, THE EASIER THAT PROCESS IS GOING TO BE.
WE CAN'T GET TO THE PLACE IN THE FALL WHERE SUDDENLY WE SEE WE'RE BEING INTRODUCED TO A NEW ISSUE, THAT THEN WE HAVE TO STOP AND SLOW DOWN TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE SOMETHING THAT, THAT DIDN'T SURFACE, UH, EARLIER.
UM, WHICH MEANS THAT WHEN YOU DO THE OPEN MEETINGS THAT YOU'RE HAVING OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, THEY'RE NOT JUST OPEN MEETINGS.
UH, AS, UH, AS OVER KITCHEN ASKED AND OTHERS HAVE ASKED, LAY OUT WHAT THE PROS AND LAYOUT FOR THE GROUP BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS, WHAT THE TOP ISSUES ARE, TRY TO ANTICIPATE THOSE SO THAT YOU ACTUALLY GET REALLY DIRECTED THE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ON THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THE HARD ISSUES.
THIS PROJECT IS ABOUT CHOICES.
THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE ABOUT CHOICES, COSTS, CHOICES, DESIGN CHOICES, AND, AND WE RECOGNIZE AS A COMMUNITY, SOME OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE HARD AND WE ALL DON'T GET EVERYTHING WE WANT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ON THE HYPER-LOCAL ISSUES THAT YOU ELEVATE THOSE TOO, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO CATCH US REAR.
WHERE ARE YOU LOSING LANES? THE PEOPLE IN THOSE AREAS NEED TO KNOW THAT WHERE IS PARKING NOT GOING TO BE SUSTAINED? WHERE ARE THERE GOING TO BE CHANGES IN THE WAY PEOPLE USE THEIR, THEIR, THEIR ROADWAYS CHANGES DISRUPTIVE AND, AND, AND ELEVATE THOSE THINGS, THE LEFT TURN LANES.
SO WE LEFT TURNS DISAPPEARING IN FRONT OF PROPERTIES, ELEVATE THESE ISSUES AS EARLY IN THE PROCESS, AS YOU CAN.
SO WHEN THEY'RE ASSOCIATED AND THEY COME OUT IN THE AUGUST DESIGNS, NO ONE'S SURPRISED OR DIDN'T ANTICIPATE EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING.
UH, I WOULD ALSO SAY YOU HAVE TO GET COSTS OUT EARLIER.
UH, THE SUGGESTION WAS MADE THAT WE WOULD GET THOSE BY AUGUST.
I WOULD SAY AUGUST IS WAY TOO LATE TO GET OUT COSTS.
AS YOU ARE BEGINNING TO HAVE THE PUBLIC MEETINGS HERE THAT ARE COMING UP HERE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, START LAYING OUT COSTS AS WE HAVE THEM.
THERE'S GOTTA BE TOUGH CHOICES.
EVERY ONE OF US KNOWS THAT IF WE EXTEND THE TUNNEL FURTHER SOUTH THAN WE HAD ORIGINALLY TALKED ABOUT, BECAUSE APPARENTLY THERE'S REALLY GOOD REASON TO DO THAT.
IF WE TAKE THE TUNNEL NORTH OF MLK, THAT TAKES MONEY TO BE ABLE TO AVOID THE INTERSECTION.
HECK JUST THE COST OF MATERIALS HAS GONE UP IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF LAY OUT THE COST ISSUES EARLY BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I, FOR ONE BELIEVE, AND I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE CONSENSUS OPINION THAT WE DO THIS PROJECT WITHIN THE AUTHORIZATION THAT THE VOTERS GAVE US.
WE'RE NOT GONNA COME BACK AND ASK FOR ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AUTHORIZATION.
[01:55:01]
MAKE CHOICES, YOU KNOW, DO WE, DO WE, DO WE HAVE IT COME BACK A PROJECT, COME BACK IN NINE YEARS AS OPPOSED TO EIGHT YEARS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO A MORE COMPLETE PROJECT, DO WE, DO WE LEAVE SOMETHING OFF THAT WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE HAD IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE PROJECT? SO I URGE YOU, UH, THERE'S RIGHT NOW AVOID ON COSTS.AND I THINK THAT YOU NEED THIS START GETTING AT THOSE COSTS IN THE CONTEXT OF CHOICES THAT WE GET TO MAKE, BUT THIS PROJECT, ULTIMATELY, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL BE DONE WITH, UH, AUTHORIZATION THAT THE TAXPAYERS HAVE GIVEN US.
UH, AND, AND NOW WE HAVE TO WORK WITHIN THAT PARAMETER, I THINK.
AND THEN I WOULD JUST REALLY THANK THE STAFF FOR THIS WORK, THIS PRESENTATION, THIS IS STUFF.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DECISIONS THAT YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO THE COMMUNITY IN AUGUST WITH NO SUPPLY, NO SURPRISES, I THINK OF THE DAUNTING CHALLENGE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE OVER THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE THAT FOUR MONTH PERIOD OF TIME WHERE YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO ELEVATE ALL OF THESE THINGS, TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CHOICES SO THAT YOU CAN DO THE FINAL MONTH OR MONTH AND A HALF OR TWO MONTHS FORTH TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET 30% DRAWINGS OUT IN AUGUST THAT ARE NO SURPRISE DRAWINGS.
SO, UH, NICK AND DAVE AND, AND DOTTIE AND, AND GINA AND SPENCER, THANK YOU A SPECIAL, THANKS FOR RANDY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE FIGURING OUT A LOT OF THIS AS WE INITIATE THE PROJECT, NOT REALLY KNOWING HOW TO APPROACH THIS.
WE TRIED TO THINK OF EVERYTHING WE COULD, UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH HOW THIS, HOW WE WORK WITH EACH OTHER AND HOW WE WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
AND WE'RE DECIDING THAT NOT JUST FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO, BUT FOR THE NEXT 10, 15, 20 YEARS.
UH, AND RANDY, YOU STEPPED OUT IN FRONT OF THIS, UH, IN A WAY EARLY WHILE WE FIGURE THIS STUFF OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE OUT OF THE GATE QUICKLY, YOU GOT US OUT OF THE QUAKE GATE QUICKLY.
I WOULD JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT, UH, STAFF, UH, TO, UH, TO THIS PROJECT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THANKS FOR HELPING GET US OUT OF THE GATE QUICKLY WHILE WE FIGURE ALL THIS OTHER STUFF, UH, UH, FIGURE IT OUT.
THE, UH, SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION IS GOING TO BE IN AUSTIN HERE IN TWO WEEKS.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT HE IS ANXIOUS TO HEAR WHERE WE ARE AND HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING ON THIS PROJECT.
AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME GREAT STUFF TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT.
MERE, UM, BOONE MEMBER COOPER.
AND I THINK THEY'RE VERY WELL TAKEN.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRIKES ME IS MY EARLIER COMMENTS, UH, PERHAPS, UH, UH, UH, HIGHLIGHTED IS THAT SUPER TIGHT TIMEFRAME THAT WE ARE ON RIGHT NOW.
IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE BEEN ON A TIGHT TIMEFRAME SINCE MARCH OF 2018.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN ONE HURDLE AFTER ANOTHER, EVERY SIX WEEKS OR SO THAT, UH, WAS CRITICAL TO ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE.
AND I GUESS HAVING JUMPED ALL THOSE HURDLES TO THIS POINT, UH, WOULD UNDERSCORE THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYE, UH, FIRMLY FOCUSED ON THE FINISH LINE, WHICH I THINK I GATHERED FROM DAVE'S EARLIER.
COMMENTS IS REALLY ABOUT US GETTING TO A CONSENSUS BY THE END OF THIS YEAR ON THESE MAJOR ISSUES.
AND LIKE ALL OF US STAFF BOARDS, CITY COUNCIL HAVE TO BE SUPER FOCUSED ON, UH, THE PRIZE, WHICH IS MAKING THAT MARK.
AND THEN WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THE FDA DOES, BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN CONTROL HOW WE COMPORT OURSELVES BETWEEN NOW AND THEN DAVE, I HAD A SPECIFIC ISSUE AND MAYBE THIS IS A RANDY ISSUE, UH, IN A TOWN WHERE DEMOCRACY IS OFTEN A FULL CONTACT SPORT, AND EVERYBODY'S GOT OPINIONS ON EVERYTHING.
UH, WE KIND OF WENT BY QUICKLY THE OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, BUT IF I'VE LEARNED ANYTHING IN SEVEN OR SO YEARS AT CAP METRO, IT IS THAT THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF HOW TRAINS RUN AND BUSES INTERSECT WITH TRAINS AND PLATFORM HEIGHTS AND CAT AND ARIES AND ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS REALLY HAVE HUGE CONSEQUENCES DOWN THE ROAD.
AND I WONDER IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE US A QUICK SUMMARY AS YOU HAVE ON THE ROUTES AND THE NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT, THAT, UH, ARE GOING TO BE BIG ISSUES THAT WE ALL COLLECTIVELY HAVE TO DECIDE SORT OF WHERE WE ARE ON THE OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, NOT SPECIFICS, BUT WHAT ARE THE BIG TICKET ITEMS THAT, AND HOW WILL THOSE GET TO USE THE TERM THAT WE PERHAPS OVERUSED TODAY DAYLIGHTED IN ADVANCE OF OUR DECISION-MAKING TIME PERIOD.
UH, LET ME START IT AND THEN GET A DOTTIE TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP ONE PIECE OF IT.
[02:00:01]
GOT GOING RIGHT NOW IS IT'S A BRAND NEW SYSTEM, BUT THERE ISN'T ANY LIGHT RAIL HERE.SO WE CAN BE VERY CREATIVE AND MOVE TO THE FUTURE.
THE BAD PART OF THAT IS THERE IS NO LIGHT RAIL EXPERIENCE FROM OPERATORS, MECHANICS, MAINTAINERS.
IT'S A WHOLE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS TO GET PUT TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE, MAINTAIN A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.
UH, AND, AND IT'S NOT ONLY THE MECHANICS AND THE OPERATORS, IT'S ALSO AN ENGINEERING SECTION.
SO IT'S A WHOLE NOTHER SECTION THAT NEEDS TO BE THERE.
THE, AND IT NEEDS TO GET TOGETHER AS DOTTIE WILL GO THROUGH AS YOU GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO YOU'VE GOT THE ENGINEERING PEOPLE AND THE MAINTAINERS INVOLVED AS WE DO THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND AS WE GO AHEAD AND DO THE TESTING, SO THE TIME TO START IS NOT TOO FAR IN THE FUTURE.
UH, AND I'D ASKED DOTTIE TO GO AHEAD AND COMMENT ON THAT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, DAVE MENTIONED SOME OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS AND I WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT ONE OF THE, UM, ITEMS YOU HAVE IN YOUR APPENDIX IS ACTUALLY, UM, A BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE ABOUT THE VEHICLES, BECAUSE THE VEHICLES THEMSELVES WILL DRIVE A LOT OF THOSE TECHNOLOGY TOPICS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORK THAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
UM, EXCUSE ME, BUILDING THESE TWO LINES IS IN FACT GOING TO BE AN ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGE, LIKE FEW OTHERS AS WILL BE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO WILL OPERATE, MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
AND SO CAPITAL METRO HAS ACTUALLY ALREADY STARTED THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE PREPARE OURSELVES TO BE READY TO OPERATE THIS SYSTEM AFTER DAVE'S DONE CONSTRUCTING IT FOR US? UM, WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE JUST HIRED OUR FIRST, UH, KEY TO THAT PUZZLE, WHICH IS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR THAT WE HIRED OUT OF WASHINGTON DC.
UM, ALBERTO MORENO, WHO BRINGS WITH US A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN HELPING DEVELOP WORKFORCES.
BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF POSITIONS, EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT ENGINEER THE NEXT SET OF VEHICLES AND SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS. ALL THE FOLKS THAT DRIVE THE EQUIPMENT, ALL THE FOLKS THAT MAINTAIN THE EQUIPMENT, THE FOLKS WHO STAFF, OUR STATIONS, THE FOLKS WHO CLEAN OUR STATIONS, ALL OF THAT, WE NEED TO GET ON BOARD BEFORE WE CAN OPEN ANY OF THIS.
AND SO WE ARE NOW CHARTING THE PATH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT WORKFORCE IS AVAILABLE FOR US, UM, WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
AND SO THAT IS AN ENORMOUS EFFORT.
I WOULD ARGUE MAYBE AS COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT OF AN EFFORT AS ACTUALLY ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTING THE THING.
UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALREADY WORKING ON.
IF I MIGHT JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP, UM, IN THE APPENDIX YOU HAVE VEHICLES AND SYSTEM DESIGN, UH, ISSUES, HOW WILL THEY BE BROUGHT TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL? AND WHEN, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING PEOPLE HAVE AN INTEREST IN WELL THAT WHERE ON THE TIMELINE DOES THAT FIT IN WITH, WITH ALL THE OTHER INTERSECTIONS? AND THERE'S A, THAT IS, THERE'S A SECTION THAT IS IN HERE.
IT'S THE END OF JUNE AND IN JUNE.
I'LL I'LL JUST JUMP ON ONE QUICK COMMENT FOR SAKE OF TIME.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING IN THAT CAP METRO BOARD, WE'LL OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TO SPEND AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME ON OVER THE UPCOMING MONTHS AND YEARS.
UM, SO AS DANNY MENTIONED, IT'S WORKFORCE AND YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU HAVE TO PROBABLY PUT AT 40% MAYBE WORKFORCE TO CAP METRO OVER THE NEXT, UH, 7, 8, 10 YEARS.
SOME OF THOSE STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS HAVE TO BE DONE A MUCH SHORTER THAN PEOPLE WOULD REALIZE.
SO WHEN WE START GETTING OUR TEST VEHICLES, WHICH IS YEARS BEFORE WE RUN, WHEN WE IN OUR WORLD, WE CALL REVENUE SERVICE, WE ALREADY NEED STAFF AND EVERYTHING WE'LL BUILD CAP.
SO IF THEY, IF DAVE TOMORROW SAID TO DOTTIE, HERE'S A PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, DOTTIE HAS TO HAVE THE TEAM THAT ACTUALLY WILL OPERATIONALLY CERTIFY THAT THROUGH A FEDERAL RISK AND SAFETY PROCESS.
OTHER PARTS OF THIS ARE INCREDIBLY COMPLEX.
SO OUR FINANCIALS HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO OUR ENTERPRISE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
SO WHEN WE DO REPORTS TO THE FDA, IT'S ALL ROLLED UP AND HOW THEY SEE ALL THOSE THINGS WORK.
WE HAVE TO THINGS LIKE OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, MY FEDERAL LAW, UNLIKE SAY CITIES OR EVEN HIGHWAYS.
WE HAVE VERY STRICT LAWS AROUND ASSET MANAGEMENT AND OUR STATE OF GOOD REPAIR PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW AND GET SIGNED OFF BY FTA SO THAT ALL THESE ASSETS, AS WE'RE WORKING TO CAP METROS, ENTERPRISE ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, ALL OF OUR CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEMS, EVERY BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, ONE THING I JUST WANT TO GROUND EVERYONE, WE HAVE A TRANSIT SYSTEM AND THIS IS BEYOND CRITICAL FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A TRANSIT SYSTEM, WE ARE EXPANDING THAT TRANSIT SYSTEM.
WE'RE NOT BUILDING A TRANSIT SYSTEM.
WE HAVEN'T TRIED SYSTEM AND WE'RE ADDING MORE TO THAT.
AND IT ALL HAS TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S BUSES AND TRAINS AT STATIONS IS CUSTOMER INFORMATION.
[02:05:01]
SAFETY STAFF.IT'S OUR UNION CONTRACTS WITH AT T UH, ATU AND HOW WE DO CALL IT.
THEY DO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, ALL OF THESE THINGS INTERCONNECT TOGETHER.
SO I THINK DADDY'S RIGHT THERE IN SOME WAYS THEY'RE PARALLEL EFFORTS.
UM, AND SOME DAYS ONE WILL BE HARDER THAN OTHERS, BUT, UH, IT'S AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF STUFF, ALL THE STUDENTS TOGETHER.
SO, UH, CHAIR, SORRY, I'VE STILL, I'VE BEEN DOING THAT CHAIR NEW CHAMPION.
SO I LOST, UH, A BOARD MEMBER OF COOPER THAT THIS IS A TOPIC THAT WE WILL HAVE TO BRING TO THE BOARD OVER AND OVER A CAP METRO TO DO THAT PARALLEL TRACK.
SO IT'S A GREAT THING TO BE HIGHLIGHTING TODAY.
UH, W BRINGING TO THE BOARD JUST FROM A PLANNING PURPOSES, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT THIS YEAR.
I'M TRYING TO THINK ABOUT THIS TIMELINE AND WHAT WE, AS THE CAP, METRO BOARD AND ATP BOARD AND CITY NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON RELATIVE TO THIS TIMELINE THIS YEAR.
WHAT HURDLES DO WE NEED TO MAKE? SO, ALL RIGHT.
UH, LET'S SEE, UH, GOT A QUESTION FROM A BOARD MEMBER STRATTON, AND THEN I'LL RECOGNIZE, UM, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLISON.
THIS, I THINK REALLY DOVETAILS ON WHAT, UH, MY FELLOW COLLEAGUE BOARD MEMBER TROOPER WAS SAYING IS, UM, TO, TO SENIOR STAFF HERE IS WHAT ROLE AND DECISION POINTS DO YOU FEEL? OUR RESPECTIVE BOARDS, THE ATP BOARD, THE CAP METRO BOARD IN THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
ONCE WE SEPARATE FROM HERE, WE'LL HAVE TO INDIVIDUALLY CONSIDER AND BE MAKING SEPARATE FROM AS A GROUP LIKE THIS, BECAUSE THIS DOCUMENT RECOMMENDS AND NOTATES THE TRI-PARTY REQUIREMENTS.
WHAT DO YOU ALL FORESEE WILL WE HAVE TO DO SEPARATELY AND OUR ROLES TO CONTINUE MOVING THIS PROCESS DOWN THE LINE BETWEEN LET LET'S JUST TAKE NOW IN THE END OF THE YEAR, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, UM, UH, THE, THE APPROVAL OF THE 30% FUNDING OR THE 30% DESIGN, THE, THE PIECES THAT ARE THERE FROM THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AND HOW WE GO FORWARD WITH EACH ONE OF THE OPEN ITEMS IS INTENDED TO BE A RECOMMENDATION THAT COMES BACK FROM STAFF.
UH, IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT CAN'T GET SOLVED AT STAFF, THEN OBVIOUSLY THEY WOULD GET ELEVATED TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL FROM A STANDPOINT, AS, AS WAS EXPLAINED EARLIER, UH, THERE REALLY ISN'T A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT FOR AN APPROVAL, UH, IN DECEMBER.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GOOD PRACTICE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UH, AND, AND THOSE ARE REALLY THE SECTIONS THAT ARE THERE.
UH, I, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALSO, I'M SURE ARE GOING TO BE THINGS THAT ARE ILS THAT I REALLY CAN'T SPEAK TO, UH, BUT I'M SURE THERE WILL BE OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS THAT ARE REQUIRED, UH, AND ABOUT OVER THE END OF MY SKIS AT THAT, UH, I'LL JUST GIVE THEM, I GUESS, QUICK COMMENT AND SUMMATION BOARD MEMBERS SHREDDING WOULD BE, UH, AGAIN, I THINK THE MAYOR STATED WELL FROM A, FROM THE PROGRAMMATIC ASPECT, THIS IS A BIG TRI-PARTY EVERYONE HAS TO BE IN CONCURRENCE.
AND, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL AT STAFF IS JUST LIKE, PRE-ELECTION FOR REFERENDUM.
WE'RE GOING FOR UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR ALL THREE BODIES, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT MEANS WE'VE DONE OUR JOB WELL, WE'VE DAYLIGHTED WE BROUGHT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY ALONG WITH THE PROCESS, ALL THE POLICYMAKERS ALONG, AND WE'RE ALL UNITED MOVING INTO 23.
THERE WE, UH, NUMEROUS INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS FROM DIFFERENT ENTITIES, SOME ARE KNOWN, SOME ARE UNKNOWN THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
SO A GOOD EXAMPLE IS ATP JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE ON THAT BOARD, UH, APPROVED A NEW CONTRACT WITH ERNST AND YOUNG TO HELP US WITH THE RISK MANAGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY PROCESS.
THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE, CAP METRO BOARD THIS MONTH JUST APPROVED SOME MORE CONTRACTS FOR METRO RAPID BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR PART OF THE PROGRAM.
THERE'S GOING TO BE ILS BETWEEN THE CITY AND CAP METRO RELATED TO PROP B FUNDING AND BIKE LANES RELATED TO THE RAPID PROJECTS.
I THINK THAT'S COMING UP RELATIVELY SOON AND THAT MULTIMODAL COORDINATION THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE ILS BETWEEN ATP AND THE CITY AND ATP AND CAP METRO ON THINGS OF REAL ESTATE AND EMINENT DOMAIN WORK, BECAUSE ATP, LEGALLY DOESN'T HAVE THAT ABILITY.
AND SO BOTH OF THOSE ENTITIES WILL HAVE TO DO SOME OF THAT WORK FOR ATP, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF THESE OVER TIME.
STAFF IS WORKING THROUGH THAT.
AND ONE OF THE GOALS COMING UP IN A FEW MONTHS IS TO KIND OF HAVE A BETTER ROADMAP OF THOSE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
SO SOME WILL STILL JUST HAVE TO GET DONE TO PROCESS.
AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO VISUALIZE HOW ALL THIS WILL WORK OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.
SO SOME OF THIS COULD BE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AT EACH ENTITY TOO.
AND SO A GOOD EXAMPLE, DOTTIE WILL PROBABLY BRING IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS, UM, NEW PEOPLE TO HELP WITH ALL THE STUFF WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, OPERATIONAL READINESS, WHICH IS NOT REALLY, REALLY TO ATP OR THE CITY CAUSE IT'S THAT.
AND IN THE CITY MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING ON UTILITIES, RULES OF PRACTICE WITH ADP THAT CAP METRO DOESN'T NEED TO DO SO.
UM, THESE ARE THESE THINGS THAT WILL JUST EVOLVE SORT OF TIME, BUT I THINK THE MAYOR SAID IT BEST.
THE LARGE STUFF IS ALL OF US TOGETHER.
AND THESE LITTLE PIECES ARE HOW TO EFFECTUATE THE LARGER PLANT.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER AL UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, ELLIS
[02:10:02]
COUNSELING.AND CAN YOU SHARE, UH, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING MOMENT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO US BEING ABLE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO STEP WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY EXCITING TO GET INTO THESE NITTY-GRITTY DETAILS, WHERE WE GET TO DECIDE EXACTLY WHICH CHOICES WE'RE GOING TO MAKE.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE FINANCING THAT'S BEEN APPROVED AND TO REALLY SEE THIS COME TO LIFE.
SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING MOMENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE DECISIONS WE'LL MAKE OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
I KNOW IT WON'T BE EASY BECAUSE IT'S REALLY BIG WORK AND IMPORTANT WORK.
CAUSE I THINK THIS WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE BIGGEST AND BEST IMPACTS AND PEOPLE ARE REALLY GOING TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT OVER THE COMING YEARS.
SO I THINK THIS IS JUST A REALLY EXCITING MOMENT FOR US TO BE LAYING OUT THIS ROADMAP AND TO UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN HERE AND THE END OF THE YEAR.
CAUSE IT'S REALLY BIG AND VERY EXCITING.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
THAT, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE ONE, THAT'S THE FEELING THAT I WANT TO COME AWAY FROM THIS WIDTH.
IT IS EXCITING AND WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT HOME TOGETHER, IT'S WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THAT.
THAT PROBABLY IS TO BE ANSWERED LATER, BUT JUST SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THIS YEAR ACTIVITY OR AN EXTRA ACTIVITY, BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT A BUSINESS MITIGATION STRATEGY.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE CALLED IT IN THE JPA, WHICH IS A PROCESS FOR UNDERSTANDING.
ONCE, ONCE WE GET TO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASES, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE BUSINESSES AND HOW WE WORK WITH THE BUSINESSES TO ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS.
SO I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINE FOR THAT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANSWERED RIGHT NOW UNLESS YOU ALL KNOW IT, BUT JUST WANT TO REASSURE OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY ALONG THESE ROUTES THAT THAT'S FRONT AND CENTER.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ADDRESSED IN THE JPA AND IT WILL FIT IN THE TIMELINE IN TERMS OF THE CONVERSATION.
UM, ARIK CHAIR, CASTRO, DEBRA.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE INSIGHTFUL COMMENTS.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO, AGAIN, THANK THE STAFF.
I KNOW WE HAVE NINE MINUTES LEFT, BUT PLEASE DO EIGHT MINUTES, BUT IT IS REALLY EXCITING.
I MEAN, WE STARTED THIS MEETING SAYING HOW EXCITED WE ARE TO NOW FINALLY BE IN PERSON, BE TOGETHER, RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER'S PRESENCE, EACH OTHER'S GIFTS AND TALENTS AND PASSION.
SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO VOICE OUR APPRECIATION AND OUR GRATITUDE TO, TO HAVE SO MUCH ENERGY PUT FORWARD TOGETHER TODAY.
AND A COUPLE OF THINGS JUST TO CLARIFY, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PART OF THE SLIDE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO DETAIL.
SO DO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT APPENDIX THAT YOU WERE GIVEN, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE HERE AS WE GO THROUGH IS THE DRAG.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT RIVERSIDE AND PLEASANT VALLEY, THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, OUR LADY BIRD LAKE, THAT'S A SPECIAL, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THE EXHIBITS.
THE CRESTVIEW STATION IS GOING TO BE REALLY INTENSE.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF UTILITIES THERE.
AND, AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER ELLA MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT CLOSER ARE PART OF THAT STATION AND THE TUNNEL AND SUBWAY CONSIDERATION.
SO THAT APPENDIX PLEASE TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT IT, SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS THROUGH THE EMAIL THAT WAS GIVEN TO PROJECT CONNECT.COM/GET INVOLVED.
AND ALSO AS WE TALK ABOUT THE TRADE-OFFS, AND AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT INFLATION AND LABOR SHORTAGES, WE CAN ALSO NEED TO, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO STAFF, GIVING US RECOMMENDATIONS OF IF WE NEED TO HAVE IN SOME AREAS, TIME TO PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT AS THINGS STABILIZE.
I MEAN, INFLATION CAN THEN HIT A POINT OF NORMALCY, RIGHT? AND LABOR SHORTAGES.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, NOW WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH ACC AND WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY START RAMPING UP OUR LABOR FORCE, HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE CAN PRIORITIZE WHILE ANOTHER ASPECT IS IN THE FLUX, RIGHT? SO HELP US GET THAT GUIDANCE FORWARD.
X CHAIR, COOPER BOARD MEMBER COOPER AT THE MICROSCOPE IS A FULL CONTACT SPORT IN THIS TOWN, BUT WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING TO HAVE, RIGHT? WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING TO HAVE THIS DEMOCRACY.
AND AS WE THINK OF OUR AFAR PARTNERS IN OTHER COUNTRIES THAT ARE FIGHTING WAR, WE'RE THINKING OF THE POTENTIAL OF MAKING THIS CITY MORE NURTURING.
[02:15:01]
IS FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.THESE ARE DECISIONS THAT WILL IMPACT ALL OF US.
AND YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT FROM ATP THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE FINANCES.
AND AS WE DEPLOY DOTTIE'S MAINTENANCE FACILITIES, WE WANT TO BE INCLUDED IN HOW THOSE COSTS AFFECT THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
PLEASE HELP US UNDERSTAND SO THAT WE CAN ALL HELP YOU DELIVER THOSE MAINTENANCE FACILITIES EARLY AND HELP US, YOU KNOW, BRIEF US, GIVE US THAT FEEDBACK OKAY.
SO WITH ALL OF THIS, I REALLY WANT TO THANK EVERYONE AND APPRECIATE THE, JUST THE JOY OF BEING TOGETHER TODAY.
WELL, I THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING TO THE END OF OUR SESSION AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET, UH, THAT WE ARE TRUE TO, UM, TO THE TIMING THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE.
HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST GIVE DADDY AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US A PROGRAM UPDATE.
UM, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER.
SO AS I'M SURE YOU FIGURED OUT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS, THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE ARE A BIG DEAL.
UM, BUT THEY AREN'T ALL A PROJECT CONNECT PROJECT CONNECT IS A PROGRAM OF PROJECTS AND WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT STUFF GOING ON IN THE OTHER PIECES OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FEW QUICK UPDATES ABOUT AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S REMEMBERING ALL THE OTHER GREAT WORK THAT'S GOING ON.
AND THE FIRST IS WITH OUR METRO RAPID LINES.
WE'VE HAD TWO GROUNDBREAKINGS IN THE LAST HANDFUL OF MONTHS FOR OUR ATTUNE, OUR FIRST TWO METRO RAPID LINES THAT ARE COMING OUT UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
THE FIRST WILL BE THE, WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE EXPO LINE THAT WILL SERVE THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER INTO TOWN.
AND THE SECOND WILL BE THE PLEASANT VALLEY LINE.
UM, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE LINES.
BOTH OF THOSE LINES WILL BE OPERATED BY FULLY ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
CAPITOL METRO'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVE THE COUNTRIES TO DATE LARGEST CONTRACT FOR, UM, ALL ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO SUPPORT, NOT JUST, UM, THE VEHICLES FOR THIS PROGRAM, BUT OUR ONGOING CONVERSION OF OUR FLEET FROM DIESEL TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
AND WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED THE LETTER OF NO PREJUDICE ON OUR PLEASANT VALLEY AND EXPO METRO RAPID LINES, AND THAT'S REALLY FEDERAL SPEAK FOR IT'S OKAY TO START SPENDING MONEY WITH THE EXPECTATION OF REIMBURSEMENT.
SO WE HAVE CONSTRUCTION CREWS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU JOINED US AT THE EXPO GROUNDBREAKING AT LBJ HIGH SCHOOL, IF YOU WENT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, YOU'D SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A REBEL TO THE SIDE BECAUSE WE'VE STARTED ACTUALLY DIGGING UP TO BUILD GREAT NEW PADS FOR OUR SHELTERS AND OUR BEST STOPS.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE, UM, HAVE WORKED WELL UNDERWAY FOR THE METRO RAPID, UM, OAK HILL AND EXTENSIONS.
UM, WE WILL, THOSE WILL BE COMING ON ONLINE IN EARLY 20, 24, BUT WE HAVE THOSE DESIGNS UNDERWAY.
WE ACTUALLY KICKED OFF OUR FIRST GROUNDBREAKING IN 2021 WAS WITH OUR METRO RAIL DOUBLE TRACKING RED LINE.
THERE'S SOME RED LIGHT IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO BE ABLE TO CONVINCE, CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT SYSTEM SO THAT IT CAN BEST SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
OH, I HAVE CONTROL OF THE THING.
I'LL SKIP OVER THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LINE.
WE'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT STUFF ON THAT.
I THINK WE WE'VE, WE'VE LEARNED THAT, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT THE, UM, OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARE DOING IN TERMS OF, UM, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING COLLECTIVELY WITH CAPITAL METRO FOR EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT OR ETO D.
UM, SO THE, IN, IN 2022, THERE ARE $65 MILLION COMMITTED TO BE INVESTED BY THE CITY FOR, UM, THE EQUITABLE ANTA, EXCUSE ME, THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT EFFORTS.
THERE'S A LITTLE CHART HERE THAT COMES FROM THEIR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROGRAMS. UM, THEY ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING ONLINE APPLICATIONS FOR FOLKS THAT WANT TO HELP ACQUIRE PROPERTY FOR THE PURPOSES OF LOW-INCOME HOUSING.
UM, THERE'S A GREAT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY THE CITY AND WAS PROVIDED LESS THAN A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
AND CAPITAL METRO IS LEADING A PROCESS OF EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT STUDIES.
THAT'S BEING SUPPORTED BY THREE DIFFERENT GRANTS BY THE FTA TO REALLY DIVE INTO SPECIFIC STATION LOCATIONS AND HELP DEFINE HOW IT IS THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS INEVITABLE AFTER WE MAKE THESE SORTS OF INVESTMENTS IN THE TRANSIT SYSTEM IS DEVELOPMENT THAT SUPPORTIVE OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
AND DOESN'T LEAVE ANYONE OUT AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT WORK.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND ONCE WE GET A LOT OF THE INITIAL STATION AREA STUFF FIGURED OUT THE CITY WILL BE TAKING THAT TO BUILD THEIR FRAMEWORK FOR HOW TO HELP GUIDE THAT DEVELOPMENT.
[02:20:01]
AND THEN DEFINITELY NET LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE ALREADY LAUNCHED THE FIRST THREE NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS AND WHAT WE REFER TO AS PICKUP ZONES.THOSE ARE IN THE DESA NORTH OAK HILL AND SOUTH MINNETONKA AREAS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE, ON HERE, THE LITTLE CHART THAT SHOWS YOU HOW THESE PROGRAMS ARE SPLIT BETWEEN THE ENTITIES.
AND THE QUESTION WAS ASKED EARLIER, WHICH THINGS DOES EACH BOARD OR A COUNCIL HAVE TO FOCUS ON AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.
THIS IS SORT OF HOW WE'VE DIVVIED UP THE WORK, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT ON A DAILY BASIS, THE STAFFS OF THE THREE GROUPS ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
WE HAVE A PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE THAT INCLUDES STAFF FROM KAT METRO, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WE COLLABORATE AND WORK TOGETHER VERY WELL.
THE REASON WE ARE HERE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK SO WELL TOGETHER.
AND SO I THINK THAT HAS BEEN OUR SUCCESS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE OUR SUCCESS.
YOU WILL ALSO NOTE THAT YOU'VE BEGUN RECEIVING A MONTHLY EXECUTIVE EIGHTS TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT YOU AS OUR POLICY LEADERS AND BOARD MEMBERS ARE KEPT UP TO DATE ON ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE PROGRAM.
SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO LET YOU GO TODAY THINKING THAT ORANGE AND BLUE ARE THE ONLY EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING WITHIN THIS PROGRAM, BUT DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE LAST FEW THINGS.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE SLIDES THAT WE HAVE TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.
I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO CHEER CIVILIAN.
UH, WE ARE A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME, BUT I THINK IT WAS WORTHWHILE TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FIELD ALREADY.
UM, WE ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH OUR, UH, THROUGH OUR EMAIL ADDRESS FEEDBACK@PROJECTNEC.COM TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME DIGEST THE MATERIAL THAT WE'VE SEEN, AND THEN ASK ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IF WE NEED TO.
UH, SO JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR PUTTING THE TIME IN THIS MORNING, UH, FOR ALL THE STAFF WORK THAT WAS DONE.
AND UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OBJECTIONS, I SUGGEST THAT, UH, THAT WE ADJOURN AND THE TIME IS NOW, UH, 1101.
SO, UH, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
IF YOU SAY COUNCIL PORTION ATP, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AT JOURN SIS MEETING, THE TIME IS 1101.
AND CAP METRO ALSO ADJOURNS THAT MEETING AT 1101.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND LET'S GET TO WORK EVERYONE.