Apr 04, 2023 Urban Transportation

SO YOU'RE GONNA MOTION TO APPROVE WITH AN AMENDMENT.

YOU'RE GONNA MAKE AN AMENDMENT APPROVE WITH AN AMENDMENT.

CAN YOU, CAN YOU LET US KNOW WHAT THAT AMENDMENT IS PLEASE? AND THAT'S THE ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE ATX WALK BIKE ROLL RECOMMENDATION.

WE ACTUALLY PASSED A RESOLUTION, SO IT WASN'T JUST POSSIBLE THE ACTION.

WE DID TAKE ACTION.

SO HERE'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

SO YOU'VE MO YOU'VE MO MOTION, YOU'VE MOTION TO APPROVE.

I NEED A SECOND ON THAT.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? AND THEN WE'RE GONNA AMEND.

I'LL, I'LL SECOND THEN.

THANK YOU SAM.

UM, AND SO, UM, NOW YOU'RE GONNA MAKE YOUR MOTION TO AMEND.

ON, UH, ITEM FOUR.

TO REFLECT ITEM ITEM FOUR, TO REFLECT THE FACT THAT WE ACTUALLY PASSED A RESOLUTION AT THE LAST MEETING, NOT JUST TOOK ACTION.

I DON'T HAPPEN TO HAVE THE TEXT OF THE RESOLUTION.

I KNOW THAT CHRISTOPHER HAS IT, IT DOESN'T, AND THAT THE EXACT TEXT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN THE NOTES.

WE JUST NEED, I THINK IT IS GOOD TO REFLECT THAT WE MADE A RE A RESOLUTION ON THAT.

SO I WILL SECOND THAT AMENDMENT.

UM, SO WE SHOULD VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT.

ALL THOSE WHO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

AYE, AYE.

ANY NAYS OR ABSTENTIONS? ANY NAYS? OKAY, GREAT.

SO WE'VE NOW AMENDED THAT AND WE'RE COMING BACK TO THE BASE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, I THINK WE'RE THERE.

CECILIA, WHAT WAS YOUR, I CAN'T SEE YOU.

CAN YOU, CAN YOU LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE YES.

ON THAT IS, THAT'S OUR QUORUM.

YOU'RE ARE YOU YE YES.

ON BOTH.

SORRY, TAKING A MINUTE HERE FOR THE THING TO TUNE IN, BUT YES.

SO WE'RE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVING THOSE MINUTES WITH AS AMENDED.

BRINGS US INTO OUR FIRST, UM, ITEM, WHICH IS, UM, THE ZER PARK DRAFT VISION PLAN.

AWESOME.

ALL RIGHT, SO THAT

[2. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation to consider the Transportation and Mobility recommendations in the Draft Zilker Park Vision Plan. Presenter: Greg Montes, Parks and Recreation Departmen]

UM, CHRISTOPHER, DO WE, WE WANNA TAKE THE PU CITIZENS FIRST ON THIS ONE, PROBABLY.

I APOLOGIZE ON THE ZILKER PLAN.

YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION FIRST? CORRECT.

I'VE GOT THAT IN CHARGE OF YOU.

GREETINGS, URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONERS.

I'LL CALL THE PUBLIC.

I'LL CALL PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS NOW.

UM, FOR THE ZK PARK ITEM, I WILL CALL THOSE IN PERSON FIRST, AND THEN IF WE HAVE ANY OF THAT ARE VIRTUAL, I'LL CALL THEM.

PERFECT.

SO FIRST SPEAKER, UM, IF I COULD HAVE MIKE AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR.

YOU CAN SEE THAT ONE OF INDIAN ONE OF THOSE.

YES, SIR.

JUST PUSH THE BUTTON.

BUTTON.

THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU FOR, UH, TAKING OUR TESTIMONY TODAY.

I'M, UH, HERE AS A 50 PLUS USER OF ZER PARK, AS WELL AS A BOARD MEMBER OF THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY AND, UH, THE ADVOCACY CHAIR FOR FRIENDS OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL.

UH, REGARDING THE UTC PURPOSE THAT Y'ALL HAVE FOR TRANSPORTATION RELATED MATTERS, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT SOME OF THE VISION PLANS, ACCESSIBILITY, UH, PROVISIONS, WHICH, AND NOT MY UNDERSTANDING, AND IN OUR ORGANIZATION'S UNDERSTANDING WILL MAKE ZER PARK A MORE WELCOMING PLACE FOR ALL OF AUSTIN.

I DID TRY TO SHARE WITH YOU A SLIDE SHOW THAT MAYBE GOT TO YOUR INBOX, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T.

AND IF YOU WANT, I WILL TRY TO WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE ENJOYED SEEING IN THE VISION PLAN.

ONE IS, IT'S GOING TO SLIDE THREE THAT I SENT YOU.

IT'S GONNA INCLUDE FIVE NEW BIKE AND PED BRIDGES THAT WOULD PROVIDE MORE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ACCESS TO THE

[00:05:01]

PARK.

IT WILL ALSO INCLUDE AN IMPRESSIVE AND APPEALING NATURE OR LAND BRIDGE CROSSING OVER BARTON SPRINGS ROAD TO SAFELY CONNECT THE TWO PARKS PARTS OF THE PARK TOGETHER.

UH, IT INCLUDES AN EXTENSIVE TRAIL SYSTEM WITH ALMOST SEVEN MILES OF NEW TRANSPORTATION TRAILS IN ZER PARK.

MORE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES THERE.

THE SITE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES A ROBUST AND EXCITING TRANSIT PLAN.

UM, I THINK THERE WAS, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO CAP METRO SERVICE INTERNAL CIRCULATORS, IMPROVED WALKING, MICRO MOBILITY AND BIKE CONNECTIONS, AND ALSO EXTERNAL SHUTTLE OPTIONS LISTED THERE.

IN FACT, SOME OF THE FOLKS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S THE REWILD FOLKS HAVE DECIDED THAT THIS WAS PROBABLY THE TRANSIT PIECE AT LEAST THEY THOUGHT WAS REALLY ROBUST AND EXCITING AND MAYBE EVEN IDEAL.

UM, IN SLIDE SEVEN AND EIGHT, UH, I DID WANNA POINT OUT ONE OF THE TRANSIT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PLAN WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ME, THE METRO RAPID ROUTE 8 0 3 IS IDENTIFIED AS A PRIMARY TRANSPORTATION OPTION FOR GETTING TO THE PARK, PARK ON A HIGH FREQUENCY BASIS.

AND THERE WERE SOME SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAN HAD MORE METRO BIKE DOCKS, MEDIUM TO HIGH COMFORT BIKE FACILITIES AND INTERNAL CIRCULATION OPTIONS TO KIND OF CONNECT THAT, THAT METRO 8 0 3 BUS INTO THE PARK AREA.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS, THE PLAN PROVIDES 92 ACRES OF NEW ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT TO THE PARK.

THIS IS A BIG GREENING AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PARK TO MAKE IT MORE SUSTAINABLE.

IT ALSO REDUCES IMPERVIOUS COVER BY NINE ACRES BY ROLLING BACK SOME OF THE SURFACE PARKING AREAS AROUND LNE ROAD, FOR EXAMPLE.

UM, IT ALSO ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION BY IMPROVING THE CARBON CAPTURE PERFORMANCE OF THE PARK BY 28% OVER WHAT IS CURRENTLY THE SITUATION AT ZILKER.

UM, NOW HOW IS ALL THIS ECOLOGY POSSIBLE? UH, THE PLAN RECOMMENDS THAT THE, THE PARKING ARRANGEMENT THAT'S CURRENTLY KIND OF SCATTERED ALL OVER THE SURFACE PARKING BE CENTRALIZED AND CONSOLIDATED INTO ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO THREE PHASED PARKING STRUCTURES AND A MORE COMPACT FOOTPRINT.

UH, THAT IS A GOOD WAY TO INCREASE THE OVERALL ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF THE PARK, BUT IT MAKES IT VERY CLEAR THAT THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF THE GARAGES DOESN'T NEED TO BE THREE.

IT COULD DEPEND ON THINGS THAT HAPPEN NEARBY THE PARK WITH ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL SHUTTLES OR MAYBE PARKING OPTIONS THAT ARE NEARBY.

AND THEN WE CAN HAVE LESS OF A PARKING GARAGE SCENARIO DEVELOP.

UM, IN ADDITION, THE PLAN RECOMMENDS MOVING PARKING FROM THE POLO FIELD AND THE BUTLER LANDFILL AREA.

EVERYBODY IS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

UM, AND THE VISION PLAN ALSO WOULD PREVENT A LOT OF THE INFORMAL PARKING AROUND LOU NEFF.

IF YOU GO DOWN THERE NOW, NOT ONLY DO THEY PARK ON THE STREET AND IN THE SURFACE PARKING, THEY'RE INCREASINGLY POPPING UP OFF THE CURB AND PARKING UNDER THE TREES THERE.

I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE PLAN.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

HAVE AN OVERUSED PARK AND YOU HAVE AREAS OF AUSTIN THAT DON'T HAVE A METRO PARK, THEN SHARE THE WEALTH.

NEXT SPEAKER IS BOBBY RIGNEY.

HI, I'M BOBBY RIGNEY, AND, UH, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE REWILDING OF ZILKER.

I THINK IT OUGHT TO BE, UH, CLEAR THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE GOING ON, AND IN THE, WE HAVE A DIVISIVE NATURE, AND A LOT OF THIS HAS, WHOSE NARRATIVE ARE YOU GONNA BELIEVE ON ALL SORTS OF ISSUES.

AND THE ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT THE FACTS OUGHT TO COME OUT AND BE FACT CHECKED BY SOMEBODY WHO EVERYBODY SHOULD TRUST.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UH, PROBLEMS WITH, UM, THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH ABOUT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS THAT THE, THE, EVEN THE PLAN AS IT'S SHOWN, THE THE MATH DOESN'T WORK OUT THE, UH, IT'S JUST SIMPLE MATH, AND THEN WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY GOT THE NUMBERS FROM ANYWAY.

SO WE THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO GET, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO DECLARE WHAT THE IMPERVIOUS COVERS OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS ARE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BOTHERSOME FOR ME IN PARTICULAR IS TO HAVE A HUGE, WHERE YOU HAVE A, A WIDE OPEN SPACE OF ZILKER PARK AND WHO, WHO'S THE PARDON MISSION IS AMONGST OTHER THINGS IS, UM, IS TO, UM, TO PROTECT WHAT YOU HAVE.

UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN NO IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THAT MEANS YOU PROTECT THE BASIC THINGS.

AND WE HAVE USERS, AND EVERYBODY AGREES ON THIS, ZILKER IS BEING USED TO DEATH.

AND WE HAVE 11 METRO PARKS, UH, FIVE OF WHICH BESIDES ZILKER HAVE COMPARABLE TO ZILKER OR SOME KIND CA IN ONE CASE OVER THREE AND A THIRD TIMES THE AMOUNT OF ACREAGE.

SO OBVIOUSLY IF YOU

[00:10:01]

I MEAN, TH IT REALLY IS, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EQUITY.

THAT'S, UH, AN OBVIOUS THING.

BUT TO, UM, TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO ZILKER AND ENCOURAGE FURTHER OVERUSE WOULD BE TO PUT A, A PARKING GARAGE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, ESPECIALLY IT'S UNDERGROUND.

AND SPEAKING OF FACT CHECKING, I ASKED CLAIRE ABOUT DURING A NOVEMBER MEETING IF IT WAS THAT, UH, WHO WAS IT THAT, WHAT DID THEY SAY ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY OF, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING DOWN DEEP INTO CAR LIMESTONE, CLOSE TO THE POOL, CLOSE TO BARTON SPRINGS.

AND, UH, AND SHE SAID, WELL, IT WAS TOLD TO US THAT IT WAS FEASIBLE.

WHAT ENGINEER WAS THAT? AND WHAT ENGINEER ON EARTH WOULD EVER DECLARE THAT WITHOUT A STUDY AND WITHOUT CORE SAMPLES? AND IT GOES DOWN, LET'S SAY SEVERAL, JUST EVEN TWO STORIES DEEP IN CARS.

AND THEN YOU GOTTA HAVE THESE PLANTS AND THE STRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS, UH, CAR PARKING GARAGE.

IT, THAT'S, THAT'S DEEP.

AND THAT'S, ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST PLUS, I MEAN, JUST THE MERE FACT THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IT RIGHT WHERE THE, UM, UH, A MIDDLE OF WIDE OPEN SPACE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK AT WHEN WE DRIVE INTO ZUCKER FROM EITHER DIRECTION ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.

IT'S, UH, YOU SEE A WIDE OPEN SPACE.

SO THEY'RE IN THE PLAN, THEY TAKE THE, UH, LU F ROAD AND THEY'RE PULLING OUT ALL THAT ASPHALT AND THEY'RE SWITCHING IT.

THEY'RE CLAIMING THE, UH, A LOT OF PARKING IS RESTORED BY HAVING PARALLEL PARKING ON A PRODUCTION IN LANES, YOU KNOW, OF ONLY TWO LANES IN PARTON SPRINGS ROAD.

PARDON OF ME, SIR.

I APOLOGIZE.

YOU TIME WAS EXPIRED.

REAL QUICK CLARIFYING QUESTION.

ANYWAY, SO IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO HAVE TO SWITCH IT OFF.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THE NEXT SPEAKER, NEXT SPEAKER IS TANYA PAYNE.

UH, CAN I DONATE MY MINUTES TO MARK MAY? UH, MARK MAY IS ALREADY ASSIGNED AS A SPEAKER.

WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO DONATE MEETINGS, MA'AM, BUT WE'RE NOT SUPER ORGANIZED TODAY.

WHOSE PRESENTATION IS THIS? THAT IS MARK MAYS.

OH, OKAY.

IT'S NOT MINE.

NOT THAT ORGANIZED TODAY.

, UH, MY NAME IS TANYA PAYNE AND, UM, I'M ASKING, UH, YOU TO ADD RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PLAN.

UH, THE CURRENT VISION PLAN IS REALLY A COLLECTION OF THINGS AND ITEMS REQUESTED BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE.

AND TO ME IT'S A VISION OF THE PAST.

IT'S A PAST THAT'S CAR-CENTRIC WHERE YOU HAVE TO HAVE GARAGES TO PARK IN AND INSTEAD, UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALIGN, UH, TO ENCOURAGE THE VISION PLAN TO ALIGN CLOSER WITH OTHER PROJECTS GOING ON WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION, SUCH AS, UM, PROJECT CONNECT AND EVEN ALIGNING THE BARTON SPRINGS ROAD WITH THE BARTON SPRINGS BRIDGE PROJECT AND KEEPING THOSE ALL TOGETHER.

UH, ONE OF THE UNUSUAL THINGS ABOUT THE PROJECT TO ME IS HOW, UH, THEY DO CLAIM THIS ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT.

BUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN LOOKING AT THE PLAN IS THERE'S ACTUALLY HONEST TO GOODNESS ARITHMETIC ERRORS.

AND SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING WAS WE'RE PAYING PROBABLY, UH, I THINK IT WAS $60 MILLION TO GET RI TO INCREASE, UH, OPEN LAND.

BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS WE PAY AGAIN TO COVER IT BACK UP WITH 10 EXTRA, UH, ACRES OF CONSTRUCTION AND THEN USING THEIR OWN NUMBERS, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO ARGUE THOSE, BUT USING THEIR OWN NUMBERS, THEY GET UNDER TWO ACRES ACTUALLY WITH WHEN YOU ACCOUNT FOR THEIR ARRHYTHMIC ERROR.

AND FURTHER, THEY HAVE UP TO THREE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF THE AMOUNT OF OPEN ACRES IN THE, UH, PLAN.

THEY, UH, VARY DEPENDING ON WHAT AREA THEY'RE LOOKING AT.

AND SO, UM, IN GENERAL, I, UM, ASK YOU TO HAVE THEM ALIGN THE PLAN AND VALIDATE THE PLAN AND MAKE SURE THAT THE NUMBERS ARE CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE PLAN SO THAT WE CAN ALL HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOVE AND ENJOY.

NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK MAY.

HI.

UM, YOU KNOW, SO I'M ACTUALLY MARK, MARK, MAY, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA BE HERE, BUT I'M, UH, COMPELLED TO BE HERE.

IT'S LIKE AN ULTIMATE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, GUY, GUY OF THE PARK.

UM, I LOVE THE PARK, BUT I REALLY HATE BEING LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS AND SEEING WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY, UH, PROPOSING.

WHAT WE'RE TOLD IS THAT THE PARK IS BEING LOVED, UH, TO DEATH.

SO I'M LIKE, YEAH,

[00:15:01]

OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ALL IS THERE.

WELL LET'S HEAR WHAT LIKE THE ANSWER IS.

WELL, THE ANSWER IS TO MOVE THE HI HILLSIDE THEATER TO A NEW HILL.

WE JUST, THAT WE JUST BUILT AND MAKE IT BIGGER.

THE NEXT ANSWER IS TO ADD A CONCRETE, UH, YOU KNOW, WELCOME CENTER.

UH, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ADD THREE MORE PARKING, UH, GARAGES AT, AT LIKE A COST LIKE 60 MILLION MILLION THAT HAPPEN TO BE CONVENIENTLY LOCATED NEAR A BUNCH OF WEDDING VENUES.

AND SO WHILE WE'RE AT IT, WE'RE GONNA SHRINK THE ROAD TO THE PARK, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE OUT THE FREE SURFACE PARKING ON LUNA ROAD.

SO IT'S HARD TO GET THROUGH THE PARK AND HARD TO PARK THERE.

SO WE'RE FORCED INTO THE PARKING, UH, GARAGES.

SO THE ANSWER DOES NOT MATCH THE PROBLEM.

SO WHAT I NEED YOU TO DO IS PICK ONE OF THESE SILLY ASPECTS OF THE PLAN AND VOTE FOR THEM TO CHANGE IT.

THIS IS YOUR MOMENT.

NEXT, NEXT PAGE.

I KNOW YOU'RE ASKING MARK, DOESN'T THE PLAN IMPROVE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER? HARDLY ANY.

AND I WILL SHARE THE SLIDE WITH THESE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS AFTERWARDS, BUT THEY HAVE A BASIC MATH ERROR.

THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IS ONLY 30, 34 VERSUS NOW IT'S, UH, 30 36.

AND IF YOU LOOK IN DETAIL AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, LIKE MY, LIKE MY LOVELY WIFE SAID, THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAVING US PAY TO REMOVE IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM PARKING, AND THEN WE'RE PAYING FOR THESE PET PROJECTS TO ADD IT BACK NEXT, NEXT PAGE.

AND THEN YOU WANNA LOOK AT, LOOK AT, UH, MONEY.

THE TOTAL MONEY OF THE PLAN IS 175 MILLION.

IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE TOP FIVE, IT'S 136.

WE'LL LOOK AT THREE OF THE TOP FIVE.

THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH FIXING THE PARK.

THEY'RE ALL PET PROJECTS FOR THESE NON UH, PROFITS.

LOOK AT THE ONES NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST.

$900,000 FOR TREE, TREE CANOPY, BATHROOMS, PLANTS, TRAILS.

THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING MONEY ON, NOT THESE PET PROJECTS.

SO THIS IS YOUR MOMENT.

PICK ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT'S CRAZY AND VOTE AGAINST IT.

THIS IS WHY YOU'RE IN PUBLIC SERVICE.

THIS IS YOUR MOMENT.

SO TAKE IT.

THERE ARE LARGER QUESTIONS AT PLAY HERE.

WHO OWNS THE PARK? IS IT THE ULTIMATE PLAYERS AND THE DOG WALKERS AND ALL THAT? OR IS IT THE PEOPLE THAT RENT OUT THE VENUES AND GET TO CHARGE FOR ALL, ALL THIS STUFF? THIS IS YOUR MOMENT.

TAKE IT.

NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN BLIZZARD.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M KAREN BLIZZARD.

I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE ZILKER COLLECTIVE IMPACT WORKING GROUP.

IT'S A GROUP OF 16 ORGANIZATIONS THAT OPERATE WITHIN AND ADJACENT TO ZILKER PARK, PROVIDING PROGRAMS, AMENITIES, EVENTS AND SERVICES TO AUSTINITES ALL OVER AUSTIN.

AND MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR DECADES.

UM, WE HAVE BEEN GIVING INPUT THROUGH THE VISION PLAN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.

OUR OVERARCHING VISION IS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION THROUGHOUT THE PARK, BALANCED WITH EQUITABLE ACCESS AND A WELCOMING PARK ENVIRONMENT FOR PARK VISITORS FROM ALL OVER AUSTIN.

WE SUPPORT THE GOALS AND GENERAL DIRECTION OF THE VISION PLAN.

OUR GROUPS HAVE NOT GOTTEN EVERYTHING THEY WANTED, BUT WE FEEL THAT COMPROMISE IS IMPORTANT IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS.

UM, THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT WE STILL BELIEVE NEED FURTHER DISCUSSION, SUCH AS THE NARROWING OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.

WE DON'T HAVE CONSENSUS AROUND THAT.

UM, BUT I WANNA TALK ABOUT THREE THINGS.

WE DO SUPPORT THAT RELATE TO TRANSPORTATION, ACCESSIBILITY, AND IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE PARK.

ONE IS THE LAND BRIDGE, WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY 74% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS.

IT WOULD CONNECT BOTH SIDES OF THE PARK AND IMPROVE SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR EVERYONE CROSSING BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.

THERE ARE GREAT EXAMPLES OF THIS IN HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE ASKED TO MAKE THIS NATURAL IN KEEPING WITH ZUCKER'S ECOLOGY AND AESTHETIC AND MINIMIZE THE USE OF CONCRETE WHERE POSSIBLE WHILE STILL MAKING IT WHEELCHAIR INSTALLER ACCESSIBLE.

ANOTHER ASPECT IS IMPROVED CIRCULATION AND ACCESSIBILITY THROUGHOUT THE PARK AND CONNECTIVITY FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS AND THOSE COMING FROM THE STRUCTURED PARKING AREAS.

A THIRD ASPECT IS THE INTERPRETIVE PLAN IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

UM, AND AGAIN, THERE WE'VE ASKED FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING AND PERVIOUS COVER WHERE POSSIBLE.

AT THE, UM, EN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WELCOME CENTER TAKEN TOGETHER, WE THINK THAT THESE THREE ITEMS, UM, THE LANDBRIDGE CONNECTIVITY, IMPROVEMENTS AND INTERPRETATION WILL ENCOURAGE SAFETY, MOBILITY, GREATER EXPLORATION OF ALL AREAS OF ZILKER TO LEARN ITS HISTORY AND ITS CULTURE, AND ALL THE ASPECTS THERE ARE IN THE PARK.

A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST GO TO THEIR SAME AMENITY

[00:20:01]

SO, UM, WE THINK THE VISION PLAN HAS A HOLISTIC LAYOUT, UM, THAT WILL PROVIDE VISITORS WITH A SENSE OF BELONGING AND THE FEELING THAT THEY ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN BRIBE.

GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO CITIZENS.

UM, I'M KAREN BRUMBLE.

I'M FROM THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY.

AND, UH, PUBLIC PARKS ALLOW ALL CITIZENS TO RECREATE AND ENJOY NATURE.

WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH ZURE, YOU HEAR MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

SEE PEOPLE OF MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENTLY ABLED.

EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF THE VISION PLAN.

PARK IMPROVEMENTS LIKE ENHANCED BIKE, PEDESTRIAN TRANSIT AND VEHICLE PARKING BENEFIT, A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF PARK USERS.

THE VISION PLAN MAKES THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WHILE ALSO IMPROVING THE NATURAL ECOLOGY OF THE PARK WITH AN IMPROVED OKER PARK DESIGN.

THE VISION PLAN PROVIDES ACCESS TO NATURE, PARKLAND AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS IN THE DENSE DOWNTOWN URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

THE PLAN PROMOTES HEALTH FOR RECREATIONAL USERS IN THE PARK AND NATURE SPACE WITH NUMEROUS PARK AMENITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED.

EVERYONE CAN ENJOY RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS RUNNING, SWIMMING, DISCO, SOCCER, VOLLEYBALL, KAYAKING, BASEBALL, OUTDOOR GRILLING, PICNICKING, AND THE TRAILS.

THE PLAN HELPS PRESERVE AND SUPPORT HISTORICAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE ENGAGED ALL COMMUNITIES SUCH AS THE AUSTIN SUNSHINE CAMP.

FOR THE PAST 94 YEARS, AUSTIN SUNSHINE CAMPS HAS PROVIDED FREE FUN-FILLED OVERNIGHT SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS IN ZILKER PARK FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA.

THEY STARTED IN 1928 AND LAST SUMMER SERVED 525 CAMPERS.

ALL SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE FOR KIDS WHO ARE ON THE FREE OR REDUCED SCHOOL, UH, MEAL PROGRAM OR WHO ARE IN FOSTER CARE.

SINCE 1960, THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER HAS PROVIDED HANDS-ON NATURE EXHIBITS, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND RECREATION ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS AND CHILDREN OF ALL AGES.

THEY INCREASE THE AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.

THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER IS DEDICATED TO THE EXPLORATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD BY ALL AUSTINITES.

THE VISION PLAN PROMOTES HERITAGE ASPECTS AS ZORE PARK.

THE NEED TO BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE VISITING PUBLIC, NOT LESS ACCESSIBLE.

CHRISTOPHER.

GOT A QUICK QUESTION FOR MRS. FOR MS. BLIZZARD? YES.

YOU SAID THERE'S 16 GROUPS.

UM, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THOSE GROUPS? UH, YES.

MS. BLIZZARD, IF YOU COULD, THANK YOU.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN RATTLE OFF IF YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER ALL 16, JUST I'M WONDERING WHAT THE MIX.

CONSERV HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.

AUSTIN SUNSHINE CAMPUS, AS SHE JUST MENTIONED, UM, THE GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS, THE GIRL SCOUT CABIN BACK THERE IN THE WOODS.

UH, BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY, FRIENDS OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, WATERLOO DISC GOLF, UM, UH, SCIENCE NA AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, ZUCKER BOTANICAL GARDENS, UM, HILLSIDE THEATER, ZUCKER HILLSIDE THEATER.

WE ALSO INCLUDE UMLA.

THEY ARE ADJACENT TO THE PARK.

THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY IN THE PARK.

AND WHO ELSE? CONSERVANCY WHO? HILL COUNTRY.

THE VIOLET CROWN TRAILHEAD IS THERE IN THE PARK.

UM, OH, AND THE TWO BOAT VENDORS.

SO THE REST ARE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND IN ADDITION, THERE ARE TWO BOAT VENDORS, ZILKER BOATS AND, UM, ROWING DOCK.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

SURE.

AND THAT, THAT'S ALL OUR SPEAKERS? YES.

WE, WE HAVE ONE MORE.

I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE HER BECAUSE WE, I RECOGNIZE THAT SHE'S BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY LOGGING IN.

UH, MS. KAREN KREPPS WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY.

UM, I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE PUBLICLY TO HER.

WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO CONNECT HER VIA WEBEX.

WE'RE JUST HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AND I'LL BE SURE TO FOLLOW UP WITH C T M AND CITY HALL TO TRY TO CORRECT THAT.

UH, BUT I DID WANT TO SHARE AND COMMISSIONERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAD ONE MORE SPEAKER.

SHE WASN'T ABLE TO PRESENT OR SPEAK DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES.

AND I'LL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT.

YEAH, IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE, I MEAN, WE COULD ALWAYS HEAR HER AFTER WE HEARD THE, THE IT, THE PRESENTATION FROM STAFF, IF SHE CAN KEEP TRYING, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE Y'ALL HAVE EXHAUSTED OPPORTUNITIES, SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRY, BUT, OKAY, COOL.

UM, SO I THINK THAT TAKES US THROUGH OUR SPEAKERS THAT ARE HERE IN THE ROOM THAT ARE ABLE TO SPEAK.

IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND, CORRECT.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

WELL, I'LL CALL ON OUR STAFF PRESENTATION THEN.

[00:25:08]

CAN YOU HEAR ME? IS THIS SIGN? YES.

GOOD, GOOD EVENING.

I'M GREGORY MONTE WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

I AM THE, UH, PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE ZOLA PARK VISION PLAN.

JOINING ME IS CLAIRE HAMPEL WITH DESIGN WORKSHOP.

SHE'S A PRINCIPAL AT THE FIRM AND ALSO JUSTIN SCHNEIDER, WHO WORKS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION AS A COMMUNITY, UH, ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST.

UM, JUST BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PRESENTATION, I THOUGHT I'D JUST KIND OF PROVIDE SOME OPENING REMARKS AND SOME BACKGROUND BASED ON, UM, YOUR FAMILIARITY WITH OUR VISION PLAN AND THE PARK ITSELF.

THE CITY DID, UM, THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, GO THROUGH, UH, THE HIRING OF, UM, DESIGN WORKSHOP TO ASSIST THE CITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS VISION PLAN FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

UM, WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE NEVER, EVER DONE A COMPREHENSIVE VISION PLAN FOR ZILKER PARK.

THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND FOR THIS PARK.

WE DID HAVE SOME, UM, EFFORTS IN PAST DECADES WHERE WE AS A DEPARTMENT TRIED TO DEVELOP KIND OF A FRAMEWORK AND GUIDE, UH, TO THE DEVELOPMENT ENHANCEMENT OF THE PARK, BUT IT WAS NEVER TO THIS LEVEL OF DETAIL.

SO I WANTED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THIS WAS A, A HUGE, UH, ENDEAVOR FOR OUR DEPARTMENT TO EMBARK ON THIS.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, ZER PARK IS OUR FLAGSHIP PARK FOR OUR PARK SYSTEM.

IT IS KIND OF THE CROWNING JEWEL.

IT HAS A LOT OF HISTORY WITHIN OUR CITY, AND AS WE HAVE SEEN OUR CITY CONTINUE TO GROW, AND ESPECIALLY OUR DOWNTOWN TURN INTO AN URBAN CENTER, WE HAVE SEEN THAT GROWTH SPILL OVER INTO THE PARK.

UM, WE REALIZE THAT, UM, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO KIND OF GUIDE HOW WE MANAGED THE PARK, THAT HAS LED TO SOME SERIOUS ISSUES.

AND ON ANY GIVEN DAY, IF YOU GO TO THE PARK, YOU CAN EXPERIENCE AND SEE THOSE ISSUES, WHETHER YOU'RE WALKING ALONG THE CREEK OR, UH, OTHER VEGETATED AREAS OR WHEN YOU'RE GETTING TO THE PARK, TRYING TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO PARK.

SO IT REALLY, WITH ALL OF THOSE ISSUES, IT WAS TIME FOR OUR DEPARTMENT TO REALLY COMPREHENSIVELY SIT DOWN AND SAY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR, UH, TONIGHT, IS TO SHARE SOME OF THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THIS PLANNING EFFORT.

WE HAVE BEEN IN THIS PLANNING AREA FOR TWO YEARS, AND, UH, WE HAVE HELD A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS.

WE HAVE, UH, DEVELOPED A VISION BASED ON PRINCIPLES AND GOALS, AND WE HAVE DONE THAT THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO TONIGHT, UM, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL GAIN A RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMISSION, UH, FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE LAID OUT IN THE PLAN.

AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT, UM, WE DID PRESENT TO THE, UH, PEDESTRIAN AND ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE BIKE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND DID GAIN A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PLAN, JUST SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT.

UM, BUT, BUT WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND HAND HER OVER TO CLAIRE SO SHE CAN START THE PRESENTATION, AND THEN AFTERWARDS WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

UM, I DID WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT JONATHAN MISERO OF NELSON NYGARD IS ON THE, THE CALL FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT COME UP.

THEY'RE OUR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FIRM.

UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN.

MY NAME IS CLAIRE HEMPEL, AND AS PRINCIPAL AT DESIGN WORKSHOP, I HAVE BEEN SERVING AS THE LEAD CONSULTANT WORKING WITH PARD ON THE ZER PLAN SINCE IT OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF IN FEBRUARY, 2021.

I ALSO SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT I AM NOT REPRESENTING THAT BODY HERE TONIGHT.

I WILL SPEND ABOUT 15 MINUTES PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF THE DRAFT PLAN IN THE PROCESS, AND WE'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.

UM, WHERE AM I POINTING THIS? OH, SHOULD I JUST TELL YOU? TRY ONE.

NEXT SLIDE.

THERE WE GO.

THIS WAS PUBLISHED ON FEBRUARY 15TH, 2023.

SO TO START OFF OUR OVERVIEW TONIGHT, WHAT YOU WILL SEE ON THIS SLIDE ARE THE RESULTS OF A QUESTION ASKED BY A THIRD PARTY UNRELATED TO OUR PLANNING PROCESS, ASKING WHAT PEOPLE THINK THE MOST CRITICAL IMPROVEMENT TO ZILKER PARK SHOULD BE.

AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE ANSWERS ARE SPLIT, AND THERE IS NOT ONE RESOUNDING RESPONSE OR IDEA ABOUT WHAT THE MOST CRITICAL IMPROVEMENT SHOULD BE.

AND THIS IS THE CHALLENGE FACING THE CITY WITH ZUCKER PARK TODAY.

IT IS A BELOVED SPACE WITH MANY DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT HOW IT SHOULD BE USED AND IMPROVED.

Z BARK HAS BEEN A DRAW FOR GENERATIONS OF AUSTINITES AND THOSE THAT LIVED HERE BEFORE.

IT IS A HOME OF ECOLOGICAL TREASURES, GATHERING SPACES, PLAY AREAS, AND HOME TO MANY BELOVED FACILITIES AND EVENTS.

EARLY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, EVEN BEFORE THE CONSULTANT TEAM WAS UNDER CONTRACT, THE FIRST SURVEY TOOK PLACE AROUND THE

[00:30:01]

TIME OF THE START OF THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS IN 2020 QUESTIONS ASKING HOW WELL ZER PARK IS MEETING PEOPLE'S NEEDS AND WHY PEOPLE DON'T VISIT, WE'RE ASKED AMONG OTHERS, HIGHLIGHTING THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE TO BECOME CENTRAL TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED IN THE DRAFT.

NATURAL AREAS AND TRAILS ARE SOME OF THE CURRENT ELEMENTS OF THE PARK THAT MEET PEOPLE'S NEEDS.

BUT PARKING ISSUES, CROWDING ISSUES, AND ACCESS WERE INDICATED AS PROBLEMS TO SOLVE FOR.

OTHER ISSUES ARE EVIDENT AS ONE WALKS AROUND THE PARK, SOME OF WHICH ARE PICTURED HERE, LIKE AREAS THAT SEE INTENSE STORM DRAINAGE AND EROSION PROBLEMS, AND INACCESSIBLE AREAS ALONG THE CREEK.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS A HANDFUL OF THE HUNDREDS OF COMMENTS FROM THE INITIAL SURVEY FOCUSED ON MULTIMODAL ACCESSIBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY TO AND WITHIN THE PARK.

THE CHALLENGE IS HOW TO BALANCE THESE INITIATIVES WITH THE OTHER GUIDING PRINCIPLES AROUND EQUITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY, AND HISTORY AND CULTURE.

THERE HAVE BEEN VISION PLANS DONE FOR DISCREET ELEMENTS IN FACILITIES IN ZUCKER PARK, LIKE GREG MENTIONED, SUCH AS THE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, BARTON SPRINGS POOL, AND THE SUNKEN GARDENS.

BUT THIS IS THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DONE FOR ZILKER PARK AS A WHOLE.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS VISION PLAN IS INTENDED TO BE.

IT WILL OUTLINE THE LONG TERM, DECADES LONG VISION PRINCIPLES, GOALS, AND STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCEMENT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF THE PARK.

THE VISION PLAN DOES NOT SERVE AS DETAILED DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION PLANS, PLANS FOR DAY-TO-DAY PARK MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE, NOR DETAILED BUDGETING FOR PARK ENHANCEMENTS.

THIS IS HELPFUL TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE GO THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE DRAFT PLAN.

THE ZILKER METROPOLITAN VISION PLAN, ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLANS MADE OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE A VISIONARY FRAMEWORK TO DIRECT THE PRESERVATION, FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND CARE OF ZILKER PARK.

ZILKER PARK NEEDS A VISION PLAN TO MAKE SURE IT IS A VIABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

IT INVOLVES IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR RECREATIONAL AMENITIES, RECOMMENDING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARK'S, CURRENT FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS, AND PUTTING AN EMPHASIS ON PRESERVING THE HISTORIC, CULTURAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS.

SUSTAINABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, NATURE, ECOLOGY, AND HISTORY AND CULTURE ARE THE FIVE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE GOALS.

THE BEGINNING OF OUR PLANNING PROCESS INCLUDED ESTABLISHING THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND GOALS AND PULLING FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONTEXT FROM AFFILIATED CITY ADOPTED PLANS SUCH AS THE URBAN AUSTIN URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, THE STRATEGIC STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, THE LONG RANGE PLAN, AND MORE.

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE PLAN ALIGN CLOSELY WITH MANY OF THE MOBILITY GOALS FROM THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, ESPECIALLY INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.

SO YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE HERE AT LEFT ARE THE, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE PLAN, AND THEN WE TRIED TO KEY THEM TO THE MOBILITY GOALS FROM THE AS.

S M P.

THE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2021.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO THE PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE TWO YEAR TIMEFRAME, WHICH PROVED ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING DUE TO COVID ERROR RESTRICTIONS.

DURING THIS TIME, OUR TEAM HAS CONDUCTED OVER A HUNDRED POP-UPS, DOZENS OF SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MEETINGS, FIVE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND IN-PERSON, OPEN HOUSE, SIX COMMUNITY SURVEYS, AND ADDITIONAL WORK WITH THE PARKS BOARD WORKING GROUP.

TONIGHT'S HEARING IS ONE TOUCHPOINT IN THE FINAL STAGES OF THE PROJECT WITH OTHER FORTHCOMING BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HEARINGS CONCLUDING WITH CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION BY CITY COUNCIL LATER THIS SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER.

THE CITY USES THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SPECTRUM OF PARTICIPATION AS A GUIDE TO FORMING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY.

FROM THIS STRATEGY, THE PLANNING TEAM USED DIFFERENT METHODS OF OUTREACH TO REACH DIFFERENT GROUPS BASED ON THE SPECIFIC GOAL FOR THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE.

THE DRAFT PLAN WAS RELEASED ON NOVEMBER 15TH, 2022.

THE PLANNING TEAM HELD A VIRTUAL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, AND AN OPEN HOUSE ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 10TH.

THERE WERE 148 VIRTUAL MEETING PARTICIPANTS AND 130 OPEN HOUSE ATTENDEES AT THE OPEN HOUSE.

THERE WAS A REPRESENTATION FROM ALL 10 COUNCIL DISTRICTS WITH ABOUT A QUARTER OF ATTENDEES FROM DISTRICT FIVE.

ALMOST 300 WITTEN WRITTEN COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED AT THE OPEN HOUSE, AND ALL WERE DIGITALLY DOCUMENTED THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS OF DECEMBER AND JANUARY.

FOR THE FINAL COMMUNITY SURVEY NUMBER SIX, THERE WERE NEARLY 27,000 VIEWS OF THE DOCUMENT WITH NEARLY 3000 PARTICIPANTS COMMENTING ON THE DOCUMENT.

AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS, 2300 PEOPLE LEFT COMMENTS, AND ABOUT 30% OF THE COMMENTS ARE FROM THE ZIP CODES, 78, 704, AND 78 7 4 5, WHICH ARE THE AREAS CLOSEST TO THE PARK.

THE TEAM ALSO RELEASED A SEVEN MINUTE VIDEO TO EXPLAIN THE PLAN IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WITH MORE THAN 6,800 VIEWS TO DATE.

FOLLOWING THE FINAL PHASE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, THE PLANNING TEAM WAS WORKING THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF JANUARY TO UPDATE THE PLAN BASED ON

[00:35:01]

FEEDBACK AND PAR LEADERSHIP GUIDANCE.

THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS A FEW OF THOSE UPDATES, INCLUDING MOVING THE SPORTS AREA AND REDUCING ITS FOOTPRINT, LEAVING DISC GOLF IN ITS CURRENT CONFIGURATION AND THE INCLUSION OF A DISC GOLF WARMUP AREA.

THE ROWING DOCK WILL REMAIN IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION, AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARK, THE SIZE OF THE PLACE GATES WILL REDUCED TO KEEP THE MONKEY TREE LAWN SIZE INTACT.

TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN.

FIRST, THE EXTERNAL SHUTTLE, AS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE, IS CRITICAL TO SUPPORT THE ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN ZILKER VISITORSHIP AS THE CITY'S POPULATION GROWS IN THE FUTURE.

THE TWO PROPOSED LINES WILL CONNECT TO THE PARK, CONNECT THE PARK TO TRANSPORTATION HUBS AND EXTERNAL PARKING GARAGES, LIKE ONE TEXAS CENTER FOR REPUBLIC SQUARE AND CITY HALL.

A SHUTTLE WAS PILOTED LAST SUMMER WITH AROUND 500 RIDER GETTING FREE LISTS FROM THE GARAGE AT ONE TEXAS CENTER TO ZILKER REGARDING VEHICULAR CIRCULATION.

THE PLAN RECOMMENDS HOLDING THE NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES WITHIN THE PARK AS THERE ARE TODAY, BUT BY CONCENTRATING PARKING AND GARAGES, IMPERVIOUS COVER IS REDUCED FROM 36 ACRES, ABOUT HALF THE AREA OF A LARGE SHOPPING MALL TO 27 ACRES ABOUT THE AREA OF CHICAGO'S MILLENNIUM PARK.

ADDITIONALLY, THERE WILL BE AN INTERNAL SHUTTLE CIRCULATOR AS SEEN IN THE ORANGE LINE, AN EXPANSION OF THE ZILKER EAGLE TRAIN ROUTE TO THE NORTH, AS SEEN IN THE TEAL COLOR TO SERVE BOTH AS A RECREATIONAL ELEMENT AND A WAY TO GET AROUND THE PARK.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN SERVE AS A COMPREHENSIVE WAY TO ADDRESS ACCESS AND MOBILITY WITHIN THE PARK, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTING SHARED PARKING SOLUTIONS, CAPITALIZING ON PARKING GARAGE INVESTMENTS ADJACENT TO THE PARK LIKE THE DOWTY ART CENTER, AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES FROM THE NORTH AND EAST INTO THE PARK FOR EASIER, SAFER ACCESS.

TODAY, BARTON SPRINGS ROAD DIVIDES THE PARK AND PRESENTS CHALLENGES TO SAFETY AND ACCESS TO ALL PARTS OF THE PARK.

THERE IS SUPPORT FOR SLOWING VEHICLES AS THEY TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE PARK.

THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN REPORTED ON JANUARY 12TH, 2023 THAT IN 2022, AUSTIN BROKE ITS TRAFFIC DEATH TOLL RECORD THAT WAS SET ONLY A YEAR EARLIER.

IN FACT, THERE WAS A PEDESTRIAN DEATH DUE TO A NAVICULAR ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AND AZ MORTON.

IN 2022, THE PLANNING TEAM WORKED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ON WAYS TO SLOW SPEEDS AND PROMOTE PARK CONNECTIVITY.

THIS CONFIGURATION AS SHOWN HERE, WHICH IS ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION WITH PROTECTED BIKE LANES AND PARALLEL PARKING AND SHARED USE PASS ON EACH SIDE IS BEING CONSIDERED, BUT ONLY AFTER A TRAFFIC STUDY AND PILOT PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED BY THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND PROVE TO BE SAFE AND BENEFICIAL.

THIS CONFIGURATION WORKS WITHIN THE EXISTING PAVEMENT SECTION OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AND DOES NOT INCREASE IMPERVIOUS COVER REGARDING PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CIRCULATION.

THE PLAN ENHANCES AND INCREASES TRAIL CONNECTIVITY, INCREASING CONNECTED TRAILS BY 55% WITH THREE TRAIL HEADS.

THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL HEAD IS ALREADY EXISTING, AND FIVE CROSSING POINTS ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, INCLUDING THE LAND BRIDGE.

A SIXTH BRIDGE, CONNECTS THE FUTURE MOPAC SHARED USE PATH OVER BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AS YOU HEAD TO OR FROM THE LAKE.

NOW WE'LL ZOOM IN FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS, AND YOU'LL NOTICE SMALL ICONS ON THE DESIGN ELEMENTS TO LINK HOW THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND GOALS ARE SUPPORTED.

THE NORTHERN AREA OF THE PARK IS MOSTLY UNTOUCHED WITH THE ZILKER NATURE PRESERVE AND THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER REMAINING IN PLACE.

THE LANDFILL ON EITHER SIDE OF MOPAC CLOSE TO THE LAKE IS RESTORED TO NATURAL AREAS TO BETTER CONNECT VISITORS TO THE WATER.

AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ROWING DOCK REMAINS IN ITS CURRENT LOCATION WITH PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS FROM ENS CREEK UNDER STRATFORD TO CONNECT THE AUSTIN NATURE SCIENCE CENTER AND TRAIL USERS TO THE WATER, THERE IS A TRAILHEAD FOR THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.

BESIDE THE PARKING GARAGE LOCATED UNDERNEATH MOPAC AND STRATFORD DRIVE IS REALIGNED TO PARALLEL MOPAC AND LEAVE ITS FORMER ALIGNMENT DEDICATED TO BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS.

THIS IS A VIEW FROM THE MOPAC INTERSECTION WITH A ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN LOOKING OUT TOWARDS DOWNTOWN IN LADY BIRD LAKE WITH A RESTORED NATURAL AREA IN PLACE OF THE BUTLER LANDFILL.

THE CENTRAL PART OF THE PARK INCLUDES AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE CONNECTED TO THE LAND BRIDGE THAT ALLOWS FOR SAFE PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CROSSING OVER BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.

THE SPORTS AREA IS NOW MORE CLOSELY LOCATED TO THE POLO FIELD LAWN, AND THE DISC GOLF AREA REMAINS IN ITS CURRENT CONFIGURATION.

THE ZER HILLSIDE THEATER IS LOCATED AT THE NORTH END OF THE LAND BRIDGE.

THIS IS A VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE LAND BRIDGE LOOKING TOWARDS THE GREAT LAWN.

AND DOWNTOWN ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE PARK.

LU NEPH ROAD IS CLOSED TO EVERYDAY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.

THERE ARE NEW PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE LAKE AND BARTON CREEK TO BETTER CONNECT EXISTING AND FUTURE PARKING AREAS AND RELIEVE PARKING NEEDS INSIDE THE PARK.

THE PARK BOUNDARIES.

[00:40:02]

THIS IS A VIEW OF THE ELKER HILLSIDE THEATER CONNECTED TO THE LAND BRIDGE.

THE THEATER'S CURRENT LOCATION DOESN'T ACCOMMODATE GROWTH OF THE THEATER'S PROGRAMMING AND PRESENTS CHALLENGES FOR ACCESSIBILITY, PARKING, AND UTILITIES.

BY RELOCATING IT TO THE PROPOSED AREA IN THE GREAT LAWN, THE THEATER PRODUCTION CAN BETTER ACCOMMODATE ALL USERS.

AND THIS LOCATION ALSO PROVIDES FOR PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE Z OR BOTANICAL GARDENS AND THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, SOUTH OF BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.

THE PLAN INCLUDES CONNECTIONS ACROSS BARTON CREEK ON EITHER SIDE OF THE POOL, A WELCOME PLAZA, AND NEW AND ENHANCED PLAY AREAS AT THE EXISTING PLAYGROUND NEAR THE POOL AND NEW PLAY AREAS, PLAY AREAS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARK.

THE SIZE OF THE PLAYGROUNDS IN THE SOUTH AREA WAS REDUCED TO KEEP THE CURRENT MONKEY TREE LAWN INTACT.

THE PARKING GARAGE AS SHOWN HERE ON AZ MORTON WOULD BE THE LOWEST PRIORITY OF PARKING GARAGES AND MAY POSSIBLY NOT EVEN BE NEEDED AS OTHER PARKING SOLUTIONS LIKE SHARED USE PARKING OPTIONS BECOME AVAILABLE.

THIS IS A VIEW OF THE AREA TO THE EAST OF BARTON SPRINGS POOL, THE SPILLWAY, THIS SHOWS ACCESSIBLE PATHS TO THE WATER'S EDGE RE-VEGETATED AREAS AND DEFINED AREAS FOR WATER ACCESS TO ALLOW FOR HEALING BACK OF THE BANGS.

THE WEST SIDE OF THE PARK FEATURES NEW TRAILS IN THE FORESTED AREA NEAR THE MACBETH RECREATION CENTER IN GIRL SCOUT CABIN.

COLUMBUS DRIVE FROM THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY TO THE VIOLENT CROWN TRAIL HEAD WILL BE CLOSED TO EVERYDAY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, ALLOWING FOR UNIMPEDED ACCESS FROM THE GREEN BELT AND THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL ACROSS THE LAND BRIDGE TO THE BUTLER HIKE.

AND MY TRAIL.

THIS IS A VIEW OF THE CHILDREN'S PLAY SPACE WITHIN THE SPORTS AREA.

THE REASON FOR HAVING MULTIPLE PLAY AREAS WITHIN THE PARK IS TO BETTER DISTRIBUTE VISITORS ACROSS THE PARK.

THE PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DIVIDED INTO SMALLER PROJECTS TO ALLOW FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH IMPLEMENTATION.

AS FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS GENERALLY FALL INTO THE CATEGORIES THAT ARE SEEN HERE, ADMINISTRATION, ACCESSIBILITY, ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT, AND FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROJECTS MAY BE PRIORITIZED.

THE PLANNING DEEMED TEAM DID A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT RECEIVED THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT AND DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THIS QUADRANT.

THE HIGHER BENEFIT AND LOWER COST PROJECTS ARE CLUSTERED AT THE TOP LEFT, AND THE LOWER BENEFIT HIGHER COST PROJECTS ARE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT.

THE PROJECT TIMELINE WAS ESTABLISHED BASED ON THE COST AND BENEFIT ANALYSIS.

HOWEVER, IT IS INTENDED TO BE FLEXIBLE BASED ON AVAILABLE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT IS THE CORRELATION AMONG PROJECTS THAT ARE CO-DEPENDENT FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, SURFACE PARKING WILL ONLY BE REMOVED WHEN THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO ACCESS THE PARK, EITHER A PARKING SOLUTION OR MORE FREQUENT TRANSIT OR SHUTTLE SERVICES.

TO CONCLUDE THIS MEETING IS ONE OF A SERIES OF BOARD AND COMMISSION'S PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT THE PLANNING TEAM WILL PRESENT TO, UH, CONCLUDING WITH CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION FOR ADOPTION.

I KNOW I COVERED A LOT OF MATERIAL HERE TODAY.

I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.

UM, I IMAGINE SURE, YEAH.

I'M SORRY.

I WANTED TO CHECK WITH CTM REALLY FAST TO SEE IF WE COULD POSSIBLY GET KAREN ANDRES ON THE, ON THE LINE.

ABSOLUTELY.

PLEASE DISREGARD.

UM, WE STILL AREN'T ABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

UM, COMMISSIONERS, I IMAGINE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM THIS BODY, AND I CERTAINLY HAVE A, A FEW QUESTIONS.

I DON'T NEED TO GO FIRST.

IF ANYONE, UM, HAS A QUESTION, I THINK IT NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO ASK IT.

UM, I, IF NOT, NO ONE'S PIPING UP.

I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ASK MY COUP A COUPLE OF MY QUESTIONS.

I GUESS I JUST HAVE A GENERAL QUESTION.

SORRY.

UM, YOU MENTIONED AS FAR AS KIND OF GUIDING HOW, I DON'T WANNA CALL 'EM GUIDING PRINCIPLES, BUT, UM, LIKE WHEN YOU MENTIONED AS FAR AS LOWER PRIORITY THINGS, UM, UH, I'M READING TO THE PLAN AND FORGIVE ME FOR NOT, YOU KNOW, HAVING IT MEMORIZED, BUT ARE THOSE IN THERE? ARE THEY, ARE THEY STRICTLY IN WRITING SAYING, HEY, WE'RE NOT GONNA REMOVE X UNTIL WE DO Y THIS WILL BE THE SEQUENCE OF CERTAIN THINGS.

ARE THOSE IN THE PLAN WRITTEN IN THERE? YES, SIR.

THEY'RE IN THE PLAN.

SO, SO ONE THING THAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, BECAUSE IT WAS A A A POINT THAT SEVERAL SPEAKERS TALKED ABOUT TODAY WAS THAT, UM, IN FACT WE HAD SOME SLIDES WHERE PEOPLE WERE CORRECTING, I THINK IT'S IN OUR DECK.

IT'S THE IMPERVIOUS COVER NUMBERS, IF I CAN FIND IT.

SO THAT WOULD BE, I THINK I'M WORKING THE WRONG WAY.

[00:45:02]

LORDY.

GIVE ME A SECOND.

SO IT WAS LIKE 36 AND 27 OR 34, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THERE WE GO.

THAT'S SLIDE 14.

AND SO YOUR, YOUR SLIDE SAYS THERE'S 36 ACRES, UM, AND THEN IT'S PROPOSED 27 ACRES, SO LESS IMPERVIOUS COVER AND SEVERAL, UH, COMU CITIZENS COMMUNICATING TODAY SAID 34 ACRES.

COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT OR LIKE, AS YOUR UNDERSTANDING, UM, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SEEMS TO BE A COMMON THREAD, UM, OF HOW YOU ARRIVED AT, AT THOSE NUMBERS, OR, OR WHAT, WHAT THAT'S ABOUT THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.

YEAH, SO, SO SEVERAL, UM, SPEAKERS, UM, FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAD TODAY.

UH, SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE, UH, SLIDE 14, MAYBE IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO GET THAT BACK UP THERE.

UM, IT SHOWED, UM, 36 ACRES AS THE EXISTING IMPERVIOUS COVER.

AND THEN THE PLAN INFORMATION FROM STAFF THAT WAS PRESENTED SHOWED 27.

I HAD, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY ONE OF THE OTHER, UM, SEVERAL SPEAKERS SAID, WELL, THAT'S REALLY WRONG.

IT'S ACTUALLY 34 ACRES IN THE PROPOSAL.

UM, SO IT'S LESS OF A REDUCTION THAN BEING BILLED.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU UNDERST UNDERSTAND THAT.

I, I IMAGINE THAT YOU DO UNDERSTAND THE DISCREPANCY HERE.

COULD YOU RESPOND TO THAT FOR US, PLEASE? SURE.

SO THE IMPERVIOUS COVER WAS, UM, CALCULATED BY TAKING OUR AUTOCAD PLAN, UM, WHICH IS BUILT FROM GIS LAYERS AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AND CALCULATING, UM, PARKING, UM, PAVED PARKING AREA, UM, AND SOME OF THE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE IN THE PLAN.

UM, SO THAT'S HOW WE ARRIVED AT WHAT IS EXISTING AND WHERE WE ARE HEADING WITH THE DRAFT PLAN, WHICH IS 27 ACRES.

UM, AND THAT INCLUDES ROADS, PARKING LOTS, AND THE PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE THE VARIOUS FACILITIES AND, AND, UM, LOCATED WITHIN THE PARK.

SO I'M, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE DISCREPANCY, UM, BUT THIS IS A, A DRAFT PLAN.

AND SO AS WE'VE HAD MINOR ADJUSTMENTS GOING FROM NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, UM, WE'VE BEEN TWEAKING THIS AS THE PLAN IS UPDATED, BUT THESE ARE WHAT WE'RE CALCULATING BASED ON OUR AUTOCAD AND GIS FILES.

UM, AND THE PARKING GARAGE.

UM, WE, WELL, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT COMING.

UM, YEAH, I'M GONNA TURN TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.

I HAVE, I CAN ASK MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT OTHER PEOPLE TO GO FIRST MAYBE.

SO, SO WILL THAT KEEP CHANGING? IS THAT A MOVING TARGET AS FAR AS IMPERVIOUS COVER? UM, MINOR TWEAKS.

I DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS CHANGING, DEFINITELY NOT BY ACRES AT, AT THIS POINT.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, VERY MINOR.

UM, BUT I DON'T ANTICIPATE IT CHANGING.

GOTCHA.

AND THEN, I GUESS, I'M SURE THIS WILL COME UP AT SOME POINT, BUT PARKING GARAGES, UM, FIRST OF ALL, YOU MENTIONED ONE TEXAS CENTER.

COULD YOU GIVE A, COULD YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON ONE TEXAS CENTER AND WHAT, WHAT THE PLANS ARE THERE? SURE.

GREG, DO YOU WANNA TAKE THAT? YEAH, I CAN, I CAN ADDRESS THAT QUESTION.

SO, UM, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT THE SHUTTLE THAT WAS, UH, RUNNING LAST SUMMER, IS THAT IN THE FUTURE OF THE GARAGE AND HOW WE CAN POSSIBLY USE THAT AS A RESOURCE FOR PARKING FOR ZUKO PARK? YES.

THAT'S WHAT SOUNDED LIKE TO ME.

SO IN THE PLAN, THE, THE CURRENT PARKING GARAGE IS THERE RIGHT NOW? YEAH, IT'S, IT'S THERE RIGHT NOW.

AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IN THE PLAN IS NOT JUST PARKING GARAGES THAT ARE SHOWN IN THE PLAN THAT CLAIRE SHARED WITH YOU, BUT ALSO OFFSITE GARAGES THAT ARE CITY OWNED AND EVEN SOME THAT ARE PRIVATELY OWNED.

SO ONE TEXAS CENTER BEING A CITY FACILITY IS AVAILABLE TO US.

AND SO WE ARE IN THE PLAN IDENTIFYING IT AS A RESOURCE TO UTILIZE FOR PARKING.

UM, AS CLAIRE MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION THIS PAST SUMMER, WE DID RUN A SHUTTLE THAT ALLOWED PARK VISITORS TO PARK THERE FREE OF CHARGE.

AND THEN WE RAN A SHUTTLE FROM THERE AND DROPPED A MOUTH, UM, IN THE PARK.

AND I THINK SHE GAVE A NUMBER OF ABOUT 500.

WE ARE PREPARING TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS SUMMER, AND IT WAS, UH, SUCCESSFUL.

UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN.

SO WE ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING THAT RECOMMENDATION IN THE PLAN AS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA CONSIDER, BUT IT'S JUST NOT ONE TEXAS CENTER, IT'S OTHER'S FACILITIES.

I'M, I'M ACTUALLY, I, I, UM, THAT'S AWESOME.

I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE USING EXISTING PARKING AS OPPOSED TO ADDING MORE PARKING.

I WOULD JUST CAUTION THAT, YOU KNOW, I SERVE ON ANOTHER BOARD, THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.

UM, AND WE ARE ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT HAPPENS AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, AND NOT JUST US, BUT OFFICE OF REAL ESTATE SERVICES.

EVERYBODY WANT IS CALLING DIBS ON ONE TEXAS CENTER,

[00:50:01]

SO I WOULD JUST, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, UH, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTABLE IS YET TO SEE, SO RELYING ON THAT IS ONE OF OUR PARKING OPTIONS IS A LITTLE TOUGH FOR ME, IS, IS A, IS A REALLY TOUGH PILL FOR ME TO SWALLOW.

, BUT I DO COMMEND Y'ALL FOR THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND RELYING ON OTHER, ON OTHER, ON EXISTING PARKING STRUCTURES.

UM, THE OTHER THING I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION ON IS THE GENERAL COST.

AND I KNOW YOU SAID LET'S NOT HOLD ANYBODY'S FEET TO THE FIRE ON COST OF ANY OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS.

UM, BUT AS OUR COMPANIONS HERE, OR OUR, OUR FRIENDS FROM THE AUSTIN TRANS TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UM, ARE CURRENTLY DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RELYING ON, ON GENERAL COST NUMBERS TO UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM.

AND SO THAT NUMBER IS PRETTY IMPORTANT.

SO I THI I PERSONALLY THINK, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING IF THIS IS AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO DIG THROUGH LIMESTONE AND WHATNOT, I THINK THAT NUMBER'S A LITTLE LOW.

UM, AND THE, THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS BECAUSE AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE DECIDING WHAT IS IMPORTANT, WHAT TRADE-OFFS WE NEED TO MAKE WITHIN THE PARK, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO BE REALISTIC WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, WITH WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO THE PUBLIC.

JUST AS OUR FRIENDS FROM AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE SHOULD HOLD EVERYBODY'S FEET TO THE SAME FIRE.

SO I THINK 20 MILLION A LITTLE LOW TO BE PRESENTING TO THE PUBLIC AND HOW THAT PLAYS ITSELF OUT, UM, IS, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE.

KIND OF OFF THE WALL QUESTION, SUPPOSE YOU WERE FORCED TO SELL OFF PART OF ZILKER PARK AND THE CITY CONVENIENTLY ZONED IT FOR APARTMENT BUILDINGS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK EACH ACRE WOULD BE WORTH ABOUT THE CHARTER? SEE IF THIS, SO, SO FIRST IT WOULD'VE TO GO TO A VOTE.

IT'S A CITY PARKLAND, IT'S ALL, SO YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN VOTED LET'S SRO FINANCIAL CATASTROPHE.

AND, AND THEY DECIDED TO DO IT.

WHAT WOULD YOUR GUESS ON THE VALUE BE PER ACRE? I HAVE NO IDEA.

I'M NOT AN APPRAISER.

I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, IT'D BE, I'M SURE EXPENSIVE.

I MEAN, LAND ALL OVER AUSTIN IS EXPENSIVE, SO I DON'T HAVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO GIVE YOU, ONE ARGUMENT I'VE HEARD IS THAT PARKING GARAGES COST MUCH LESS THAN EVERYBODY THINKS THEY DO.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAND COSTS AND YOU'RE GOING FROM SOMETHING LIKE 12 ACRES OF PARKING DOWN TO THREE AND A HALF, AND BY THAT YOU ARE SAVING NINE ACRES OF LAND AND IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE A, HOW MUCH IS THAT REALLY WORTH? THAT'S WORTH QUITE A BIT I WOULD SUGGEST.

TO SLOW DOWN THE TRAFFIC BY NARROWING THE STREET PERSONALLY.

I SEE.

YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

AND UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD HEARD DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS WAS THE DIFFICULTY OF NAVIGATING THE PARK BECAUSE OF HOW BIG THE PARK IS, WHICH WE CAN'T HELP, BUT IT WAS FROM A PEDESTRIAN LEVEL OR BIKE LEVEL, VERY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE.

AND THE IDEA THAT LOTS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE PARK MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT IN FORCING PEOPLE TO GET AROUND WITH THEIR VEHICLES.

SO WE WERE TRYING TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH THE GARAGES.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD POINT TO MAKE AND LOOK INTO WITH THE VALUE OF THE LAND THERE.

I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T DONE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT PART OF THE VISION PLAN.

IT'S TYPICALLY NOT.

BUT GOOD POINT TO MAKE.

APPRECIATE THAT.

I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SAFETY, UM, AND TRANSPORTATION.

SO, UM, I HAVE YOUNG KIDS AND, UM, I DON'T USE ZILKER AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE IN PART BECAUSE, UM, DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

AND WHEN I SAY IT MAKES SENSE, LIKE WHEN YOU GO TO CENTRAL PARK IN NEW YORK, WHICH IS A SIMILAR PARK IN THAT, IN THAT IT'S THE CENTRAL CITY PARK, THE JEWEL OF THE CITY AND OTHER PARKS THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH IN EUROPE AND PLACES, UM, IT'S, UM, EVEN THE MALL IN WASHINGTON DC RIGHT? IT'S LIKE IT MAKES SENSE.

YOU KIND OF LIKE CAN NAVIGATE IT AND YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO.

THAT'S NOT REALLY THE CASE FOR ZER.

IT DOESN'T LIKE, SORT OF MAKE SENSE IN AN INTUITIVE OR URBAN FORM NAVIGATION PLACE WAY.

AND I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT VERY CLEARLY, BUT I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT YOUR PLAN IS TRYING TO DO.

UM, BUT ALSO ANOTHER REASON BEING SAFETY, BECAUSE I HONESTLY AM PRETTY TERRIFIED OF, UM, THE, THE BARTON CREEK ROAD THERE.

AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE TO PARK AND CROSS AND LIKE WITH MY KID AND SOME OF OUR ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, THAT'S NOT SUPER SAFE FOR US TO TRY TO CROSS THE STREET THERE.

UM, SO I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THE TRAFFIC CALMING AND MAKING THAT STREET NARROWER.

ONE THING THAT, UM, AND I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THAT PROPOSAL.

UM, I THINK IT'S APPEALING

[00:55:01]

ONE OF THE THINGS THOUGH THAT DID CATCH MY ATTENTION IS THAT YOU SAID THAT THAT WOULD BE PENDING A TRAFFIC STUDY.

UM, THIS COMMISSION IS GONNA ALWAYS BE A LITTLE, UH, I THINK A LOT OF US ON THIS COMMISSION ARE EARS PER UP WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT A, A TRAFFIC STUDY, BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN, UM, TRAFFIC STUDY CAN IMPLY LIKE REALLY LOOKING AT LEVEL OF SERVICE AND CAR THROUGHPUT.

I KNOW THE NELSON NI GUARD, UH, PERSON IS HERE TOO.

MAYBE THEY CAN, MAYBE THEY'RE THE RIGHT PERSON TO SPEAK TO THIS.

BUT, UM, THAT KIND OF CONCERNS ME BECAUSE IF WE'RE LOOKING AT LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR CARS AND CAR SPEED, THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF SERVICE THAT I THINK IS CALLED FOR IN, SO WHEN YOU SAY TRAFFIC STUDY TO CONFIRM THAT NARROWING, I'M REALLY, THAT'S REALLY CONCERNING TO ME.

I REALLY WANNA HEAR WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT AND HOW THAT'S ALIGNING WITH THE VALUES EXPRESSED IN THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

UM, I I HAVE A QUESTION AS WELL ABOUT THAT.

LIKE, ARE WE PRIORITIZING PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO THE PARK OR JUST PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THE ROAD TO DRIVE THROUGH THE PARK? RIGHT.

SO, UM, THIS STUDY WAS FOCUSED ON ZILKER PARK AS A PARK RIGHT NOW, BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.

AND, AND I DRIVE ON IT.

I LIVE IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN AND I WORK IN DOWNTOWN.

SO I AM GUILTY OF USING IT AS A WAY TO GET TO MOPAC.

UM, BUT THIS STUDY FOCUSES ON THE ROAD AS A PARK ROAD.

UM, SO THAT'S WHERE OUR, WHAT, WHERE THE TEAM IS COMING FROM WHEN WE'RE COMING UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.

UM, SO IN THE CONFIGURATION THAT WE'RE SHOWING IN THE PLAN, IT'S MOST CERTAINLY IT'S PRIORITIZING PEDESTRIANS AND BIKES OVER CARS.

UM, THERE'S, THERE'S DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THAT, UM, WHICH IS WHY AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE NOT HERE TONIGHT, BUT, UM, WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.

AND THE IDEA ABOUT A TRAFFIC STUDY BEFORE JUST GOING AHEAD AND IMPLEMENTING IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THIS IDEA, WHICH IS, IS A BIG IDEA, A BIG CHANGE FOR GARDEN SPRINGS ROAD WOULD ACTUALLY WORK.

AND I THINK THERE THAT WOULD STILL BE, TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS, THE METRICS BY WHICH THAT IS MEASURED, UM, BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PLAN THAT WOULD BE PRIORITIZING THE SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS AND BIKES.

I, I WANTED TO ALSO ADD TOO THAT AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT MENTIONED THAT THEY WOULD DO A PILOT PROGRAM OR, OR STUDY, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, A PILOT PROGRAM TO ALLOW THAT TEMPORARY ALIGNMENT OR CROSS SECTION TO OCCUR AND THEN THEY COULD MEASURE WHETHER THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BENEFICIAL AND SAFE FOR ALL USERS.

THE GOAL AND THE PLAN WAS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION IN BARN SPRINGS ROAD RIGHT NOW, WHICH EXPERIENCE IS VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS, IS NOT SAFE FOR ANYBODY THAT IS WALKING OR TRYING TO BIKE OR, OR WAITING FOR JUST A FEW OF THE BUS STOP, UH, LOCATIONS THAT ARE LOCATED WITHIN THE PARK.

AND SO THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM NOT ONLY THIS TEAM BUT WAS GOING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WAS THAT IT NEEDED TO BE A MULTIMODAL ROADWAY.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IT IS NOT TODAY.

SO THE, THE IMAGE THAT CLAIRE SHOWED IN THE PRESENTATION, AND IT'S IN THE PLAN DOCUMENT, IS ONE, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE FOLKS AN IDEA THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE MORE OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO THE PARK IN AND OUT.

AND THAT INCLUDES TRANSIT AS WELL AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS.

SO WE WANTED TO, I WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT SO THAT YOU CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THAT.

YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK RIGHT NOW PEOPLE, AGAIN, IT'S WHAT, WHAT INTUITIVELY MAKES SENSE TO YOU WITH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AS A DRIVER.

YOU LIKE, PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY LIKE ON THE MOPAC SERVICE ROAD AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE KIND OF STILL MENTALLY ON THE MOPAC SERVICE ROAD AND I'M TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET WITH MY KID IN THE PARK, RIGHT? , WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE OUR CROWN JEWEL PARK.

SO I THINK IT'S, THERE'S DEFINITE CONFLICT THERE.

THE TRAFFIC CITY, I LOVE THE IDEA OF LIKE EXPERIMENTAL URBANISM OR TACTICAL URBANISM WHERE WE TRY IT AND LIKE PUT UP SOME CONES AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

LIKE I'M REALLY IN FAVOR OF THOSE KINDS OF EXPERIMENTS CUZ A LOT OF TIMES IT SHOWS US, UM, THAT IT'S NOT AS BAD AS WE FEARED OR THAT IT CAN WORK EASILY.

UM, I JUST WAS CONCERNED CUZ I THINK TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY OR TRAFFIC STUDY TO A LOT OF US WHO WORK ON THIS COMMISSION MEANS LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA LIKE SEE IF THIS IS GONNA REDUCE THE SPEED OF CARS AND IF IT'S REDUCING THE SPEED OF CARS, WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IT.

SO MAYBE, MAYBE, MAYBE IT'S JUST CHOOSING A WORD THAT'S OTHER THAN TRAFFIC STUDY BECAUSE THAT LIKE, OOH, OOH, LIKE I, I PERSONALLY, THAT REALLY HAS A CERTAIN TONE TO ME AND IT GETS KIND OF, I'M LIKE, OH, TRAFFIC STUDY, YOU'RE JUST GONNA CHECK HOW, MAKE SURE THE CARS CAN STILL GO FAST.

AND SO, UM, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ENVISIONING.

SO, UM, AND I KNOW PEOPLE ARE ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE, RIGHT, WITH THE, THE WIDTH, THE NARROWING OR KEEPING IT.

UM, BUT UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT TRAFFIC CITY

[01:00:01]

WOULD DO BECAUSE, UM, YOU MAY, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A PART OF THE VISION THAT I, I FIND PERSONALLY REALLY APPEALING IS TO NARROW THAT AND MAKE IT SAFER.

UM, AND THE LAND BRIDGE, OF COURSE FOR THE, FOR THE KIDS, BECAUSE IT'S JUST, TO ME IT'S JUST, I DON'T LIKE BIG REASON WHY I DON'T GO THERE.

IF I HAVE TO PARK ON THE OTHER SIDE AND CROSS WITH MY KID, IT'S NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA DO IT.

UM, SO, UM, OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS, I, I HAVE SOME MORE COMMENTS ON THAT.

UM, MY CONCERN ABOUT THE TRAFFIC STUDY IS THAT IT'LL SHOW THAT DECREASING THE LANES IS ACTUALLY AMAZING FOR THE PARK AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO VISIT THERE, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO USE SLEEP, WHO USE THAT ROAD AS A PASS THROUGH, HAVE THE MONEY IN TIME TO PROTEST IT AND THAT THEY MIGHT WIN OUT OVER THE LOGIC OF DECREASING THE ROADS.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT? I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE ISSUES AT ZUKI ARE HIGHLY EMOTIONAL ISSUES, AND SO THERE'S A QUESTION OF WHAT ROLE LOGIC AND, AND RATIONAL THINKING PLAY IN THIS PROCESS.

AND SO I THINK IT, IT TAKES A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT MORE COMMUNICATION WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.

UM, WE HAVE GOTTEN ZILKER TO WHERE IT IS NOW, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE RETHINK THE PARK FOR PEOPLE, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF ONGOING COMMUNICATION AND CONVERSATIONS, AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY VALID POINT.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL WORRY ABOUT IN THIS CITY.

AND I ACTUALLY HAVE ANOTHER, ANOTHER QUESTION THAT BUILDS ON THIS.

AND IT REALLY, IT REALLY DOES RELATE TO THE PARKING GARAGES.

I THINK, UM, UM, MANY OF US WHO WERE IN, IN TRANSPORTATION IN AUSTIN AND SERVING ON THIS BODY ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN GREENING TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS USING PUBLIC TRANSIT TO ACCESS THINGS.

AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME, SOME, UM, THOUGHTS ABOUT A SHUTTLE PARKING, YOU KNOW, FROM EXISTING GARAGES SO THAT WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IDEA WAS TO, WHICH I APPRECIATE TO HOLD STEADY THE AMOUNT OF PARKING SPACES RATHER, WHICH I KNOW IT'S KIND OF LIKE FORMAL AND INFORMAL PARKING, RIGHT? WHICH YOU, YOU HANDLED THAT PRETTY ADEPTLY.

BUT, UM, UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE AT LEAST NOT EXPANDING THE PARKING.

UM, AND I DID LIKE THE DISCUSSION OF SORT OF THE IDEA OF PHASING IT IN TO SEE IF WE REALLY NEED IT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I THINK A LOT OF US WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, NOT BUILDING PARKING, YOU KNOW, IF WE BUILD PARKING, THEN THAT IS DETERMINING OUR FUTURE, RIGHT? AND, BUT IT'S HARD BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS, UM, ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS SAID, WE NEED AMAZING PARKS IN ALL PARTS OF OUR CITY, WHICH I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH, BUT I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THIS BEING THE DOWNTOWN AND CENTRAL PARK THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL PARTS OF THE CITY REALLY SHOULD FEEL THAT THEY HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO.

AND THAT'S SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT.

BUT HOW DO WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN? IS THAT, CAN THAT ONLY HAPPEN IN CARS? AND SO, I MEAN, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU'VE TRIED TO HOLD THIS SPOT STEADY.

I, I, I MEAN, I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO DIG A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND MAYBE I'M ASKING A QUESTION HERE ABOUT THE FORMAL VERSUS INFORMAL PARKING.

LIKE HOW WAS THE INFORMAL PARKING CREATED? IS THAT INFORMAL PARKING THAT'S HAPPENING ALL DAY, EVERY DAY? OR IS IT IN THE EVENING ON SUMMER, ON SATURDAY, ON SUMMER? MAYBE YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT.

UM, THE, THE INFORMAL PARKING NUMBER, I, I MEAN, HOWEVER YOU CALCULATE IT, AT LEAST WE'RE HOLDING IT STEADY AND NOT GROWING THE NUMBER OF SPOTS.

BUT I DO FEEL LIKE FOR ME, IT'S LIKE A GUT PUNCH EVERY TIME WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA BUILD MORE PARKING.

BUT I DO RECOGNIZE THAT ACCESS IS REALLY IMPORTANT HERE AND SOME OF THE PHYSICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL ENVIRONMENT IS JUST CHALLENGING FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.

SO COULD YOU, I GUESS, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHY DID YOU NOT DECIDE TO REDUCE PARKING BASED ON SOME OF THE SHUTTLE PLANS? AND I THINK I PROBABLY CAN GUESS THAT ANSWER, BUT MAYBE IF YOU COULD JUST SAY THAT OUT LOUD FOR ME AND LIKE, DIGGING IN A LITTLE BIT AND MORE INTO HOW WERE THE INFORMAL PARK PARKING CALCULATED IT.

HOW, HOW FREQUENTLY ARE ALL OF THESE EXISTING 24, 2,450, UH, SPACES USED ON UNLIKE AN AVERAGE BASIS? WHAT'S THE PEAK USE? CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? AND LIKE, HOW MANY TIMES ARE WE REALLY FULLY PARKED OUTSIDE OF, LET'S SAY, TRAIL OF LIGHTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? MM-HMM.

UM, SO THE, THE OVERARCHING REASON WHY PARKING WASN'T REDUCED FROM WHAT IS THERE TODAY, IF WE GO BACK TO OUR VERY FIRST SURVEY, THAT WAS ONE OF THE TOP RESPONSES THAT PEOPLE SAID WAS THERE, THEY HAVE TROUBLE GETTING THERE, PARKING, FINDING A SPOT.

UM, SO WE FELT THAT WE HAVE TO BALANCE DOING A PLAN THAT IN THE IMMEDIATE STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION STARTS TO SOLVE FOR THE ISSUES THAT ARE THERE TODAY.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AHEAD DECADES AS THIS PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED, DECADES

[01:05:01]

IS 30, 40, 50 YEARS, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE USING TO GET, GET AROUND THE CITY AT THAT POINT.

SO THE HOPE IS THAT WE DON'T NEED TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THESE PARKING SPOTS IN THE FUTURE.

UM, BUT THE PLAN IS IF WE SNAPPED OUR FINGERS AND BUILT THIS OUT TOMORROW, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO ACCOMMODATE.

AND SO THE PLAN IS BUILT WITH A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY OF IF THESE PARKING SPOTS ARE NOT NEEDED, THEN WE'RE ACCOMMODATING IT ELSEWHERE.

UM, WHAT IS VITAL TO THE SOLUTION OF UTILIZING OUTER PARKING SHEDS OR WAYS THAT PEOPLE GET TO THE PARK LIKE TRAILS ARE THESE BRIDGE CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE WATERWAYS, THOSE ARE REALLY VITAL, ESPECIALLY THE TOY ROAD, UM, BRIDGE EXTENSION.

SO THAT WOULD CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE FUTURE DOHERTY ON ARTS CENTER.

THE, UM, WHAT IS THE MIXED USE FACILITY THAT'S BEING BUILT ON THE FORMER SCHLOTZKY'S, THE ZACK PARKING GARAGE? SO ALL THAT TO SAY IS THAT THAT'S WHERE WE CAME FROM TO ESTABLISH THE PARKING.

UM, THE INFORMAL PARKING COUNT, UM, WAS BASED ON LOOKING AT AERIALS OF ROUGHLY THE LANDFILL AREA ON THE EAST SIDE OF MOPAC, CLOSE TO THE LAKE, UM, THE POLO FIELD.

AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES THAT ENTIRE POLO FIELD IS COVERED WITH CARS, BUT REALLY WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT WHERE YOU CAN SEE ON THE AERIAL IT'S MOSTLY, UM, COMPACTED WHERE THE, THE METERS HAVE BEEN SET UP ON THE GRASS LAWN.

UM, SO IN, IN EXACT SCIENCE FOR SURE ABOUT CALCULATING THOSE NUMBERS.

AND WHAT WE DIDN'T CAPTURE IS ALONG LUNE THAT AREA BETWEEN LU NEFF AND THE CREEK WHERE YOU SEE, YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE CARS PARK MORE AND MORE EVERY WEEKEND.

THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE PARKING COUNT.

SO WE CAN SEE IN REAL LIFE HOW THE, THE USERS ARE COMING.

THERE'S NOT ANY ENFORCEMENT OR VERY LITTLE ENFORCEMENT TO GET THE CARS OUT OF THOSE AREAS TODAY, WHICH IS, UM, CONTRIBUTING TO THE ISSUE.

JUST REAL QUICKLY, CUZ I WANTED TO BUILD OFF OF WHAT CLAIRE MENTIONED.

YOU HAD ASKED ALSO ABOUT WHEN WE SEE PARKING AND ISSUE LIKE PEAK MONTHS, DAYS, WEEKENDS, AND SO FORTH.

SO WE WERE, WE'VE SEEN THIS ALREADY OCCURRING BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER.

SO DURING THE WINTER THERE'S PARKING ISSUES AND SO FORTH, BUT ESPECIALLY STARTING IN THE SPRING AND THROUGH SUMMER GOING INTO LIGHT SUMMER, IT, IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE.

UM, AND THIS IS NOTHING NEW.

I MEAN, WHEN WE, BEFORE WE EVEN STARTED THIS PROCESS, WE DID RESEARCH ON OUR DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS.

I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER IN MY OPENING REMARKS.

I FOUND DOCUMENTATION FROM BACK IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES WHERE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS DEALING WITH THIS SAME ISSUE AND THEY WERE DEALING IN MENTIONING BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AS WELL AS A DIVIDER OF THE PARK WITH HIGH SPEEDS BECAUSE IT FED MOPAC.

SO THESE ARE ISSUES THAT ARE STILL OCCURRING.

BUT JUST TO, TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT PEAK, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S WHENEVER YOU CAN GO OUT THERE AT ANY DAY AND YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THAT AND SEE WHERE PEOPLE ARE PARKING Y YEAH.

SO THOSE AERIALS, I'M, I'M GONNA DIG A LITTLE BIT ON THIS.

SO ON THOSE AERIALS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE COMPACTION.

ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL CAR, LIKE LITTLE CARS IN THE, IN THE AERIALS, THE, IT, IT'S A LITTLE OF BOTH.

SO WHAT WE DID IS TAKE THE, THE MOST WORN AREAS AND CALCULATE OUT A ROUGHLY PER SQUARE FOOT NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES.

AND THAT NUMBER CAN VARY BECAUSE DEPENDING ON HOW CARS ARE PARKING, IF THEY'RE CLOSE OR IF THEY'RE NOT, HOW WIDE IS THE AISLE? I MEAN, YOU VARY AND THE NUMBER OF CARS CAN PARK IN THOSE AREAS.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

SEPARATELY WITHIN THIS PARK AND, AND EVEN WITH OTHER PARKS.

UM, HELLO, THIS IS DANIEL KAMAN.

I'M SORRY IT WAS LATE.

I'M ACTUALLY QUITE EMBARRASSED, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PARKING.

HAVE YOU GUYS CONSIDERED, UM, WHAT SORT OF PRICING SCHEME MIGHT YOU USE TO SORT OF ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, LEAVE A FEW SPACES FREE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT SORT OF SEARCHING AROUND FOR PARKING OR IF IT'S PRICED CORRECTLY, YOU MIGHT SORT OF ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE OTHER WAYS TO GET TO THE PARK? SO THE, THE PRICING QUESTION FOR PARKING WASN'T A PART OF THIS PLAN.

UM, WE'RE LEAVING THAT TO, UH, BE ADMINISTRATIVELY DECIDED, UM, AT THE TIME OF ANY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION.

SO LET'S SAY A GARAGE WAS BUILT 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, THE PRICING WOULD NEED TO BE FIGURED OUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

AND, AND CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, UH, IF YOU GO TO ZILKER PARK, YOU ARE PAYING FOR PARKING.

UM, I THINK EVEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE, WHICH WAS THE ONLY AREA THAT WAS FREE OFF OF AZZIE MORTON ROAD.

UM, I THINK THAT IS CHANGING AND THAT IS A DISCUSSION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, UM, OUTSIDE OF THIS VISION PLAN, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR DEPARTMENT IS DEALING WITH

[01:10:01]

SO EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE ARE BRINGING THAT UP DURING THIS PLANNING PROCESS, IT IS SOMETHING THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S LOOKING AT MORE GLOBALLY WITH WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.

SO, YEAH.

I I HAVE A, SORRY, RUBEN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? UH, JUST KIND OF COMMENT THAT I'M VERY EXCITED BY THE SHUTTLE'S POSSIBILITIES BECAUSE ZILKER PARK RIGHT NOW HAS CLOSE TO THE BEST.

IF YOU'RE WILLING TO WALK A BIT FROM SOUTH LAMAR, IF YOU'RE GOING TO THE POOL AND NOT TO OTHER PARTS OF THE PARK, YOU HAVE 10 MINUTE BUS SERVICE THAT'S UNUSUAL IN ANY CITY, MUCH LESS IN AUSTIN.

AND YOU OUGHT TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT.

ALL IT NEEDS IS A SHUTTLE TO GET THAT LAST, IT'S THE USUAL LAST MILE PROBLEM, EXCELLENT BUS SERVICE, JUST NOT QUITE CLOSE ENOUGH.

AND A SHUTTLE, I THINK WOULD OPEN THAT SERVICE UP AND PEOPLE WOULD START TO USE IT.

UM, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IN A COMMENT.

AS, AS I NOTICED AT THE END OF THIS LETTER, OR AT THE END OF THE, IN OUR PACKET, THERE WAS A LETTER FROM PARKS BOARD JUST COMMENTING GENERALLY THE, UM, THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, AND THEN IT GOES SPECIFICALLY TO SOME UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION, BUT DON'T WANNA GET INTO THAT.

BUT IT MADE ME THINK ABOUT WHAT, AND, AND YOU, I KNOW YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD DESCRIPTION THAT THERE WAS A PRETTY ROBUST, UM, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, BUT CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE CROWN JEWEL, THE CENTER OF THE CENTRAL PARK FOR ALL OF AUSTIN, NOT JUST D FIVE AND D NINE, WHAT DID THAT LOOK LIKE OUTSIDE OF D FIVE AND D NINE? RIGHT? I KNOW THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME COMMENTS FROM D THREE IT LOOKS LIKE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF AUSTIN AND WHAT DID Y'ALL DO TO, TO GET THE REST OF AUSTIN, RIGHT? IF YOU CAN GIMME JUST A LITTLE BIT OF WHERE THOSE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS WERE HELD, WHEN THEY WERE HELD, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

UM, SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS A, WORKING WITH CAT METRO TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN, CAN ACCOMMODATE USERS.

SO, UM, THE MEETINGS THEMSELVES WERE VIRTUAL, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE FINAL IN-PERSON ONE THAT WAS AT MACBETH RECREATION CENTER.

BUT THAT'S WHY WE REALLY FOCUSED A LOT OF EFFORT ON THOSE POP-UPS.

AND SO THE POP-UPS WERE THROUGH ALL 10 DISTRICTS AS WELL AS IN ZILKER ITSELF.

UM, IF YOU TAKE OUT THE, THE ONES THAT WERE IN ZILKER, WELL THERE, THERE WERE 55 OF THEM THAT WAS FOCUSED ON DISTRICT 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR.

UM, AND THEN AMONG THE OTHERS THAT WERE IN ZER AS WELL AS, UH, UH, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, UM, WE WERE STRATEGIC ABOUT FINDING COMMUNITY EVENTS AND COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACES TO GO TO THOSE SPACES.

UM, WE WERE THOUGHTFUL OF TRYING TO FIND, UM, FREE EVENTS WHEN POSSIBLE AND PLACES THAT WERE ACCESSED, UH, BY PEOPLE, UM, WHO MAYBE UNDERREPRESENTED IN SOME OF OUR SURVEYS.

SO PEOPLE, COULD YOU GIVE SOME EXAMPLES AS FAR AS LIKE WHAT, SO EXAMPLES WOULD BE, UM, DIPMAR RECREATION CENTER FOR CHARLIE BOUND CHRISTMAS.

UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE, UH, UH, SEVERAL OF THE, THOSE SWIMMING POOLS DURING, UH, THE SUMMER MONTHS TO GO TO WHERE PEOPLE WERE ALREADY GOING AND, AND SWIMMING AND FINDING THESE SPACES.

UM, LOTS OF LIBRARIES, FLEA MARKET, UH, FLEA MARKETS AND DISTRICT.

UH, TWO UP IN DISTRICT SIX WE WENT TO, UM, H MART, H MART, H MART, UM, UH, SOME OTHER EXAMPLES.

UH, AND, AND THEN WHEN WE WERE HAVING OTHER COMMUNITY MEETINGS, SO OTHER PARK MEETINGS SUCH AS ADAMS, HEMPHILL PARK, WHEN WE HAD A MEETING, WE WOULD ALSO HAVE, UH, A ZER TABLE THERE AS WELL, , SO THAT WE COULD ALSO HAVE OTHER GATHERINGS.

UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS ARMADILLO NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND DISTRICT FIVE, UM, WHEN THEY WERE DOING SOME OF THE NATURE PLAY OUTREACH, WE ALSO WANTED TO HAVE A DISTRICT, UH, UM, A ZER TABLE THERE AS WELL.

SO THOSE ARE A FEW THAT, THAT, UH, ARE TOP OF MIND.

BUT, UH, ALSO OTHER PART FACILITIES LIKE, UM, UH, CARVER, UH, GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER, THE ASIAN-AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, UM, THE MS ENTHOS, MEXICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, AND OTHER PLACES WHERE WE THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE A SIGNIFICANT DRAW FOR OTHER EVENTS, UM, FROM, FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT FEEL CONNECTED.

UM, AND THEN ALSO WITH, WITH GREAT CREDIT TO OUR COLLEAGUE CLAUDIA CONNOR, WHO DID SIGNIFICANT OUTREACH TO OUR, UH, HAKKA PROPERTIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE CLOSEST TO, UM, UH, TO ZILKER PARK SUCH AS MEADOWBROOK.

UM, WE REALLY WANTED TO CONNECT WITH THE RESIDENTS WHO WERE THERE, WHO MAY NOT HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN, UH, OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, BUT WHO VERY MUCH ARE VERY CLOSE TO ZILKER PARK AS WELL.

AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE MET WITH THOSE GROUPS AS WELL.

AND I'M SURE IT WAS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.

YEAH, YEAH.

SO, UM, UH, CONSISTENTLY SPANISH, ESPECIALLY WHERE SPANISH, WE KNEW THERE WERE GOING TO BE SPANISH SPEAKERS, UM, UH, AND THEN ALSO

[01:15:01]

OTHER LANGUAGES.

UM, UH, SO H MART, ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, SPEAKS KOREAN, AND SO WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO HAVE, UH, KOREAN AND, UH, MANDARIN AVAILABLE AS WELL.

AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WAS REGARDING, UM, AND I KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS A VISION PLAN, UM, SO DOLLARS AREN'T NECESSARILY, UH, NOT GONNA HOLD ANY OF HIS, YOU KNOW, THE DOLLARS ARE GONNA BE WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE.

UM, BUT IN GENERAL, WHAT IS THE INTENT FOR PAYING FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS? IS IT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT DOLLARS? IS IT FUTURE BOND DOLLARS? IS IT CONCESSION DOLLARS THROUGH, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT IS THE GENERAL THOUGHT PROCESS? SO TYPICALLY FOR OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO METRO PARKS AND DISTRICTS, WE HAVE HISTORICALLY GONE TO THE VOTERS FOR BOND FUNDING.

THAT IS HOW WE HAVE FUNDED, UM, YOU KNOW, PAST VISION PLANS, UH, FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

AND THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN SOME CASES WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED GRANTS.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, UTILIZED OUR PARKLAND DEDICATION FUNDING WHEN APPROPRIATE AND WHEN IT CAN APPLY.

UM, I THINK WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT PARTNERSHIPS WHEN AVAILABLE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL ON.

UM, IT WAS APPROVED IN OUR LONG-RANGE PLAN AS A, A FUNDING STRATEGY AS WELL TO FURTHER EXPLORE.

SO WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOKING AT THAT AS OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP KIND OF FILL THE GAP BECAUSE IT, IT DOES GET EXPENSIVE WHEN DEVELOPING PARKS AND TO THE POINT WHERE IN A VISION PLAN, WE DON'T GET DOWN INTO THE DETAILS OF COST BECAUSE IT, IT REALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE DESIGN, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT MATERIALS, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT EXACT SQUARE FOOTAGES.

UM, AND, AND THEN AT THAT TIME, WHICH COULD BE IN A YEAR, TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS, FOUR YEARS FROM RIGHT NOW, THE COST OF LABOR AND MATERIALS IS NOT GONNA BE WHAT IT IS TODAY.

SO TO PROVIDE LIKE AN EXACT NUMBER, IT CAN BE SOMEWHAT HELPFUL, BUT IS IT REALLY BEING HELPFUL REALIZING THAT THAT COST IS GOING TO, YOU KNOW, INCREASE IN THE FUTURE.

UNDERSTOOD.

AND ONE JUST GENERAL COMMENT AND BE A QUESTION, BUT, UM, AS FAR AS ACCESS TO THE PARK AND GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO USE PUBLIC TRENDS, ARE THERE ANY LIKE, OUTSIDE OF THE BOX THINKING THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, I GUESS JUST POINT BLANK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AS A CITY HAVE CONTROL OF THOSE CONTRACTS THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ACL, UH, HECK EVEN TO GIVE PERMITS FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, RIGHT? AND SO IS THERE A WAY MAYBE WE CAN IN INCLUDE IN THE CONTRACTS, SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES WHERE WHEN YOU BUY YOUR TICKET, YOU ALSO GET A BUS PASS, RIGHT? SO WE CAN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE USING THE BUS TO GET MM-HMM.

TO AND FROM NOT JUST THE AIRPORT, BUT TO ALL AROUND OUR CITY.

YEAH, AND I, I'LL WELCOME MY COLLEAGUES TO CHIME IN ON THIS ONE.

UH, WE DID MEET SEVERAL TIMES WITH CAPTAIN METRO BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE AN EXISTING ROUTE ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD THAT I GUESS THE TERMIN IS REALLY AT BARTON BARN SPRINGS MALL OR BARTON CREEK MALL.

SO THE PARK IS JUST A POINT IN BETWEEN THE DESTINATION THAT CAB METRO HAS DECIDED ON.

SO WE HAVE MET WITH THEM TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF, OF BUS STOPS AND TO EXPLORE THE FREQUENCY IN WHICH THE BUS ROUTE RUNS THROUGH THERE.

NOW, THAT'S ONE OPTION, BUT ALSO BUILDING OFF OF THE SHUTTLE IDEA THAT CLAIRE EXPLAINED EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT ALSO EVENTS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO KIND OF FIT IN WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, SHUTTLES OR BUS ROUTES TO THE PARK.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY ALREADY DO.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT ACL DOES THAT ALREADY.

I'VE, I'VE, BY BEING JUST BY VIRTUE OF LOCATION, UM, THEY HAVE SHUTTLES THAT RUN FROM THE PARK AND REPUBLIC SQUARE FOR INSTANCE.

UM, AND YEARS AGO THEY USED TO RUN FROM BARTON CREEK MALL MALL.

AND IN FACT, I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT THEY'RE STAFF THAT RUN THE EVENT OR PARKED AT THE MALL AND THEY SHUTTLE THEM IN.

UM, I KNOW THAT OF SOMEONE THAT, THAT USED THE SHUTTLE TO GET TO THE EVENT AND, AND OUT OF THERE.

SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE WAYS TO GET TO THE PARK FOR CER CERTAIN EVENTS AND FESTIVALS THAT GO ON IN THE PARK.

BUT I THINK FOR EVERYDAY USE THAT IS ALSO A FOCUS OF THIS PLAN AND LOOKING AT MULTIPLE WAYS TO GET PEOPLE ON FOOT BIKE AND TRANSIT AND VEHICLE THERE.

IT WAS SOMETHING WE HEARD AS A CHALLENGE, UM, AND CITED AS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR NOT USING THE BUS TO GET TO ZILKER IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING WITH DOGS AND STUFF AND COOLERS AND KIDS AND CHAIRS, THERE ISN'T REALLY ROOM ON THE BUSES AND A POLICY I THINK YOU CAN'T BRING YEAH, ANIMALS, ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT SERVICE ANIMALS ONTO THE BUS, UM, AS A REASON THAT PEOPLE JUST CHOOSE TO DRIVE THEIR CAR IF THEY'RE GOING TO GO THERE.

[01:20:01]

YOU MAYBE GOING TO THE PARK IN, IN THAT KIND OF A MANNER.

UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, A PARK AND RIDE FROM SOME OF THE OUTER, THE FARTHER OUTER PARKING SPACES WITH LIKE MAYBE A FREE RIDE, UM, INTO ZILKER, UM, WHEN THERE, WHEN THERE'S A ROUTE THAT COULD MORE RAPIDLY GET THERE THAN YOU CAN GET THERE TODAY.

I GUESS MY POINT BEING THAT IF I KNEW, UH, THE COST OF MY TICKET FOR ACL WAS AN EXTRA 10 BUCKS, BUT ON MY WRISTBAND I COULD GET ON THE ANY BUS WHENEVER I WANTED FOR THE WEEK, I THINK I'D BE MORE INCLINED TO TAKE THE BUS, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

UM, SO JUST THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, CUZ WE HOLD THE KEYS TO THE, TO THEIR CONTRACTS, RIGHT? THE CITY IS THE ONE WHO SIGNS THE CONTRACTS WITH ACL WHEN YOU GIVE OUT PERMITS FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO BE ABLE TO HOLD EVENTS AND WHATNOT.

SO I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY SOME OUTSIDE OF THE BOX THINKING TO, TO MAKE PEOP TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSIT TO MOVE AROUND OUR CITY DURING THESE GINORMOUS EVENTS, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING $2 AND 50 CENTS FOR A DAY PASS RETAIL.

THE PRICE AND ORGANIZATION PAYS IS PROBABLY 40% OF THAT RIGHT.

CHAIRS, COMMISSIONERS, UM, BY ALL MEANS CONTINUE TO ASK THE QUESTIONS OR DO YOU WANT TO KEEP US ON A QUICK TIME CHECK? IT IS 6 25.

UM, AND SO JUST WANTED TO KEEP US ALL AWARE OF THAT.

THAT'S HELPFUL.

UM, I, I DO WANNA ASK, I KNOW PEOPLE ONLINE HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT QUIET TONIGHT.

DID Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THOSE OF YOU, UH, COMMISSIONERS ONLINE JOINING US? UM, I WAS GONNA ASK, I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE SAID THIS, BUT HOW DID YOU DETERMINE WHAT WAS HIGHER BENEFIT AND LOWER BENEFIT ON SLIDE 28? SO THAT WAS GENERALLY DECIDED AS THE, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD USE THAT FACILITY OR LOOKING THROUGH OUR ENGAGEMENT FROM THE VERY FIRST SURVEY THAT WE HAD SOMETHING THAT CAME UP MORE FREQUENTLY.

UM, SO THAT'S GENERALLY HOW THOSE WERE DECIDED.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

UM, AND THEN I WAS GONNA SAY AS WELL THAT, UM, REGARDING THE MATH, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE SLIDES WHERE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER CALCULATIONS BELOW THE 27 ACRES ADDED UP TO SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE THE PROGRAMS NUMBER, I THINK IT WAS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PREVIOUSLY 10.87, BUT NOW IT'S LESS THAN THAT.

SO I ASSUME IT WAS JUST A DRAFT, BUT RIGHT.

AND THAT GOES AROUND TO, AS WE'RE ADDRESSING COMMENTS FROM NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THAT MOVED AROUND AFFECT THOSE NUMBERS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO IF YOU SEE ANY TYPOS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

YEAH, NO, I'M, YEAH, I'M MAKING SLIDES ALL THE TIME, SO FOR SURE.

, UM, I WAS GONNA SAY, OH, REGARDING LIKE THE PARKING STUFF AND EVERYTHING.

YEAH, EVEN THE RECENT, I THINK IT WAS PARKS AND REC THAT JUST RAISED THE, IS GONNA RAISE THE PRICE OF PARKING OR MAKE WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY FREE PARKING OVER THERE COST MORE MONEY.

AND I SAW JUST THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE UPSET JUST ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE PRICE OF PARKING WAS INCREASING.

SO I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ALSO INVOLVE PART OF THE MESSAGING AS LIKE, THERE'S GONNA BE BETTER ALTERNATIVES TO PARKING RATHER THAN GETTING STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF JUST TRYING TO GET OUT OF YOUR PARKING SPOT.

LIKE THERE WILL BE A SHUTTLE THAT REGULARLY OR YOU KNOW, EVERY RUNS EVERY FIVE MINUTES THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE INTO THE PARK AND UM, YOU KNOW, IN FIVE, 10 MINUTES OF TRAFFIC.

SO I DEFINITELY, YEAH, THAT PARKING DISCOURSE, PEOPLE CAN GET REALLY NARROW MINDED ABOUT IT.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PRESENT ALL OF THE ALTERNATIVES WHILE YOU'RE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THEM ALL.

YEAH, AND I'LL SAY WITH THAT TOO, WITH THE ACCESS THING, IT'S LIKE YOU, IT'S DIFFICULT, RIGHT? PARKING MARKETS ARE DIFFICULT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY MIGHT CHOOSE NOT TO COME TO PARK BECAUSE IF THERE'S A COST, CUZ THEY'RE, IT'S THEY'RE FEELING PRICE SENSITIVE, UM, AT THE SAME TIME, RIGHT? WHEN YOU DON'T PRICE YOUR PARKING, SOMETIMES PEOPLE DRIVE AROUND, CAN'T EVEN FIND PARKING AND HAVE TO LEAVE.

THAT'S ALSO AN ACCESS ISSUE.

IT'S A DIFFERENT SORT OF ACCESS ISSUE.

SO IT'S A REALLY, REALLY TOUGH NUT TO CRACK FOR PLANNERS.

AND I'M, I, I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANY PARKING AT ALL AND WE COULD ALL JUST TAKE RAPID TRANSIT TO ZILKER ALL THE TIME.

THAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT SOLUTION AND MAYBE WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT IN OUR PROJECT CONNECT PRESENTATION.

BUT, UH, I DOUBT IT I DOUBT IT RIGHT NOW ON PHASE ONE.

SO, UM, THAT'S MY DREAM WORLD, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE'RE IN THAT WORLD RIGHT NOW.

UH, CINDY DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

[01:25:03]

I DID.

I THINK IT'S AS MUCH A COMMENT AS A QUESTION, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY SIGNIFICANT THAT SOMEONE MENTIONED THIS IS THE VERY FIRST COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT ZER PARK.

AND SO WHILE WE'RE QUIBBLING ABOUT TWO OR THREE ACRES HERE AND THERE, AND I DON'T WANNA MINIMIZE THAT, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU NOW KNOW SO MUCH MORE ABOUT THE PARK AS A WHOLE AND, AND THE WHOLE SYNERGY OF THE PARK, I THINK IS REALLY A SIGNIFICANT BIT OF PROGRESS.

AND WE ALL TEND TO HAVE SOME VERY DETAILED, VERY DETAILED WANTS AND DESIRES AND GLAM ONTO THAT WHEN WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT.

AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE BACKGROUNDING THAT, THAT THE CONSULTANT AND THE STAFF PRESENTED ON WHAT A VISION PLAN THIS IS.

THAT IT IS WANTS AND DESIRES, BUT IT'S NOT DETAILS, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC IMPACTS, IT'S WHERE CAN WE GO FROM HERE AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHY I WOULD HAVE A REAL HARD TIME SAYING THAT I WOULD APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE OF ANY SPECIFIC DETAILS AT THIS POINT IN TIME ANYWAY.

UM, THAT, THAT'S REALLY MY COMMENT.

I JUST, WE HAVE A FEW, UH, AT LEAST ONE COMMISSIONER HASN'T SPOKEN, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE ONE OP MORE OPPORTUNITY AND THEN I'LL, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S IN OUR BACKUP, UM, TO SORT OF LET THE COMMISSION KNOW WHERE, WHERE THAT IS.

BUT IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE TEAM, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME.

WHO FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT CAN MAKE THAT STATEMENT TO US? DO THEY BELIEVE THAT THE SPECIFIC GOALS IN THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN IS THERE? SOMEONE THERE, UH, AN AUTHORITY WHO'S LOOKED AT IT, UH, WHO'S ACTUALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN THE STUDY OR THE EFFORT? UH, JIM DALE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPART.

HEARING NONE.

SO LET ME, UM, LET ME, UM, JUST DO A LITTLE BIT OF WORK TO PREFACE IN THE BOARD.

SO IN THE BOARD, UM, COMMISSION, UM, WE DO COMMISSIONERS, WE DO HAVE A DRAFT RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION OF SUPPORT.

UM, AND WE WERE, WE WERE ASKED TO CONSIDER THIS SPECIFICALLY BY THE, UH, STAFF TEAM WORKING ON THIS.

AND UM, UH, ACTUALLY CHRISTOPHER PREPARED THIS FOR US.

THANK YOU CHRISTOPHER.

AND IT'S, UM, IT'S PRETTY, UM, BROAD.

IT JUST SAYS THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF THE UTC AS IT RELATES TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.

AND THEN IT SAYS WE SUPPORT AND IT DOESN'T REALLY OFFER ANY OTHER WHEREAS'S OR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR, UM, IDEAS.

SO, UM, I THINK, UM, WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO IS, AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL BE WILLING TO DO THIS, IS I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION, UM, AND SEE IF I GET A SECOND TO FOR THE SUPPORT AND THEN WE CAN SEE IF WE WANT TO AMEND OR IF THIS DOESN'T GARNER SUPPORT WITH OUR BODY.

CUZ I ACTUALLY HAVE DON'T REALLY KNOW.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DETERMINE IT.

CAUSE THIS IS HOW WE DO THINGS IN ROBERT'S RULES.

RIGHT? SO I'M GONNA MOVE THAT WE, UM, UH, ADOPT THIS, UM, IN OUR BACKUP.

IT'S REALLY BROAD AND UM, WE'LL SEE IF I GET A SECOND AND THEN WE'LL SEE IF ANYONE WANTS TO PROMOTE SOME AMENDMENTS OR TWEAKS.

CECILIA, ARE YOU MY SECOND? YES, PLEASE.

OKAY, GREAT.

SO NOW WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.

UM, LET'S DISCUSS, UM, HOW WE FEEL AND OR IF ANYONE WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND COMMISSIONERS.

THIS IS IN YOUR, UM, I SENT ANOTHER EMAIL AND IT'S IN THE FORM OF A GOOGLE DRIVE IN CASE ANYONE IS STILL LOOKING FOR IT.

UM, I JUST, I THINK IT JUST, I'M STRUGGLING WHETHER OR NOT TO EVEN INCLUDE THIS.

UM, BUT SO TO THEREFORE BE RESOLVED, THE UTC SUPPORTS THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN AS PRESENTED AND BELIEVES THAT THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN ACHIEVED SPECIFIC GOALS OUTLINED IN THE OSTRICH AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

I, I, I'M TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND WHETHER THAT LAST PART OF THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN MAKES IT SPECIFIC ENOUGH.

CUZ I DON'T, I DON'T WANT THE, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT WE ARE JUST BROADLY SUPPORTING THE PLAN EXACTLY AS IT IS WE'RE SUPPORTING IT FROM OUR PURVIEW OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION WITH REGARD TO ITS, ITS TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS, UM, PERHAPS ADDING, UH, SUPPORTS THE ZER PARK VISION PLAN WITH REGARD TO MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AS PRESENTED.

WOULD THAT BE AMENABLE TO YOU? YES.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

SO LET ME, LET ME SEE IF I CAN WORK, WORK THIS.

SO WE'RE SAYING THE, SO THE SENTENCE HERE, OH, I'M NOT ON MIC.

SO IN THE FIRST MIKE YEAH, I'M SORRY.

IN THE FIRST SENTENCE, UH, SUPPORTS THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WITH REGARD AND INSERT WITH REGARD TO MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AS PRESENTED.

AND LEAVE THE SENTENCE, JUST ADD THOSE WORDS.

I HAVE A QUESTION AT THAT POINT.

WE HAVE A SECOND, RIGHT? I THINK SO, YEAH.

I DID HEAR WHEN I DIDN'T CATCH WHO IT WAS THOUGH.

OH, I WAS ALLY.

UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS,

[01:30:01]

AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

NOW, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT , OUR STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH PAR, WE'RE A PARTNER WITH PAR, AND SO THEY'VE BEEN INFLUENCING THE MOBILITY ASPECTS OF, OF THIS PROJECT TO MAKE, UH, A STRONG STATEMENT THAT EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE PLAN AGREES WITH THE A SM P.

WE'D HAVE TO, I NEED TO CHECK WITH OUR STAFF ON THAT.

BUT WHAT YOU SAW HERE TODAY, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT IS SAFETY FIRST CHAPTER OF THE A SM P.

AND THAT'S BY DESIGN.

UM, THAT SAFETY IS THAT FIRST CHAPTER.

AND IF YOU ALSO THROUGH THE AS P MULTIMODAL MM-HMM.

, ANY TYPE OF STUDY THAT WE'RE GONNA DO.

I KNOW IT WAS CALLED TRAFFIC STUDY HERE.

AND, AND ANY STUDY WE DO IS, IS MULTIMODAL.

IT'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.

WE ALSO LOOK AT THE CONTEXT TO SEE, ALL RIGHT, THIS IS A VERY, SOMEONE I MENTIONED EARLIER, PEOPLE CENTRIC AREA, UM, IN THE PARK.

AND SO WE'RE WEIGHING A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT, THAT COME TOGETHER FROM THE A S M P.

UM, ALSO IN THE, YOU SEE AROUND TOWN, THE PROJECTS THAT WE PUT IN VERY MULTI MOBILE ON NATURE, VERY SAFETY ORIENTED.

UM, AND THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT, YOU KNOW, WAS PRESENTED IN THE PLAN TONIGHT.

UM, TO BE, UM, NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE THAT STRONG OF A STATEMENT, UM, THAT WAS ASKED BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT YES, THIS MATCHES EVERYTHING IN THE AS S P, BUT WHAT FROM WHAT WE'RE SEEING, UM, THE, ALL THOSE THEMES OF THE AS S M P ARE BEING CONSIDERED HERE.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH.

AND, UM, OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN TEXTING ME THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PAR AND, UM, SO CAN'T JUST A THIRD TIME ON IT.

CAN'T SPECIFICALLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION, UM, TONIGHT.

BUT EVERYTHING WE SEE IN THIS PLAN AND IN WORKING WITH OUR STAFF, I KNOW THEY'RE GONNA PUSH ON THOSE THINGS TOO.

SURE.

IF I MAY, CYNTHIA, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.

CAUSE I, I HAD THAT QUESTION AS WELL.

SO, UM, IF, IF I CAN AMEND MY, MY MOTION AND I HOPE YOU WOULD SECOND IT, UM, LEAVE TO LEAVE, UM, THE FIRST PART OF THE STATEMENT AS AS I SAID IT, BUT THEN SCRATCH THE WORDS, ACHIEVE SPECIFIC GOALS.

I THINK IT'S THE SPECIFIC GOALS THAT WE'RE JUST NOT TELL SAYING WHAT THOSE SPECIFIC GOALS ARE.

UM, UH, SO I WOULD SAY BELIEVES THAT THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN GENERALLY, OR IS GENERALLY IN LINE WITH THE GOALS.

AND, UM, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU SECOND THAT ALI, CUZ I KNOW YOU HAD SECONDED MY FIRST MOTION SO WE CAN JUST KEEP IT ALL AT THE SAME MOTION.

YEAH, I THINK THAT, THAT SOUNDS GREAT TO ME.

I'LL SECOND.

LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THAT.

AND SO THAT'S INTERESTING.

SO LET ME, LET ME READ THAT BACK AND MAKE SURE I'VE GOT THIS CORRECTLY.

SAM SAMWELL.

SO IT SAYS, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION SUPPORTS THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WITH REGARD TO MIL MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AS PRESENTED AND BELIEVES THAT THE ZUCKER PARK VISION PLAN ALIGNS WITH THE GOALS OUTLINED IN THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.

THAT'S CLOSE.

SAYS, I THINK THAT'S, THAT, THAT GETS TO THE HEART OF WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY.

IT DOESN'T SAY SPECIFIC GOALS CUZ WE HAVEN'T REALLY, YOU DIDN'T STATE CRACKED THAT NUT.

YEAH, MAYBE HERE, IF YOU'RE FINE WITH THAT, I'M FINE WITH THAT.

LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THAT.

CUZ IT DOES, IT DOES LIMIT OUR RECOMMENDATION.

SO I THINK RATHER THAN JUST ACCEPTING IT AS IS, MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST GET THE READ OF THE ROOM.

DOES THAT, IS THAT COOL? JUST TAKE A VOTE.

A MOTION ON A VOTE ON THAT MOTION.

SO I READ THE MOTION TO AMEND COULD, UM, UM, AND I'M, I ACTUALLY MIGHT HAVE HAD A BE IT RESOLVED BY THE WAY, BUT, UM, UH, IF, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO AMEND AYE AYE.

AND THAT LOOKS LIKE IT CARRIES.

UH, SO I'M, I'M MAKING THAT MOTION ANOTHER FURTHER.

UM, ALL RIGHT.

SO I THINK THAT WE ARE AMENDING IT, AND I WAS, I DON'T KNOW, I, WHATEVER.

I WAS A LITTLE OKAY WITH GOING MAYBE A LITTLE BROADER, BUT, UM, I THINK WE'RE .

I THINK WE'RE GOOD THERE.

UM, ALL RIGHT.

I CAN I MAKE A MOTION ON MY OWN? I THINK I CAN, RIGHT? YES, CAN, WE CAN AMEND, I'M GONNA MAKE AN AMENDMENT AND SEE WHAT IT SAYS BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY BUGGING ME, THE TRANSPORTATION.

AND SO, UM, I WANNA DO A BEIT FURTHER RESOLVED, OR MAYBE IT SHOULD BE THE FIRST ONE.

UM, UH, UTC RECOMMENDS THAT ARAN ANY TRANSPORTATION STUDY ON, UM, BARTON SPRINGS ROAD FOCUS ON MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION ACCESS RATHER THAN, UM, UH, CAR LEVEL OF SERVICE.

[01:35:01]

DO, DO YOU, YOU WANNA ADD IN PARK SPECIFIC AS OPPOSED TO LIKE GOING THROUGH, IN OTHER WORDS, MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION ACCESS IN THE PARK, NOT AS A FREEWAY MOVING THROUGH THE PARK.

YES, YES.

UM, SO BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, UT REC UTC RECOMMENDS THAT ANY, UM, TRANSPORTATION STUDY FOR BARTON SPRINGS ROAD FOCUS ON MULTIMODAL ACCESS TO THE PARK RATHER THAN CAR LEVEL OF SERVICE.

THAT'S MY MOTION.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? I WOULD SECOND THAT.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? WE COULD INCLUDE LIKE RADICAL CASE STUDIES OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, FULLY PEDESTRIAN THE ROAD, JUST LIKE SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

ALL, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY, BUT NO, I THINK THAT'S REALLY GOOD.

UM, POSSIBLY BE, UM, ACCESS TO AND WITHIN THE PARK.

THAT IS GREAT.

ARE YOU WRITING THIS DOWN? CHRISTOPHER ? YES.

YOU'RE THE MAN.

I LOVE YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

CAN WE RECORD IT ANYWAY? YES.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S GREAT, ATHENA.

I'LL ACCEPT THAT WORDING CHANGE.

SHALL WE TAKE A VOTE ON THAT? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OF THAT AMENDMENT? OKAY, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THAT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION TO AMEND? AYE.

THAT IS UNANIMOUS.

UM, ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS? ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK TO THE BASE, WHICH IS GENERALLY TO SUPPORT WITH THE TWO AMENDMENTS WITH REGARD TO MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, ALIGNING WITH THE GOALS AND RATHER THAN ACHIEVING SPECIFIC GOALS.

AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED ON TRAFFIC STUDY.

SO WE'LL TAKE A VOTE ON THAT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS AMONG THOSE IN ATTENDANCE.

SO WE HAVE WRAPPED THAT ITEM.

AND I DO REALLY WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TODAY.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING FROM YOU, TRULY.

SO IT REALLY, UM, , IT WAS A LONG ITEM AS WELL.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

UM, I THINK OUR, OUR PROJECT TEAM IS ASSEMBLED FOR OUR PROJECT CONNECT LIGHT RAIL UPDATE.

ALL RIGHT, SO THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE PROJECT CONNECT.

FOLKS, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND AS YOU'RE LEAVING, JUST KEEP YOUR VOICES DOWN AS WE TRANSITION INTO THE NEXT ITEM.

HE WASN'T HERE INITIALLY.

MAYBE WE SHOULD DO THAT WHEN WE DO OFFICER ELECTIONS.

IS THAT OKAY? SOME POINT? I JUST DON'T WANNA WE WON'T, WE WON'T.

THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME.

WHAT ELSE? DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT DO THIS? NO, I'M GOOD.

YOU WANTED TO TALK MORE ABOUT, DID YOU SAY THAT LAST? NO, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I WAS .

YOU WERE NOT WRONG.

EVERYBODY.

WE, WE HOPEFULLY ARE, WE'RE HOPEFULLY EASY AUDIENCE FOR, FOR Y'ALL.

COMPARATIVE WELL, IN SOME RESPECTS.

IN SOME RESPECTS, , PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE, LESS RESPONSIBLE.

[3. Discussion and possible action on Project Connect Light Rail Update Presenter: Brian Buchanan and Jen Pyne, Project Connect Office]

SO, UM, WHENEVER Y'ALL ARE READY.

OKAY, WELL I'LL GET STARTED.

UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING.

MY NAME'S JENNIFER PINE, UM, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, UH, FOR PLANNING AND RISK MANAGEMENT AT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

AND I'M GONNA ASK MY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES HERE TO INTRODUCE BEFORE WE GET INTO THE SLIDES.

UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M LINDSEY WOOD, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

AND, UH, I'M PETER MULLEN, UM, AND ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

THERE WE GO.

UH, GIANNIS BANK'S, UM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER FOR LIGHT RAIL FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE FINANCING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE LIGHT RAIL COMPONENT OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.

UM, SO AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UH, YOU AS YOU PROBABLY ARE, ARE FAMILIAR, WAS FORMED FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS SUCCESSFUL VOTE IN NOVEMBER, 2020 THAT PROVIDED FUNDING FOR PROJECT CONNECT.

SO ATP IS RESPONSIBLE

[01:40:01]

SO LIGHT RAIL WOULD BE A NEW MODE IN AUSTIN.

UM, AND, AND GENERALLY LIGHT RAIL WOULD RUN ON EMBEDDED TRACK WITHIN, UH, PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY.

UM, AND THE LIGHT RAIL TRAINS WOULD OPERATE IN GENERALLY AN EXCLUSIVE GUIDEWAY, SO SEPARATE FROM OTHER KINDS OF TRAFFIC.

AND IT'S PROBABLY FAIR TO SAY THAT AN IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, EARLY MILESTONE IN PROJECT CONNECT AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, BECAME THE LIGHT RAIL ASPECT OF THE PROGRAM, UM, IS THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, WHICH SET AN AGGRESSIVE, UH, GOAL FOR MODE SHIFT.

SO THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT WILL, WILL PROMOTE THAT GOAL, UM, BY PROVIDING MORE AND, AND MORE ROBUST TRANSIT SERVICE.

UH, SO AFTER THE VOTE IN 2020, REALLY EVER SINCE THEN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, UH, FOR THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECTS.

UM, AND AT ONE POINT, UH, PROBABLY EARLY LAST SUMMER, UM, AS SOME OF THE COST INFORMATION WAS COMING IN RELATED TO THE DESIGN WORK TO DATE, UH, WE JUST, WE HAD TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THAT COSTS WERE COMING IN, UM, HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED, REALLY FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT ARE, ARE EXPERIENCED BY OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, RELATED TO HIGHER CONSTRUCTION COSTS DUE TO SUPPLY CHAIN WORKFORCE, REAL ESTATE INFLATION.

SO AT THAT POINT, AND IN CONSULTATION WITH OUR BOARD, WE DETERMINED THAT WE REALLY HAD TO TAKE A MOMENT AND, AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND REALLY MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE WERE LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS AND THAT WE WERE PUTTING FORTH A PROJECT THAT WE COULD EXECUTE.

SO BEFORE WE GET INTO THE, UM, THE OPTIONS THEMSELVES, WE'RE COMING TO YOU WITH A SET OF FIVE OPTIONS FOR WHAT THAT FIRST PHASE OF THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT COULD BE.

UM, I JUST WANNA SPEAK FOR A MINUTE ON THE THINGS THAT WE CONSIDERED IN DEVELOPING THESE OPTIONS.

UM, CERTAINLY ONE IS FINANCIAL VIABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WITHIN THE BUDGET.

UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S AFFORDABLE, UH, WITH OUR REVENUE SOURCES, UH, AND CERTAINLY TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY THAT FROM AN ENGINEERING STANDPOINT IT, IT'S GOING TO WORK.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, SOME OF OUR, OUR, OUR KEY FACTORS INCLUDED, UH, FTA FUNDING.

SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT THE FTA NEW STARTS PROGRAM COULD PROVIDE ON THE ORDER OF ABOUT 50% OF THE CAPITAL COSTS, UH, FLIGHT RAIL PROJECT, UH, FOR THOSE FUNDS, WE'D BE COMPETING WITH TRANSIT PROJECTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

UM, AND IT'S A VERY PRESCRIBED WAY THAT WE WOULD BE EVALUATED AND WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

SO, UM, IN OUR THINKING ABOUT THESE PROJECTS, THAT WAS ONE CONSIDERATION TO KNOW THAT WE WOULD BE COMPETITIVE FOR THOSE GRANT FUNDS.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WE WERE, LOOK, WE'VE LOOKED AT A LOT OF PLANNING DATA, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, SOCIOECONOMIC LAND USE, UH, TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, UM, TO A ASSESS WHAT OPTION WOULD REALLY BEST MEET THE NEEDS IN AUSTIN.

UM, AND THE COMMUNITY VALUES THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN ALL THE PLANS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE.

UM, THAT THE PRIORITIES FOR, UH, THE COMMUNITY MATCH, UM, WHAT WE WOULD PRIORITIZE DELIVERING FOR THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT.

UH, AND CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT, UH, COMPONENT OF THE EVALUATION AS WELL IS HOW LIGHT RAIL WOULD CONNECT WITH THE CURRENT AND THE FUTURE TRANSIT SYSTEM IN AUSTIN.

UM, CUZ REALLY THE EXTENT TO WHICH LIGHT RAIL BUS, UH, BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE ALL WORK TOGETHER IS GOING TO MAKE EVERYTHING, UH, MORE SEAMLESS, UM, AND EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO USE.

I'M GONNA SPEAK FOR JUST A MINUTE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY VALUES CRITERIA AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS AND HOW WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT IN DEVELOPING THE OPTIONS.

UM, THIS IS REALLY THE SOCIOECONOMIC DEMOGRAPHIC AND LAND USE DATA.

UM, AND THINKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE RIDER EXPERIENCE, THE QUALITY OF THE TRANSIT PROJECT WE'D BE PUTTING OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AS MEASURED BY RIDERSHIP, UM, AND THE, THE TYPE OF CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER MODES WITHIN THE NETWORK.

UH, WE ALSO REALLY LOOKED AT ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES, MEANING, UH, LOOKING AT WHERE THE STATIONS MIGHT BE, WHO RESIDES THERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DESTINATIONS ARE THERE, UM, ARE WE CONNECTING, UH, PEOPLE WITH THE PLACES WHERE THEY NEED AND WANT TO GO, UH, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.

WE TRIED TO CALCULATE, UH, WHAT THE MODE SHIFT IMPACT MIGHT BE FROM EACH OF THESE OPTIONS.

UM, REALLY ESTIMATING, UH, WHAT RIDERSHIP THERE WOULD BE, BUT ALSO, UM, WHO MIGHT SHIFT FROM CARS, UH, ONTO THE TRANSIT NETWORK.

UM, ALSO AS, AS PART OF ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, WE LOOKED AT THE OPTIONS THEMSELVES, UM, AND THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT SENSITIVE RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO, TO MINIMIZE THOSE CONDITIONS.

UH, AND FINALLY, LAND USE, UH, AND HOUSING.

UM, AS PART OF THE EVALUATION WE LOOKED AT, UM, EXISTING LAND USES AND WHAT WAS PLANNED AND POLICIES THAT ARE IN PLACE TO PROMOTE TRANSIT, SUPPORTIVE LAND USES, UH,

[01:45:01]

IN PROXIMITY TO THE TRANSIT INVESTMENT.

UH, AND WE ALSO LOOKED AT DATA ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, BECAUSE WE WANT TO SERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN.

I'M JUST GOING TO BRIEFLY RUN THROUGH A COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE, THE, SOME OF THE KEY DATA SETS WE LOOKED AT.

BUT I WILL SAY, IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, ALL THIS IS THERE AND MORE.

UM, SO, SO I'LL GO, I'LL THROUGH IT VERY QUICKLY.

POPULATION DENS IS A KEY DRIVER FOR US.

IT'S REALLY A DRIVER FOR RIDERSHIP AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO CONNECT WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

UM, BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMBERS.

WE LOOKED AT THE COMPOSITION OF THE POPULATIONS.

UM, AT POTENTIAL STATION LOCATIONS, WHO ARE WE SERVING? UM, AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH P WE'D BE SERVING EXISTING TRANSIT RIDERS OR RIDERS WHO NEED TRANSIT MORE OR, OR WANT TO USE IT.

UH, CURRENT EMPLOYMENT DENSITY.

I MEAN, CERTAINLY JOBS ARE AN IMPORTANT, UM, UM, TRIP THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE.

UH, SO THIS IS PART OF IT AS WELL.

UM, THIS MAP IS SHOWING AFFORDABLE HOUSING DATA WE HAVE FOR, UM, EXISTING SUBSIDIZED HOUSING.

UM, WE LOOKED AT THE TRANSIT NETWORK, UM, AND ALSO THE BIKE AND, UM, PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONNECTING, UM, WHERE WE COULD GET KIND OF THE RO MOST ROBUST INTERFACES.

UH, SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, UM, PASS IT OVER TO LINDSAY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THE OPTIONS ARE THAT WE, WE HAVE ON THE TABLE.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

SO WE HAVE FIVE OPTIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO TALK THROUGH TODAY.

THESE FIVE, UH, THEY VARY IN TERMS OF THEIR AREAS OF COVERAGE, SO SOME EXTENDING A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH OR THE EAST.

AND THEREFORE THE DESTINATIONS THAT THEY REACH, THEY EACH GET THROUGH DOWNTOWN IN DIFFERENT WAYS, EITHER ON STREET OR ELEVATED OR UNDERGROUND.

UH, AND THEY ALSO HAVE SOME VARIETY IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY CROSS LADYBIRD LAKE TO GET THROUGH DOWNTOWN.

AND THEY EACH, UH, HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF WHERE A MAINTENANCE FACILITY MAY BE ABLE TO BE LOCATED, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO THE SYSTEM TO HAVE A PLACE TO STORE AND MAINTAIN THE TRAINS.

SO STARTING WITH THE FIRST ONE THAT GOES THE FURTHEST TO THE NORTH, THIS ONE GOES TO NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER OR ALONG NORTH LAMAR, AND, AND UP TO JUST NORTH OF 180 3.

AND THEN CONTINUES THROUGH DOWNTOWN ON STREET IN THIS OPTION, EITHER CROSSING AT GUADALUPE, UM, AND TO SOUTH FIRST OR AT THE TRINITY STREET CROSSING, AND THEN ENDS AT EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND PLEASANT VALLEY.

THE NEXT OPTION IS THE ONE THAT EXTENDS THE FURTHEST TO THE EAST REACHING THE AIRPORT.

AND IN THIS OPTION, THE NORTHERN TERMINUS IS JUST NORTH OF UT AT, UM, 29TH STREET.

AND THIS ONE ALSO GETS THROUGH DOWNTOWN ON STREET AND CROSSES AT THE TRINITY LOCATION, UM, ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.

SO HAVING THAT KIND OF EAST SIDE, UM, CONVENTION CENTER TO AIRPORT CONNECTION.

AND THE NEXT, UH, SORT OF BALANCES NORTH AND SOUTH AND EAST, AND EXTENDS IN EACH OF THOSE DIRECTIONS WITH THE NORTH END, GOING FROM 38TH STREET WITH A POSSIBLE ABILITY TO GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO 45TH, UM, GOING TO THE SOUTH TO OLTORF AT SOUTH CONGRESS AND, AND MAYBE AN ABILITY TO EXTEND TO ST.

EDWARDS AND TO THE EAST ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE, UM, TO WHAT WE CALL YELLOW JACKET, WHICH IS, IS REALLY RIVERSIDE IN 71.

UM, THIS ONE ALSO GOES THROUGH DOWNTOWN IN EITHER OF THOSE TWO CROSSING LOCATIONS, UH, BUT BOTH BEING ON STREET.

AND THE NEXT, UH, VARIES FROM THE LAST ONE BEING THAT WE ARE ARE NOW LOOKING AT BEING PARTIALLY ELEVATED THROUGH DOWNTOWN.

SO LOOKING AT A, A BRIDGE FOR THE LIGHT RAIL THAT SEPARATES IT FROM THE STREET, THAT WOULD BE FROM EIGHTH STREET, UH, TO JUST SOUTH OF THE RIVER, PAST THE AUDITORIUM SHORE STATION.

BUT BACK DOWN TO STREET LEVEL, UH, BEFORE WE REACH SOUTH CONGRESS.

AND WITH, WITH THIS OPTION, IT HAS, UH, NORTHERN LIMIT OF 29TH STREET, SOUTHERN LIMIT OF OLTORF AND TO THE EAST AGAIN AT RIVERSIDE IN 71 TO YELLOW JACKET.

AND THE FIFTH OPTION HERE IS LOOKING AT BEING FULLY SEPARATED FOR THE LIGHT RAIL THROUGH DOWNTOWN, WITH A PORTION OF THAT BEING UNDERGROUND FROM, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

BOULEVARD TO EIGHTH STREET, WHERE IT, IT THEN TRANSITIONS TO THAT ELEVATED STRUCTURE ON A BRIDGE, AGAIN OVER LADY BIRD LAKE AND JUST PAST AUDITORIUM SHORES.

UH, AND THE REST OF THE LINE BEING ON STREET WITH THIS ONE GOING FROM UT TO RIVERSIDE IN 71.

AND ON THIS ONE, UM, CROSSING ONLY BEING THAT ELEVATED CROSSING, IT

[01:50:01]

REALLY ONLY WORKS AT THE GUADALUPE TO SOUTH FIRST CROSSING.

SO ONLY THE ONE RIVER CROSSING IN THESE.

AND NOW PETER'S GONNA TALK THROUGH, UM, THOSE DIFFERENCES AND WHAT THOSE COULD LOOK AND FEEL LIKE THROUGH DOWNTOWN.

THANK YOU, LINDSAY.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK LINDSAY JUST WENT THROUGH THE, THE FIVE OPTIONS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY DIFFER IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, PARTS OF THE CITY THAT ARE REACHED AND THE EXTENT OF THAT REACH.

SO I THINK THAT, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE KEY DECISION POINTS FOR US MOVING FORWARD.

UM, THE OTHER ONE, THE OTHER FACTOR THAT REALLY IN, IN INFLUENCES THAT IS, YOU KNOW, HOW WE GET THROUGH DOWNTOWN, UM, SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE LINED VERTICALLY, WHETHER WE'RE ON THE STREET OR WE'RE UNDER UNDERGROUND OR ELEVATED.

UM, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUSLY WE HAD BEEN LOOKING AT AN UNDERGROUND SOLUTION, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF RESOURCES BEING CONSUMED BY THE UNDERGROUND SOLUTION.

SO WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW DO WE ACTUALLY GET THROUGH DOWNTOWN IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

UM, SO WE HAVE LOOKED AT, UM, AN ON STREETE OPTION, UM, AND ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF ON STREET OPTIONS.

ONE, YOU KNOW, EACH OF WHICH FOCUSING ON CROSSING THE RIVER IN, IN EITHER ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN OR ON THE WEST.

SO THIS IS AN IMAGE OF, OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE ON, UH, ON THIRD STREET.

SO THIS IS IN THE, IN THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN RIVER CROSSING, UM, LOOKING WEST ON THIRD STREET AT ABOUT SAN JACINTO.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE, THE, THE LIGHT RAIL GUIDEWAY OCCUPYING THE CENTER OF THE STREET WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR, YOU KNOW, ONE LANE ON EITHER SIDE OF, OF GENERAL PURPOSE TRAFFIC.

UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE DESIGN TO, TO WORK ON IN TERMS OF THE CROSS SECTION OF, OF THESE DOWNTOWN STREETS WITH THE LIGHT RAIL.

BUT JUST TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THERE ARE, I THINK, OPTIONS FOR HOW THIS CAN WORK AND HOW WE CAN DESIGN THAT TO, TO SAFELY ACCOMMODATE, UM, ALL MOATS.

UM, THIS IS A ANOTHER VIEW OF THE ON STREET OPTION, UM, FROM FOURTH STREET LOOKING NORTHWEST TOWARDS REPUBLIC SQUARE.

UM, SO ALTERNATIVELY, WE'VE LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF OPTIONS THAT INCLUDE, UM, YOU KNOW, ELEVATED STRUCTURES DOWNTOWN, UM, IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN THAT GRADE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE LIGHT RAIL AND THE REST OF OUR MOBILITY MODES DOWNTOWN.

AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY SEEN AS A, AS A, A MORE COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO THE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM.

UM, FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE, YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF ON STREET IS ONE X UNDERGROUND IS PROBABLY 10 X, SO 10 TIMES THE COST OF WHAT ON STREET COSTS PER MILE, UM, ELEVATED IS SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN, RIGHT? SO THREE TO FIVE TIMES ON STREET, SO MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ON STREET.

UM, WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, THE EXTENTS OF THE OPTIONS THAT INCLUDE ELEVATED STRUCTURES ARE, ARE, ARE SHORTER THAN THE ONES THAT ARE ALL ON STREET BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THOSE ELEVATED STRUCTURES.

UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THAN THE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM.

UM, AND YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, I THINK VISUAL IMPACTS DOWNTOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE WORTH CONSIDERING.

UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE, WHAT THE, THE SORT OF URBAN REALM WILL LOOK AND FEEL LIKE, AND HOW, I MEAN ALL THE OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR, OF OUR CITY WILL FUNCTION.

OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TOWARDS THE DESIGN PROCESS.

SO I THINK THOSE, THOSE CONSIDERATIONS ARE IMPORTANT.

UM, BUT YOU DO GET SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING GREAT SEPARATED.

UM, SO I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, THERE ARE TRADE OFFS TO CONSIDER THERE, AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE WANNA HAVE A PUBLIC DIALOGUE.

YOU KNOW, BOTH OPTIONS WILL WORK.

UM, THEY'RE BOTH VIABLE, BUT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS.

UM, THIS IS ANOTHER VIEW OF THE ELEVATED LOOKING DOWNTOWN SOUTH FROM FOURTH STREET.

UM, UH, SO YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT VIEW OF HOW THAT INTERACTS WITH THE STREETSCAPE.

UM, AND THEN IF WE ARE ELEVATED AS, AS LINDSAY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DID LOOK AT POSSIBILITIES OF CROSSING DOWNTOWN ELEVATED AND CROSSING ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.

I THINK WE DETERMINED THAT HAVING AN ELEVATED STRUCTURE CROSSING CONGRESS AVENUE WAS PROBABLY NOT GONNA, UM, UH, GET THROUGH THE, THE ME GRINDER, SO TO SPEAK.

SO, UM, IT REALLY WASN'T IN THE SPIRIT OF A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, INVESTMENTS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY, UH, INVESTMENTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT CONGRESS AVENUE.

SO, UM, SO IF WE'RE ELEVATED, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WE WOULD BE CROSSING ON THE WEST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND YOU GET A SENSE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE COMING OVER ON THE SOUTH SIDE INTO AUDITORIUM SHORES PARK.

UM, WE WOULD HAVE AN ELEVATED STATION IN THE PARK ITSELF, UM, STAY ELEVATED, THEN COME MAKE THE TRANSITION TO ACT GRADE, UM, BETWEEN BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AND SOUTH CONGRESS, AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT HAPPENS IN A COUPLE OF IMAGES OF WHAT THOSE WOULD LOOK LIKE.

UM, SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF, OF SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS

[01:55:01]

OF SOME OF THESE OPTIONS, AND I'LL, WHAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME ADDITIONAL DATA AROUND EACH OF THESE OPTIONS.

WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO WALK, UM, THROUGH ALL OF THIS, BUT IT'S ALL AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

BUT WE HAVE, FOR EACH OF THOSE OPTIONS, THE NUMBER OF AVERAGE DAILY WRITERS THAT ARE ESTIMATED, UH, WHICH VARY ANYWHERE FROM AROUND 20,000 TO 40,000 FOR THESE OPTIONS.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSEHOLDS SERVED, THE, THE MILES OF TRACK, THE NUMBER OF LIGHT RAIL STATIONS, UM, HOW EACH ONE RELATES TO OUR COMMUNITY VALUES CRITERIA THAT JEN TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN JUST SOME, UH, KIND OF OBSERVATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS FOR EACH OF THOSE OPTIONS THAT ARE ALL AVAILABLE IN OUR VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE.

UH, AND SPEAKING ABOUT OUR VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE, UH, WE HAVE ALL OF THESE MATERIALS ON OUR WEBSITE@PROJECTCONNECT.COM WHERE THERE ARE PLACES TO SHARE FEEDBACK.

WE ARE ALSO HOSTING A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING, UH, THIS THURSDAY IN THE EVENING, UH, WHERE WE WILL BE WALKING THROUGH THESE MATERIALS AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, AND, AND WE ARE ALSO GOING OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY, ACTUALLY MULTIPLE EVENTS PER DAY OVER THESE NEXT, UM, FOUR MORE WEEKS OUT OF A, A TOTAL SIX WEEK PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT RUNS FROM MARCH 21ST THROUGH MAY 2ND.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL SAY JUST ON, UH, WE, THE RESPONSE SINCE WE HAD, WE HAD AN OPEN HOUSE ON, ON MARCH 21ST, UM, AT THE, AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, I THINK SOME OF YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTEND.

THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE.

UM, IT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD OVER 500 PEOPLE ON A RAINY MONDAY NIGHT, WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE.

WE WERE REALLY PLEASED WITH THAT ATTENDANCE.

UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, AND SINCE THEN WE'VE, WE'VE HAD PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY, UM, RESPONSE ON THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE, I THINK OVER 8,000 VIEWS IN TWO WEEKS.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, PRETTY AMAZING AND OVER 1600 COMMENTS I THINK.

UM, NEARLY TWO THOUSANDS.

YEAH, ACTUALLY COMMENTS RECEIVED TO DATE IN THE TWO WEEKS OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT HAS BEEN OPENED SO FAR.

AND, AND WE ARE TRYING TO BE IN AS MANY PLACES AS WE CAN HUMANLY BE AND, AND MEETING WITH AS MANY NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS AND, AND REALLY TALKING TO AS MUCH OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

YEP.

JUST TO ADD TO THAT, WE'RE ALSO AT THE BUS STOPS.

SO I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE RUBEN'S QUESTION WAS IF WE WERE OUT THERE, WE ARE AT THE BUS STOPS TALKING TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RIDING THE BUSES AS WELL.

WE HAVE PRETTY MUCH ALL OF A T P, UM, ARE OUT THERE.

SO IT'S NOT JUST THE CCE TEAM.

THEY'VE SEEN A WHOLE RANGE OF PEOPLE.

I KNOW THEY, THEY'VE BEEN OUT THERE AS WELL, SO OUR ENTIRE STAFF.

SO I THINK THAT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED, RIGHT? A LOT OF, UM, ENTHUSIASM, MAYBE PEOPLE ARE REALLY EAGER TO GET LIGHT RAIL.

UM, IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT I THINK THERE'S DISAPPOINTMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO MORE IN THE FIRST PHASE, WHICH WE ABSOLUTELY RECOGNIZE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WOULD SHARE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, WE ARE, WE ARE APPROACHING THIS, YOU KNOW, HOW TO BE, HOW TO, HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH THIS PLAN IN A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY.

WE THINK THAT'S CRITICAL IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

SO, UM, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVE SOME, SOME, WE HAVE VIABLE OPTIONS.

WE THINK THAT THEY GET LIGHT RAIL GOING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, AND WE JUST NEED TO HAVE AS ROBUST A DIALOGUE AS POSSIBLE ABOUT HOW BEST TO PROCEED.

AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, KNOW LOVE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR HEAR WHAT YOU, I'M SURE WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

I'M GONNA ACTUALLY, AND THIS PROJECT'S VERY DEAR TO MY HEART, SO I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP, I'M GONNA TRY TO NOT TAKE UP ALL THE SPACE AND TIME CUZ I KNOW OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS AS WELL.

BUT I DO WANNA LEAD WITH ONE QUESTION.

YOUR, YOUR COMMENT PERIOD CLOSES ON MAY 2ND, AND OUR NEXT UTC MEETING IS ON MAY 2ND.

IS THAT CORRECT, CHRISTOPHER? YES.

IF TENTATIVELY YES.

UM, IF WE MAKE A, MY GUESS IS THAT THIS BODY IS NOT READY TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TODAY, AND WE NEED SOME TIME TO THINK ON THAT AND WRITE IT KNOWING MY COMMISSION.

SO, UM, IF WE PASS A RESOLUTION AT SEVEN OR 8:00 PM ON MAY 2ND, DOES THAT MEET, IS THAT FALL WITHIN YOUR COMMENT PERIOD? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK I FIGURED IT DID, BUT I JUST WANT IT TO BE SURE.

I THINK ONE THING THAT WE ARE ASKING, UM, BECAUSE IT'S COMPLEX, RIGHT? RIGHT.

WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO BE CLEAR WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, THIS IS NOT A VOTE, RIGHT? RIGHT.

WE'RE TRYING NOT TO ASK PEOPLE TO VOTE.

WE REALLY WANT TO HEAR QUALITATIVELY WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT'S SHOWN IN THESE OPTIONS SO THAT WE CAN BASICALLY TRY OF WEAVE THAT IN TO A SET OF PRIORITIES FOR

[02:00:01]

OUR COMMUNITY.

SO TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH YOU CAN ADD, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICS TO YOUR COMMENTS, RIGHT? THAT ARTICULATE THOSE PRIORITIES, THAT WOULD BE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL TO US.

YEAH, AND I DON'T, I, IF I WERE WRITING IT, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS BODY CHOOSE AN OPTION, BUT MAYBE MAKE A COMMENTS ON SEVERAL OPTIONS OR THAT ASPECTS WE LIKED ON OPTIONS, OR THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD DO IF I END UP WRITING IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'LL FALL TO ME OR NOT, BUT, UM, COULD WE COME UP WITH AN OPTION SIX? YEAH.

UTC OPTION SIX.

AND I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS RELATING TO THAT TOO, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WANT ME TO GO FIRST, IF IT'S HELPFUL FOR ME TO GO FIRST OR NOT.

UM, BUT ANY, IF ANYONE WANTS QUESTIONS TO START THAT'S FINE.

WANTED TO GO FIRST.

I GUESS I, I DO HAVE ONE.

SORRY, WAS I INTERRUPTING SOMEBODY? GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD, ALLIE.

OH, UM, I GUESS MY, MY MAIN QUESTION IS LIKE, AND I'M SURE IT'S PROBABLY A YES, HOW DO EACH OF THESE PROPOSALS, LIKE DO THEY SEAMLESSLY ALL FIT IN WITH THE FUTURE STAGES THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING OR ARE CROSSING OUR FINGERS FOR? UM, OR ARE SOME OF THEM GOING TO PROVE MORE CHALLENGING TO INCORPORATE INTO A BROADER PLAN THAN OTHERS? UH, THAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO ALL OF THESE OPTIONS ARE EXPANDABLE TO THE NORTH, THE SOUTH, AND THE EAST.

UM, BUT THEY DO HAVE DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS IN THAT REGARD.

SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL PICK ONE TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE IN THE OPTION, UM, LET'S SAY TO THE AIRPORT OPTION THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LEG TO THE SOUTH, THAT TURNS THERE TO GO TOWARD OLTORF.

UM, THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WE NEED TO SORT OF PROVIDE FOR THAT FUTURE CONNECTION WITHOUT BUILDING OUT ALL THE WAY TO OLTORF.

SO IF, IF WE DON'T PROVIDE FOR THAT CONNECTION AND THE INITIAL PHASE, UH, YOU KNOW, REAL ESTATE AND, AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS WILL OCCUR AND, AND WE HAVE TO NOT PRECLUDE THAT.

SO THEY EACH REQUIRE DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, IN ORDER TO BUILD ONTO THEM.

BUT WE ARE PLANNING FOR THOSE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD NEED IN ORDER TO EXPAND IN ALL THREE DIRECTIONS FOR, FOR THE NEXT PHASE.

UM, ADDITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, IN AN ELEVATED OPTION, FOR EXAMPLE, IF, IF WE HAVE LIGHT RAIL ON A BRIDGE RUNNING NORTH-SOUTH THROUGH DOWNTOWN, UM, WE, WE CAN'T LIKELY CONNECT EAST WEST THROUGH DOWNTOWN TO THAT BRIDGE.

UM, WHEN, WHEN TURNING FOR THE LIGHT RAIL, WHEN ELEVATED IT, IT NEEDS A MUCH WIDER TURN AND WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND SORT OF BUILD A BRIDGE LATER THAT THAT CAN CONNECT, SAY, FROM GUADALUPE TO TRINITY.

SO WE WOULD NEED TO THINK ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO CONNECT EAST WEST THROUGH DOWNTOWN WHERE WE ARE ON STREET.

SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES.

UM, BUT WE, WE CAN FOLLOW UP AND PROVIDE MORE CLARITY.

WE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON AN FAQ, OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS LOCATION ON OUR WEBSITE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS EXACTLY LIKE THAT ONE WHERE WE CAN LAY OUT ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENCES.

GREAT.

I'LL POKE AROUND MORE ON THE WEBSITE THEN.

YEAH, GO AHEAD.

REEN.

THERE I GO.

TO FOLLOW ON A BIT TO THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, UM, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR RELEASING MORE FINANCIAL DATA? UM, EVERY, THAT'S A QUESTION I HEAR VERY FREQUENTLY.

UH, HOW SOON WILL WE BE ABLE TO ADD TO THIS SYSTEM IN 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS, AND AFTER ANOTHER VOTE? WHAT'S THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE FINANCIALLY? I, I WOULD, I WOULD ADD TO THAT AND SAY WHAT'S THE CURRENT LOOK LIKE FINANCIALLY? LET'S START WITH THAT AND THEN WE CAN, YEAH.

THAT'S NOT INCLUDING CONTINGENCY.

SO ALL FIVE OF THESE OPTIONS FIT WITHIN A ROUGHLY $5 BILLION CAPITAL BUDGET.

UH, AND THEY ARE ALL VERY SIMILAR IN COST.

SO THE, THE CAPITAL COST FOR ANY OF THESE OPTIONS IS NOT A MAJOR DIFFERENTIATOR BETWEEN THEM.

THEY ARE ALL, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF MAXIMIZING THAT, THAT CURRENT FINANCIAL BUDGET.

AND THEY'RE ALL WITHIN THAT 5 BILLION ENVELOPE, OUR 5 BILLION, THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THE FED'S 5 BILLION IF WE GET IT.

THAT IS A TOTAL TOTAL, YES.

TOTAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FOR FIVE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT DOES INCLUDE CONTINGENCY DOES INCLUDE.

SOME ADDITIONAL CLARITY AROUND THE, THE MANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO FINANCES, COSTS, FUNDING PLAN? UM, WE ARE WORKING ON, UM, ACTUALLY AN ENTIRE MEMO ON THAT ENTIRE, UM, ALL THE MANY VARIATIONS OF THAT QUESTION AND, AND MAKING THAT PUBLIC SO THAT WE CAN REALLY HELP PROVIDE MORE CLARITY AROUND THOSE.

SO THAT IS INCLUDING A CONTINGENCY, WHICH WE ARE PLANNING AT THIS STAGE OF, OF DESIGN, UH, FOR A 40% CONTINGENCY, WHICH I REALIZE MAY SOUND HIGH TO SOME, BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY VERY IN LINE WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION'S REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS STAGE OF THE PROJECT AND ALSO WHAT THEY'RE REQUIRING OF OTHER PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING.

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR ORIGINAL QUESTION, WHEN WILL WE PROVIDE, OR, OR HOW WILL WE PROVIDE

[02:05:01]

AND WHY, UH, 5 BILLION INSTEAD OF 7 BILLION.

UH, SO 5 BILLION IS JUST THE LIGHT REEL PORTION OF PROJECT CONNECT.

THERE ARE MANY THE OTHER MODES OF PROJECTS FOR BUS AND THE RED LINE AND THE GREEN LINE, AND, AND THIS DOES NOT IMPACT ANY OF THOSE.

ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS, UM, ARE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE THEIR OWN BUDGETS THAT ARE ON TOP OF THE LIGHT RAIL.

AND JUST TO POINT OUT, IN 2019 YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT 30% CONTINGENCY, AND WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE 2019 UNTIL NOW, ARE YOU SURE 40 PERCENT'S ENOUGH ? IT'S, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

DO YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, FROM A FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE, THAT WE ARE, UM, USING, YOU KNOW, OTHER PROJECTS AS, AS A BASELINE AND, AND SORT OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR THAT NUMBER? DOES, IS TDOT RELEASING ANY OF THEIR DATA OR CAMPO? I, I, I COULDN'T TELL YOU THAT.

I'M NOT SURE.

IS GOOD PRACTICE AND ALSO IS REQUIRED FOR THE, THE STAGE WE ARE AT, BUT THAT, THAT NUMBER WILL CHANGE AND, AND GOING THROUGH THOSE STEPS AND THOSE DEFINITIONS OF RISKS AS WE GO FORWARD.

YOU SAID AT THIS, AT THIS PHASE IN DESIGN, WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL, WHAT WOULD YOU QUALIFY THE PHASE OF DESIGN THAT WE'RE IN IT? SO IT DEPENDS ON THE LOCATION ALONG THE SEGMENTS, BECAUSE THERE ARE AREAS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN THAT WE HAD ALREADY ADVANCED TO CLOSER TO 30% DESIGN, YOU KNOW, 25 TO 30.

SO I WOULD SAY WHERE WE STAND TODAY IS DEPENDING ON SEGMENT, ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO 25, SO NOT QUITE 30% DESIGNS AND CERTAINLY NOT ISSUE FOR CONSTRUCTION, OBVIOUSLY.

BUT I, I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, THOSE CONTINGENCY DOLLARS, RIGHT? THEY'RE THERE TO MITIGATE RISKS.

SO AS WE MOVE FURTHER ALONG DOWN THIS DESIGN PROCESS, WILL WE REDUCE THE CONTINGENCY DOLLARS? YES.

UM, OKAY, SO THE CONTINGENCY DOLLARS ESSENTIALLY GET ASSIGNED TO COST OF ACTUAL ELEMENTS AS THOSE ELEMENTS GET DESIGNED.

UM, AND THEN YOU RELEASE CONTINGENCY AT THE END OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE THERE ARE RISKS AS YOU NOTE, ALL THE WAY THROUGH CONSTRUCTION.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S A QUESTION I'VE BEEN BEEN PONDERING, RIGHT? HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE CONVINCE THE FEDS OR CONVINCE OURSELVES, UM, OF THAT WE ARE PROPERLY MITIGATING THAT RISK BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE LIMITING OURSELVES TO HOW FAR WE CAN GO.

EVEN IF WE JUST TAKE, YOU KNOW, SELFISHLY WE GET FROM YELL, WE, WE DON'T GET ALL THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT, WE END IT AT YELLOW JACKET OR WHEREVER THE, YOU KNOW, THE, WE DON'T GET ALL THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT.

COULD HAVE, WE COULD, WE HAVE GOTTEN ALL THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT BY, BY, YOU KNOW, RELEASING SOME OF THOSE CONTINGENCY DOLLARS BECAUSE WE'VE MITIGATED SOME OF THAT RISK, RIGHT? UM, I KNOW IT'S A REALLY TOUGH NUT TO CRACK.

I KNOW IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET THERE, BUT CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SOUTH TO THE AIRPORT, WHICH IS A HUGE, LIKE A MONUMENTAL LIKE, UH, TICK MARK OR WE GET FURTHER UP NORTH TO THE NORTH LAMAR TREND CENTER, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THAT DIFFERENCE? WHAT DOES THAT DELTA AND COST? AND WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FROM A CONTINGENCY PERSPECTIVE? AND IS IT ACHIEVABLE? YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THOSE, I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS THAT WE'RE LIKE, MAN, ARE WE SELLING OURSELVES SHORT RIGHT NOW? OH, MAYBE ONE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO IS THAT IF YOU ARE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU'RE COMING IN UNDER BUDGET AND YOU'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, RELEASE CONTINGENCY, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN SERVE TO ACCELERATE THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT AS WELL COM.

I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, BUT IN THAT CASE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING US TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FIVE OPTIONS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT.

AND SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHY DON'T WE JUST GO WITH ONE OPTION AND SAY, AS WE, AS WE RELEASE CONTINGENCY, WE'LL GET FURTHER AND FURTHER OUT.

WELL, THERE'S, SO THERE'S ALSO, IN TERMS OF SORT OF RE UM, DEFINING WHAT THE CONTINGENCY IS, THERE'S ACTUALLY A VERY PRESCRIBED PROCESS WE MUST GO THROUGH WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.

TOTALLY UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT STAGES OF DESIGN.

THERE'S SOMETHING WE GO THROUGH THAT'S, IT'S CALLED A P 65 OR A 65TH PERCENTILE ANALYSIS, WHERE WE WALK THROUGH, UH, WE, WE DO A RISK WORKSHOP AND A RISK REGISTER OF, OF ALL THE RISKS ON THE PROJECT AND ACTUAL DOLLARS GET ASSIGNED TO EACH OF THOSE RISKS AS WELL AS A, UM, KIND OF CHANCE OR PROBABILITY OF OCCURRENCE.

AND THAT GETS QUANTIFIED, UH, IN A VERY PRESCRIPTIVE, UM, PROCESS AND WILL DEFINE WHAT F T A WILL REQUIRE US TO HOLD.

SO THIS EARLY 40% NUMBER, UM, IS,

[02:10:01]

UM, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S, IT'S NOT REALLY A SORT OF UP TO DISCRETION.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY PRESCRIBED IN HOW THOSE GET ESTIMATED.

NO, I, YEAH, I'M, I'M FULLY AWARE, UM, I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT, BUT ALONG THOSE LINES, UM, LET ME COME BACK TO ME.

I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.

I, WE CAN DO THAT.

UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE, YEAH, DANIEL.

ALRIGHT, SO I THINK, UM, THE FIRST ONE, THESE IS GONNA BE REALLY QUICK AND IT'S, UH, DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? AND IN TERMS OF OUR COMPETITIVENESS FOR LIKE FEDERAL MONEY, WHICH PLAN THAT WE CHOOSE? WELL, WE, AS PART OF OUR ASSESSMENT, I MEAN WE BELIEVE THAT ALL FIVE OF THESE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL FUNDS.

SO WE WOULD MEET KIND OF THE MINIMUM CONDITIONS.

UM, THERE'S PROBABLY IS SOME VARIABILITY IN COMPETITIVENESS BECAUSE SOME OF THE BIG DRIVERS THERE ARE RIDERSHIP AND COST AND THE RATIO BETWEEN THEM, BUT AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS.

UM, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THESE WOULD, UM, WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR NEW STARTS FUNDING.

UM, AND THEN ALSO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT JUST LIKE HOW YOU'RE DETERMINING THIS ROUTE AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS ONE OF YOUR SORT OF CRITERIA, AND I'M NOTICING HERE THAT YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF BUBBLES AND SORT OF LIKE THERE'S A BUNCH OVER HERE IN LIKE EAST FIFTH AND SIXTH AND SORT OF IN WEST CAMPUS.

IS THIS ALL JUST SUBSIDIZED LIKE BIG A AFFORDABLE HOUSING? BECAUSE I KNOW AROUND THAT NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, IT'S A LOT OF VERY CHEAP HOUSING THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY SUBSIDIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, LIKE NATURALLY OCCURRING.

SO YOU'RE CORRECT, BUT THAT DATA'S JUST NOT SHOWN ON THAT MAP.

WE DO HAVE OTHER KIND OF DATA SETS, UM, AND WE ARE REALLY WORKING WITH THE CITY, UH, ON THAT.

SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

UM, BUT THAT DOES SHOW JUST YES, SUBSIDIZED, UH, LEGALLY BINDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

ANOTHER HALF BLOCK TOWARDS THIRD STREET.

AND THE, CUZ IF YOU'RE CHOOSING A ROUTE, CAUSE I KNOW IF WE WENT ALL THE WAY UP NORTH, YOU'D BE SERVING JUST LIKE GENERALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY LIKE VERY HIGH TRANSIT USERS AND LIVE IN, YOU KNOW, NOT FORMAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT UM, IT'S MORE AFFORDABLE OF AN AREA, A BIG CONCERN ABOUT THE TUNNEL, THE BLOCK LENGTH IN THE CARS, BUT ON STREET.

IS THERE ANY WAYS TO SORT OF HANDLE THAT DIFFERENTLY OTHER THAN GRADE SEPARATION? YEAH, SO GREAT QUESTION AND ONE THAT HAS COME UP BEFORE.

SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE, THE, THE DEMAND FOR TRANSIT WILL VARY OVER TIME, RIGHT? AND, UM, PART OF THE THINKING AROUND THE, THE TUNNEL IS AS YOU SAID, IS THAT LONG TERM RIGHT? WE EXPECT THAT WE WILL BE, UM, NEEDING TRAIN CS MEANING TRAIN LENGTHS, YOU KNOW, COMBINATIONS OF FOUR 90 FOOT CARS, RIGHT? SO THAT WE WOULD ACQUIRE A 400 FOOT PLATFORM, WHICH EXCEEDS OUR 276 FOOT DOWNTOWN STREET GRID.

RIGHT? UM, SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE, THE BENEFITS OF BEING GREAT SEPARATED.

IT'S CUZ YOU'RE NOT BOUND TO THAT STREET GRID.

UM, SO WE, WE BELIEVE WE HAVE, WE THINK WE HAVE A STRATEGY TO SOLVE FOR THAT WITH THE ON STREET SYSTEM AND THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, AND IT'S NOT SHORT, I MEAN ESSENTIALLY THAT WE NEED THAT LONG TERM CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE, THE, THE SYSTEM IS BASICALLY ALMOST FULLY BOLTED OUT AND BUILT UP, YOU KNOW, PAST 180 3 NORTH TO TECH RIDGE AND SOUTH TO SLAUGHTER.

SO LONG TERM WE SEE THE DEMAND FOR THAT CAPACITY.

UH, BUT YOU KNOW, UNTIL THAT POINT WE THINK THAT WE CAN, WE CAN SERVE THE, THE NEED WITH TRAINS THAT FIT WITHIN THE STREET BLOCKS LONG TERM.

WHAT IT WOULD MEAN IS THAT AT THE DOWNTOWN STATIONS, RIGHT, WE WOULD NEED TO EXTEND THE PLATFORMS, UM, AT THAT TIME WHEN THE CAPACITY WAS NEEDED.

UM, AND I THINK THE, THE, WE THINK THAT THAT'S VIABLE IN PART BECAUSE THE, WHERE THE STATIONS ARE LOCATED, THOSE CROSS STREETS ARE NOT PARTICULARLY HEAVY, HAVE HEAVY VOLUMES.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE, THE STATION AT 15TH STREET, WHICH IS ACTUALLY LOCATED SOUTH OF 15TH STREET, WE COULD EXTEND THAT FURTHER SOUTH AND BASICALLY WOULD MEAN CLOSING 14TH STREET TO CROSS TRAFFIC.

BUT BECAUSE 14TH STREET DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF CROSS TRAFFIC VOLUME ANYWAY, WE THINK THAT THAT IS PROBABLY, WILL PROBABLY BE AC ACCOMMODATE CAN BE ACCOMMODATED AT THE TIME WHEN IT'S NEEDED.

[02:15:01]

IT WOULD MEAN SECOND STREET WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THROUGH TRAFFIC.

BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE OF WALLER CREEK AND ET CETERA, THEY'RE NOT HUGE VOLUMES ON SECOND STREET EITHER.

SO WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT THE, THE STATIONS ARE LOCATED IN BLOCKS WHERE WE, WE THINK IN THE LONG TERM, WHEN NEEDED, WE CAN EXTEND THE PLATFORMS TO MEET THAT CAPACITY AND WE WOULD ACTUALLY DESIGN THEM NOW TO ACCOMMODATE THAT FUTURE EXTENSION.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE WOULDN'T BUILD THE LONGER PLATFORMS THAT GO BEYOND THE, THE CITY BLOCK LINKS, WE WOULD DESIGN IT FOR THE FOOTPRINT TO BE ABLE TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF OVERCROWDED TRAINS ARE A VERY VALUABLE COMMODITY FOR GAINING ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND OR PERMISSION TO BLOCK OFF STREETS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

LOOK, IF THAT'S, IF, IF THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING, WE'RE GONNA BE A VERY GOOD PLACE.

SO, UM, I'M CONSTITUTIONALLY MY CONSTITUTION REQUIRES ME TO JUST MENTION THAT IF SOMEHOW UP TO NORTH FROM NORTH OF OUR TRANSIT CENTER UP TO TECH RIDGE GOT EVEN ONE OR TWO MORE STATIONS THAT WOULD BRING YOU TO RUTLAND AND LAMAR, WHICH IN 2019 FOR THE 8 0 1 BUS WAS THE, I THINK THE THIRD HIGHEST RIDERSHIP AT THAT STATION.

AND THAT'S IN MIDDLE OF AN AREA WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR EQUITY CONSIDERATION.

SO YOU'RE A DOUBLE WIN IF YOU CAN GET UP THERE, YOU GET RIDERSHIP AND YOU ADDRESS EQUITY ISSUES.

I KEEP MENTIONING THIS WHENEVER I HAVE A CHANCE.

SO RAVEN, HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN SAYING THIS NOW? QUITE, QUITE A FEW YEARS.

UM, YES, QUITE A FEW.

YES, YES, BOTH OF US.

UM, I THINK I'M, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS AND I'LL LAUNCH INTO MY LIST.

UH, YEAH, I JUST HAD A QUESTION.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHAT DOES THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY LOOK LIKE? SO THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY NEED A, THEY HAVE LIMITED LOCATIONS OF WHERE WE CAN PUT THOSE BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF LAND WE NEED.

AND SO YOU SEE THOSE TWO OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE AT RIVERSIDE NEAR 71, KIND OF OFF OF AIRPORT COMMERCE AND THE OTHER BEING UP AT NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.

UM, THEY'RE ABOUT 35 TO 40 ACRES IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL SIZE THERE.

AND THEY INCLUDE, UM, WHAT WE CALL A YARD, SO A SET OF TRACKS WHERE THE TRAINS ARE STORED WHEN THEY'RE NOT IN OPERATION.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE ACTUAL MAINTENANCE FACILITIES THEMSELVES.

SO THERE ARE AREAS FOR WASHING THE TRAINS, PAINTING THE TRAINS, MAINTAINING THE TRAINS, AND, AND THERE'S A BUILDING THAT GOES WITH THAT AND HAS VARIOUS FUNCTIONS WITH IT.

SO DID THAT ANSWER OR, OR WHAT, WHAT SPECIFICALLY? YEAH, NO, GENERALLY SPEAKING.

BUT THAT, THAT'S IT.

IT'S JUST PURE FOR MAINTEN THERE WOULDN'T BE ATP'S OFFICE ON TOP.

NO, THIS IS JUST FOR MAINTAINING THE TRAINS.

THIS IS NOT A ADMINISTRATIVE OR, OR MULTIMODAL OR HEADQUARTERS OR, OR ANYTHING ELSE.

OR THE 40% RIGHT, BASED ON OTHER PROJECTS, BUT ALSO BASED ON OTHER PROJECTS.

AND WHAT IS THE COST OF THAT INCLUDED? I JUST WANTED, WHAT I WANTED TO ADD WAS, I THINK THAT, UM, AND YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT PERCEPTION IS THAT BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE DEALING WITH AN ALL ELECTRIC FLEET MM-HMM.

, RIGHT, THAT THESE FACILITIES ARE CLEANER, LET'S SAY, THAN YOU MIGHT TYPICALLY ASSOCIATE WITH A RAIL YARD, RIGHT? SO, UM, I THINK THAT WE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU QUIETER BEING QUIETER, IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, COMPARABLE FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THEY'RE ACTUALLY, THEY'RE KIND OF HIGH TECH IN A WAY.

UM, AND SO IT'S, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A PRETTY TIGHT CLEAN FACILITY.

UH, AND, AND ON THE COST QUESTION, I I, I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT ONE.

I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT BREAKDOWN OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE CAN FOLLOW UP.

BUT UM, I'M ASSUMING THIS IS IN THE FIRST BUTTON, THIS FIRST CHUNK.

ABSOLUTELY.

RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT AMAZING, IT'S PART OF THAT IT PART OF THE 5 BILLION.

SO PERCENTAGE WISE, WHAT IS THAT OF THE 5 BILLION? UH, I, I'D REALLY HAVE TO GO LOOK AT OUR ESTIMATE.

WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH AN ANSWER ON THAT.

IS THERE ANY REQUIREMENT TO START CONSTRUCTION AT THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY? CUZ WHEN YOU'RE FIRST GETTING TRAINS RUNNING, YES, THERE IS.

SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A PLACE TO DELIVER THE TRAINS AS THEY ARE.

UM, THEY, THEY TYPICALLY DON'T GET DELIVERED ALL AT ONCE.

YOU GET SORT OF A FIRST CAR AND THEN A SECOND AND SO FORTH.

UM, SO WE, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY READY TO RECEIVE THAT FIRST CAR.

AND SO A LOT OF THAT, UM, DRIVES THE OVERALL SCHEDULE.

WE ALSO NEED IT FROM A TESTING PERSPECTIVE.

SO THERE'S A PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, UM, KIND OF STATIC OR IN PLACE TESTING OF, OF THE VEHICLES AND, AND WE NEED IT TO BE, UM, ABLE TO RECEIVE AND, AND ACCOMMODATE THAT FUNCTION.

SO I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION GENERAL, UM, SO I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE USED THE, THE CONTINGENCY UH, DOLLARS

[02:20:01]

UH, I THINK TECH STOP KILLED THE TRANSIT PROJECT IN SAN ANTONIO, CORRECT? ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE STREETCAR PROJECT? YEP, YEP, YEP.

TECH STOP DIDN'T WANNA ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY SOME ALONG THOSE LINES.

IT WAS, IT WAS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.

THERE, THERE WERE SOME LOCAL POLITICS AS WELL, BUT I WELL THAT'S A GOOD POINT THOUGH.

BUT MY, MY MY POINT BEING IS THAT, UM, WHAT HAPPENS UP NORTH, SO YES, THAT IS A, THAT'S A TECH STOP ROAD, YOU'RE RIGHT.

UM, THERE IS TECHO RIGHT OF WAY INVOLVED IN THE OPTION THAT REACHES NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, THE STATION ITSELF, THE SORT OF THE NORTHERN END STATION WOULD BE IN THE, THE MEDIAN.

UM, AND IN THAT RIGHT OF WAY.

AND THEN THE, UM, TRACK THAT CONNECTS WHAT WE CALL A YARD LEAD THAT CONNECTS FROM THE MAIN OPERATING TRACK TO THE YARD WOULD HAVE TO CROSS, UM, NORTH LAMAR.

SO WE ARE COORDINATING WITH TECH DOT ON THOSE ISSUES.

BUT YES, THAT IS A CONSIDERATION.

BUT I GUESS MY POINT CUZ GOING BACK TO THE MAINTENANCE STATION , UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE WOULD NEED TO, IF WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE TECH STOP'S BLESSING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE THE MAINTENANCE STATION UP NORTH, THAT'S, OTHERWISE WE HAVE TO HAVE IT DOWN OR AT THE END OF THE LINE, RIGHT? YES.

SO IS THAT EVEN AN OPTION? I MEAN, LOOK, I'M JUST BEING REAL IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

WE'RE ALWAYS AT WAR WITH TE WITH TEXAS APPARENTLY, RIGHT? I'M JUST WONDERING IF, IF THAT'S EVEN AN OPTION, REALISTICALLY IF IT'S AN OPTION TO HAVE THAT PLA THE THE MAINTENANCE CENTER, MAINTENANCE YARD UP THERE.

I CAN'T SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF, BUT I CAN SAY THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO ASK THAT QUESTION AND, AND GET CLARITY AROUND THAT TOPIC AND, AND MEET WITH THEM REGULARLY TO UNDERSTAND THAT RISK.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CUT FOR LEVELS BETWEEN THE THREE, LIKE UPGRADE RAISED AND LIKE, UM, UNDERGROUND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.

UM, IT GETS VERY, VERY HOT HERE.

LIKE A LOT OF THE TIMES.

HOW ARE YOU, WILL PEOPLE WANT TO BE CLIMBING AT MULTIPLE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS IN THE SUMMER? LIKE WHEN IT'S A HUNDRED DEGREES, 105 DEGREES TO USE THE, THE RAISE RAIL? YEAH, SO IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE CONSIDERATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELEVATED STRUCTURES.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WHATEVER SYSTEM THAT GETS CHOSEN, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA INVEST IN THE DESIGN OF THAT SYSTEM TO MAKE IT AS USER FRIENDLY AS POSSIBLE, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT THAT IS GOOD FOR THE USERS, IT'S GOOD FOR THE SYSTEM, ET CETERA.

UM, BUT CERTAINLY IF YOU'RE GREAT SEPARATED, THEN YOU HAVE TO, THEY'RE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO USE MECHANICAL MEANS TO MAKE THAT GREAT SEPARATION, RIGHT? AND SO THAT IS A, THAT'S A CONSIDERATION IN THAT OPTION VERSUS BEING, YOU KNOW, ON STREET.

SO, UM, AGAIN, THERE ARE, THERE ARE DIFFERENT PROS AND CONS TO ALL THESE OPTIONS AND I THINK AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SORT OF HAVE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT.

JUST NOTE FOR GRADE SEPARATION, THE SOFTWARE THAT'S USED FOR RIDERSHIP ESTIMATION, THE FDA STOP SOFTWARE ASSIGNS A PENALTY, A TIME PENALTY FOR NOT BEING AT GRADE BECAUSE THEY HAVE FOUND IN EMPIRICAL STUDIES THAT ALL OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL, YOU GET MORE RIDERSHIP WHEN A STATION IS AT GRADE THAN WHEN IT'S ABOVE OR BELOW GRADE BECAUSE SOME PART OF THE POPULATION WILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO GET EITHER UP OR DOWN.

I THINK IT'S, IT'S A GOOD POINT.

I THINK SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE CONSIDERATION ALSO IS GIVEN THE EXTENT OF THE ELEVATED STRUCTURES IN THOSE OPTIONS, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, GONNA PRIMARILY SERVE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO MOVE THROUGH DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? OBVIOUSLY, CUZ AGAIN, IT'S THEN THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GOING FROM AN ACADE SYSTEM TO AN ACADE SYSTEM ON EITHER SIDE OF DOWNTOWN, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE COMING, GOING TO OR FROM DOWNTOWN, IN WHICH CASE THEY ARE USING THAT VERTICAL CIRCULATION TO AS PART OF THEIR JOURNEY.

SO SOME OF IT DEPENDS ON, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND HOW YOU'RE GOING, ET CETERA.

SO ONE LAST QUESTION.

UM, IT MAY NOT BE THE LAST QUESTION ACTUALLY, BUT Y'ALL RECENTLY REDUCED AN RFI, UM, TO INDUSTRY IN GENERAL REGARDING DELIVERY METHODS AND RISK, FINALLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, .

THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY.

OH, UM, BUT UH, BUT HOW DO YOU SEE THE RESPONSES FROM THIS RFI UM, INFORMING POTENTIALLY NOT, NOT OUR CONTINGENCY PERCENTAGE, BUT INFORMING WHAT WE'RE INCLUDING IN, IN, IN THE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW? LIKE, DO YOU SEE THIS AS BEING A NET POSITIVE? IS THERE A WAY, IS THERE, IS THERE A WORLD IN WHICH YOU GET FEEDBACK MINISTRY AND YOU SAY, OH, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT.

YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE.

I I WOULD LOVE TO LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN TO THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THAT'S THE POINT OF THAT ENGAGEMENT IS REALLY BEING ABLE TO,

[02:25:01]

UM, BENEFIT FROM THE INNOVATIONS THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF.

UM, BUT I WOULD SAY GENERALLY THE INTENT OF THAT REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM INDUSTRY IS AROUND, UM, KIND OF FINAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MODELS OF DELIVERY AND, UM, COLLABORATING WITH CONTRACTORS EARLY ON IN ORDER TO BUILD COST CONFIDENCE.

SO, UM, CONTRACTORS ARE, ARE BETTER AT, YOU KNOW, WHEN ENGAGED EARLY ON IN DESIGN AT BOTH LOOKING AT WAYS TO BRING COSTS DOWN AND LOOKING AT WAYS TO ESTIMATE COSTS AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEKING FEEDBACK ON.

HOW CAN WE GET THE MOST BENEFIT OUT OF THAT THAT HELPS US, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE FEWER UNKNOWNS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AS WE PROGRESS IN DESIGN AND, AND THEREFORE FEWER RISKS.

SO I, I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE THAT OUTCOME FROM HEARING FROM INDUSTRY AND, AND, UM, HEARING HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THINGS LIKE COST AND, AND CONTINGENCY.

BUT I, WE ARE NOT SEEKING FEEDBACK ON LIKE THE COVERAGE OF THE OPTIONS THEMSELVES FROM THE INDUSTRY.

IT'S, IT'S REALLY MORE ABOUT HOW DO WE PARTNER WITH INDUSTRY IN MODELS TO DESIGN AND, AND BUILD IT, BUT NOT SORT OF, WE'RE NOT ASKING THEM TO PICK ONE EITHER.

UNDERSTOOD.

SO THE FIRST ONE THING I HAVE IS A COMMENT AND IT, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU ON THE PUBLIC EVENT THAT WAS ON MARCH 21ST BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT REALLY HAD, UH, ASTOUNDING TURNOUT AND DESPITE A LOT OF PEOPLE LEARNING FOR THE, SOME OF US HAD BEEN LIVING WITH THE NEWS OF THE REALITY OF THE COSTS FOR A WHILE, UM, UH, OR MIGHT HAVE EVEN WONDERED IF WHATEVER, UM, FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE THAT.

BUT, UM, I THINK THAT DESPITE THE DISAPPOINTMENT AND THE EVENT OUTCOME WAS POSITIVE, AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE TEAM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, BUT ONE THING I DID HEAR FROM A LOT OF FOLKS ON THE DASHBOARD EXAMPLES, NOW GRANTED THEY WERE LOOKING AT IT ON A POSTER BOARD, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND NOT ON A COMPUTER, BUT LIKE THERE'S KIND OF AN ASYMMETRY HERE WHERE YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS AND THEN THIS IS JUST A GRAPHIC.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TROUBLE NAVIGATING THIS VISUAL RHETORIC, INCLUDING MYSELF.

I'M LIKE, THEY ALL SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME RIDERSHIP.

AND SOMEBODY WAS LIKE, NO, SOME OF THEM WERE COLORED IN AND I WAS LIKE, OH.

SO I REALLY THINK JUST PUTTING NUMBERS THERE WOULD BE WAY MORE NAVIGABLE FOR FOLKS.

WE AGREE.

UM, I HEARD THAT FROM AT LEAST LIKE SEVEN PEOPLE.

A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE .

SO, UM, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT UPDATE FOR THE DASHBOARDS.

UM, SO, UM, I'M, I'M GONNA GO WITH MAINTENANCE FACILITY QUESTION FIRST AND IT'S ABOUT, I, I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE YOU TO JUST STATE FOR US THAT THE MAINTENANCE LOCATION, FACILITY, LOCATIONS, AND EACH OF THE OPTIONS, IT'S KIND OF, I KNOW WE CAN DIG IN AND, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST GO THROUGH EACH OPTION AND TELL US WHERE IT IS.

AND I KNOW LIKE IF WE PUT THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY LIKE AT THE AIRPORT, THAT'S NOT SUPER CONTROVERSIAL, BUT MAYBE WHEN YOU'RE LOCATING IT NEAR A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE LIVE THAT COULD BE MORE CONTROVERSIAL.

TALK TO US ABOUT LIKE THE LOCATIONS IN EACH ONE, HOW YOU'RE OUTREACHING TO COMMUNITIES THAT MIGHT HAVE A MAINTENANCE FACILITY.

I WAS, AND IT'S ACTUALLY INTERESTING, I'M GONNA OFFER A LITTLE REMARK.

I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SOMEONE RECENTLY WHO'S A, A TRANSIT OPERATOR IN AUSTRALIA AND THAT, AND SHE IS FRUSTRATED THAT SHE HAS TO DRIVE TO HER JOB TO DRIVE THE TRAIN, WHICH IS KIND OF INTERESTING.

SO LIKE KOPPI, I, ANYWAY, I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE.

BUT, UM, UH, SHE REALLY HATES THAT ABOUT HER JOB .

AND, UM, BUT UM, MAYBE Y'ALL COULD JUST TELL US WHERE THE FACILITIES ARE LOCATED IN EACH PLAN AND LIKE IF THE PLAN IS NOT SORT OF LIKE AIRPORT WHATEVER, BUT LIKE OTHERWISE, TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUTREACH IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.

GREAT.

UM, SO THE FIRST OPTION, THE ONE THAT EXTENDS TO NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY WOULD BE THERE AT NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.

UM, AND, AND WOULD SORT OF BE INTEGRATED INTO A, A, A MULTIUSE PLAN FOR THAT AREA THAT COULD HAVE USES BEYOND JUST THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY, UM, EQUITABLE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND, AND OTHER USES OF THAT GENERAL PROPERTY AS WELL.

THE OTHER FOUR OPTIONS, SO ALL OF THE REST HAVE THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY OFF OF EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.

IT'S ACTUALLY NORTH OF EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.

IT'S KIND OF BETWEEN, UM, 71 AND UM, ONE EIGHT, UH, YEAH, AIRPORT COMMERCE AREA, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE NEW HOTEL, THE SUPER EIGHT AND YEAH.

YEAH, RIGHT THERE.

THAT'S RIGHT IN THAT KIND OF LOWRISE INDUSTRIAL AREA OVER THERE, UM,

[02:30:01]

JUST TO THE WEST OF 71.

SO ALL OF THE OTHER FOUR HAVE THE AIRPORT LOCATION THERE OR THE, SORRY, MAINTENANCE FACILITY LOCATION THERE.

UM, IN, IN BOTH CASES WE ARE REACHING OUT TO THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS AS PART OF THIS ENGAGEMENT PERIOD.

WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND ARE GOING TO HAVE A SERIES OF MEETINGS TO COME BACK TO THEM MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THIS PERIOD.

THAT, THAT'S GREAT.

AND, AND I WOULD EVEN ADD, LIKE THINKING ABOUT HOW THE WORKERS WOULD GET THERE IS, IS IMPORTANT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT ALSO FORCES YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT DOES TO THE URBAN FABRIC, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT AND LIKE HOW PEOPLE COULD PEOPLE WALK TO WORK THAT WORKED AT THIS FACILITY.

THESE ARE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, GOOD PAYING UNION JOBS.

AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY, UM, I MEAN IT'S UNDER, UM, UNDER SPOKEN ABOUT ASSET AND RESOURCE OF PROJECT CONNECT IS THAT THERE'S GONNA BE JOBS CREATED FROM THIS, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY EXCITING.

UM, AND UM, SO, UM, I THINK THAT THINKING ABOUT HOW PEOPLE NAVIGATE TO THOSE, UM, SITES IS, IS MAYBE SOMETHING TO ALSO INCLUDE IN THAT PLANNING AS WELL.

SO ALL OF THE OTHER FOUR, AND I'M SORRY TO BE SO IGNORANT ABOUT THIS, BUT ALL THE OTHER FOUR ARE THE SAME EXCEPT FOR THE ONE AT NORTH LAMAR.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT IS SUPER HELPFUL TO ME.

OKAY, SO THEN I HAVE A SET OF QUESTIONS, UM, AROUND, UM, SOME OF THE BUILDING ON SOME OF THE THINGS DANIEL WAS ASKING ABOUT.

AND I DO, IN TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO WENT TO THE EVENT, PEOPLE LEFT WITH KIND OF LIKE DIFFERENT IMPRESSIONS ABOUT WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO DOWNTOWN ON A SURFACE RUNNING PLAN.

AND I THINK HEARING, TALKING TO ADVOCATES IN THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WELL, SURFACE RUNNING, WE GET FARTHER, IT'S MORE ACCESSIBLE.

THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS TO RECOMMEND THAT, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY NERVOUS, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN HISTORIES OF TRANSIT PROJECTS SORT OF BEEN NOT REALIZED TO THE AWESOME EXTENT WE HOPED THEY WOULD BE, UM, WHERE DIFFERENT PARTNERS ARE ALL WANTING A PIECE OF THE STREET AND IT DOESN'T TURN OUT LIKE WE HOPED, UM, WHERE WE THINK WE HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO DO SOMETHING AND THEN SUDDENLY WE DON'T.

UM, AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN OVER THAT.

AND ADDITIONALLY, LIKE JUST EVEN JUST IF THIS IS GOING TO BE THE TRUNK IN THE SPINE, YOU KNOW, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA BUILD OUT TO UM, YOU KNOW, TECH RIDGE AND SLAUGHTER LANE IN THOSE LOCATIONS, BUT LIKE IF YOU TAKE THE EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, WASHINGTON DC BLUE AND ORANGE TRUNK, THEN WE ADD SILVER, YOU START ADDING MORE SERVICES AND MORE ENDPOINTS, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY YOUR, YOUR TRUNK IS GONNA JUST BECOME VERY OVERLOADED.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S IN OUR FUTURE, LET'S, LET'S SAY IT IS IN OUR FUTURE BECAUSE THAT'S EXCITING, BUT WE'LL BUILD ON MORE.

BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THAT THOSE THINGS ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT.

SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD WAS ABOUT THE CROSS STREET PROTECTION AND, AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED THAT BASICALLY, WHICH IS THAT I KNOW THAT A COUPLE VERSIONS OF THIS PLAN BECAUSE OF THE EL THE BECAUSE OF THE RAMPING WHERE IT'S ELEVATED, DO CLOSE STREETS, BUT COULD YOU, BUT MOST OF THESE CROSSINGS, IT SOUNDS LIKE IF YOU'RE DOING A SURFACE PLAN, YOU WOULD NOT BE CLOSING CROSS STREETS IN THESE, IN PHASE ONE UNTIL YOU STARTED BUILDING OUT LONGER AND HAD HIGHER RIDERSHIP.

IS THAT ACCURATE? YES.

WITH, WITH ONE EXCEPTION OF THE ON STREET OPTIONS BECAUSE OF THE HILL ON GUADALUPE, THAT IS TOO STEEP FOR, UM, A LIGHT RAIL TRAIN TO GO AT THAT SAME SLOPE THAT THE ROADWAY IS.

WE, WE HAVE TO DEPRESS THE, UM, LIGHT RAIL A LITTLE BIT BELOW THE, UM, SORT OF THE, THE, THE SURFACE LEVEL THERE IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT A MORE GENTLE SLOPE FOR THE TRAINS.

AND THAT WILL REQUIRE CLOSING, UH, EIGHTH STREET OKAY.

TO THROUGH TRAFFIC.

SO ANYONE COMING ON EIGHTH STREET WOULD HAVE TO, IF THEY'RE COMING, UM, WESTBOUND, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A RIGHT ON WHEN THEY REACH GUADALUPE OR IF, IF SOMEONE, UM, FOR THAT MATTER WAS GOING EASTBOUND WOULD, WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A RIGHT TO GO SOUTH.

SO IT JUST WOULDN'T GO THROUGH AND ACROSS GUADALUPE IT, IT WOULD HAVE A, A CLOSURE AT THAT LOCATION AT EIGHTH STREET.

YEAH, THAT'S HELPFUL.

MY OPINION TO PRETEND THAT A SURFACE LEVEL, UH, UH, LIKE A FINAL PHASE SURFACE LEVEL WHERE EVERYTHING'S ON SURFACE AND WE'VE CLOSED ALL THE CROSS STREETS OR MANY OF THE CROSS STREETS FOR STATIONS LIKE IT, IT'S NOT AS IMPACTFUL AS AN ELEVATED LINE.

UM, SO WITH THE CAPACITY ISSUE, LIKE, AND I KNOW I CAN'T REALLY ASK YOU TO FULLY SPEAK TO FUTURE PHASES, BUT AT WHAT POINT, LIKE HOW FAR DO WE GET IN A NEXT PHASE BUILD OUT BEFORE WE'RE AT CAPACITY AND HAVE TO CLOSE BLOCKS? BECAUSE I THINK CLOSING CROSS STREETS INITIALLY I'M LIKE, OH, COOL, WE CAN GET THE POLITICAL WILL AND, AND CLOSE THE CROSS STREETS AND THEN I'M LIKE, BUT LIKE CLOSING CROSS STREETS HAS A LIKE AN IMPACT ON YEP.

ON URBAN DESIGN TOO.

YEP.

AND SO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT QUITE FAIR IN

[02:35:01]

NO, BUT IT, THERE'S AN, THERE IS AN IMPACT THERE I THINK.

AND SO WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH THAT, LIKE HOW LONG BEFORE WE HIT, LIKE HOW FAR PAST, LET'S SAY 45TH OR NORTH LAMAR, OR DO WE HAVE TO GET BEFORE WE HIT THAT, WHERE WE NEED TO EXPAND THAT AT WHAT POINT, HOW MANY YEARS? SO WE'LL JUST SAY THE TIME ASIDE, RIGHT? THE, UM, BASED ON RIDERSHIP PROJECTIONS, RIGHT? IF TO GET, IF WE DID THE, WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED AS THE INITIAL INVESTMENT, BASICALLY WHAT WAS FUNDED IN THE, IN THE REFERENDUM THAT WENT FROM NORTH DELMAR TRANSIT CENTER TO STASSY TO THE AIRPORT, RIGHT? WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE, THE, THE CAP, WE WOULD HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR THAT SYSTEM WITHIN THE EXISTING BLOCK STRUCTURE.

IT'S ONLY WHEN WE GO BEYOND THAT THAT THAT CAPACITY WOULD BE EXCEEDED.

CAN I, CAN I REPEAT THAT BACK AND MAKE SURE I I UNDERSTOOD? YEAH.

SO, SO WHAT WE VOTED ON IN 2020 FOR PHASE ONE, NOT THE DOTTED LINES, CORRECT, BUT THE SOLID LINES, WHICH I KNOW WHAT I'M, I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

I DUNNO IF I READ IT, WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT MEANS.

BUT WHAT WE VOTED ON IN 2020, THE SOLID LINES THAT ALREADY, THAT ALREADY FITS WITHIN DAY ONE RIDERSHIP ON SURFACE, IS THAT, DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? UH, IT IT MEANING THE, SAY THE THE STATION'S LENGTHS, RIGHT? YEAH.

DOWNTOWN WOULD, THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BASICALLY SATISFY THE DEMAND OF THAT SYSTEM COULD BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THE EXISTING BLOCK STRUCTURE.

IT'S WHEN YOU GO ON THE PHASES THAT WERE DOTTED LINES, CORRECT.

POST 2020 VOTE.

AS I'M STRUGGLING WITH THAT, LIKE I'M STRUGGLING WITH THAT MIGHTILY CUZ A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I, I, YOU KNOW, I TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, WE NEED TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT WAS GONNA LAST US 70 YEARS.

IT'S LIKE, HOW LONG DOES IT NEED TO LAST US? AND I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT SURE I HAVE THAT ANSWER YET FOR MYSELF, BUT I'M PONDERING IT MIGHTILY.

UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I, I THINK IS THE SERVICE, I KNOW THAT THERE'S, UM, UH, A RISK WHEN YOUR SURFACE LEVEL RUNNING WITH COLLISIONS WITH CARS, WITH UNFORTUNATELY EVEN PEDESTRIANS OR, UM, BIKES, UM, AND SAFETY ISSUES, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, ARE OFF OFFSET OFFSET WHEN YOU DO GRADE SEPARATE.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY PROS AND CONS TO EACH, EACH SIDE.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I TALKED, I THINK IT WAS TO YOU PETER, AT THE, AT THE OPEN HOUSE ABOUT, I THINK YOU SAID, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME, IS THAT THE ELEVATED ONLY INCREASED THE TOTAL FLOW THROUGH IF YOU'RE RIDING STATION TO STATION ON THESE MAYBE A COUPLE MINUTES.

UM, BUT THAT'S A COUPLE MINUTES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS I ASSUME, AND LIKE, NOT ASSUMING NECESSARILY THE HOPEFULLY RARE AND UNFORTUNATE IDEA OF A COLLISION THAT WOULD SHUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM DOWN, I ASSUME.

UM, CAN YOU TELL ME INCOMPARABLE LIKE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS AND I KNOW OBVIOUSLY WHEN PEOPLE GET STARTED, PEOPLE ARE MORE CONFUSED, THERE MIGHT BE MORE ISSUES WHEN YOU GET FIRST STARTED.

HOW OFTEN DO THOSE TYPES OF UNFORTUNATE COLLISIONS HAPPEN THAT DO IMPACT THE SERVICE AND SHUT DOWN THE SERVICE FOR PERIODS OF TIME? HOW, HOW FREQUENT IS THAT IN MOST LIGHT RAILED SYSTEMS IN AMERICA? THAT, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC DATA, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN, IN SEVERAL OTHER CITIES I CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

WE'D BE HAPPY TO.

GREAT, THANKS.

CHECK UP ON THAT.

BUT IN, WE ACTUALLY JUST RECENTLY WENT TO PHOENIX TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR STREET RUNNING SYSTEM.

UM, THEY VERY, VERY RARELY HAVE ACTUAL ACCIDENTS.

UH, IT'S SOMETHING LIKE MAYBE ONCE A YEAR, I THINK.

UM, IT, IT, IT'S VERY INFREQUENT.

UH, THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE, YOU KNOW, A CAR MAYBE ACCIDENTALLY FOLLOWS A TRAIN INTO THE LIGHT RAIL GATEWAY.

UM, BUT, AND THAT HAPPENS, THEY, THEY SAID ABOUT ONCE A DAY, UH, HOWEVER, WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING ON STREET, IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY QUICK TO GET THAT CAR BACK OUT.

SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONCE A DAY SOMETHING HAPPENS, BUT IT'S NOT A SHUTDOWN OF THE SYSTEM.

IT'S A, A RELATIVELY, UM, QUICK FIX TO ADDRESS.

AND, UH, THERE ARE ACTUALLY LESSONS LEARNED FROM A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TO MINIMIZE THOSE SORTS OF ISSUES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THROUGH THOUGHTFUL DESIGN.

AND SO WE ARE TALKING TO

[02:40:01]

MANY OTHER PEER CITIES IN TERMS OF WHAT HAVE THEY LEARNED IN OPERATING, UH, BOTH ON STREET AND GRADE SEPARATED LIGHT RAIL OPTIONS AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS MIGHT THEY HAVE DESIGNED DIFFERENTLY AS THEY'VE NOW OPERATED IT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

SO I, I DON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL LIKE, ACCIDENT, UM, RATES, BUT I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL, WE, UM, HAVE LOOKED AT MANY CITIES ACROSS THE US AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, CONFIRMED THAT BOTH ON STREET AND GRADE SEPARATED OPTIONS CAN AND ARE DESIGNED AND OPERATED TO BE SAFE AND HAVE BEEN SAFETY CERTIFIED IN MANY, MANY PLACES.

AND ANIQUE DO YOU WANNA ADD TO THAT? THANK YOU.

AN BOK, UM, PROJECT CONNECT ABILITY OFFICER, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

AND I'VE BEEN HANGING BACK, BUT I JUST, UM, WANTED TO MENTION THAT, UM, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND MOST RECENTLY BECAUSE OF THIS QUESTION, WE'VE EN ENGAGED THE VISION ZERO SAFETY OFFICER, UM, WHO WORKS ACTUALLY FOR, FOR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JIM DALE.

AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THAT.

AND WHILE I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING, UM, THAT'S BEEN SAID HERE, THE OTHER IMPORTANT POINT THAT I JUST COULDN'T RESIST TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT LOUIS LEFF AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS THAT, UM, OVERALL MO SHIFTING FOLKS TO TRANSIT IS, IS 10 TIMES SAFER THAN BEING IN A VEHICLE.

AND SO WE, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT'S TRUE THAT CARS MAY FOLLOW ONTO THE TRACKS AND, AND THEN THEY GET SHUTTLED OFF AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH A, YOU KNOW, AN AN INJURY OR A CRASH, IT'S JUST AN INCIDENT THAT, THAT THEY DEAL WITH.

UM, AND I WAS ON THE PHOENIX TRIP AS WELL, BUT, UM, THERE ARE WAYS TO DESIGN FOR THOSE CONFLICTS, UM, AND WE'RE VERY AWARE OF THAT, BUT THAT WE WANNA KEEP THE BIGGER PICTURE IN MIND THAT SAFETY WAS THE NUMBER ONE CHAPTER OF THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE AS S AND P FOR A REASON.

AND THAT SHIFTING THAT MODE IS GONNA BE WHAT KEEPS US SAFE FROM A TRAFFIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE OVERALL.

SO I JUST WANTED TO ANSWER IN THAT WAY AS WELL.

ABSOLUTELY.

UM, I THINK I'VE GOT JUST, JUST UM, ONE MORE QUESTION FOR NOW AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT AND HOW YOU'RE GONNA USE THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE SHARING WITH YOU.

I HAVE A REALLY GOOD SENSE OF, NO, ACTUALLY I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS, BUT LET ME, LET ME BACK UP FOR MY OTHER QUESTION.

, I'M SORRY.

THE, MY NEXT QUESTION IS LIKE REMIXING.

SO I HAVE ONE QUESTION AND THIS CAN, YOU CAN JUST ANSWER IT YES OR NO, BUT THERE'S FIVE PLANS.

I'VE HAD PEOPLE SAY, COULD WE TAKE THE SOCO STUB AND STICK IT ON THIS ONE AND TAKE OFF THE AIRPORT? HOW MUCH ARE WE ALLOWED TO REMIX THESE PLANS? OR IS WHO CAN CITIZENS REMIX CAN, CAN CITY COUNCIL REMIX? THE ATTP BOARD REMIX WHO GETS TO DO SOME REMIX IN HERE? WHO'S THE DJ? YEAH, YOU PLAN SIX.

I'LL DO THE RIDERSHIP ESTIMATES .

SO HONESTLY, I MEAN, WE WANT TO HEAR THE FEEDBACK.

AND WE'RE GONNA RESPOND TO THE FEEDBACK.

SO, SO THESE ARE JUST SORT OF LIKE IDEAS.

PEOPLE COULD, PEOPLE COULD SAY TAKE THE SOCO ONE, PUT IT HERE, TAKE OFF THE AIRPORT OR DO THIS AND YOU'LL KIND OF TRY TO INTEGRATE THAT.

OR WE ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS NOW.

LIKE NOT ALL OF THEM ARE POSSIBLE FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

BUT WE, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, GENUINELY SEEKING FEEDBACK AND UM, AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED.

HOW, AND LIKE THAT, THAT PIECE IS, DOESN'T, DOESN'T INTUITIVELY FEEL RIGHT.

AND I THINK THAT FEEDS INTO MY NEXT QUESTION TOO, WHICH IS HOW YOU SYNTHESIZE THE DATA.

CAUSE I HAVE A REALLY GOOD SENSE OF, OF THE PLANS OF THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN.

I DON'T HAVE A GREAT SENSE OF WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH ALL THE ENGAGEMENT DATA.

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MISSING THE, THE PIECES THAT, UM, UM, SOMETIMES IS THE HARDEST.

I'VE SERVED ON A LOT OF BOARDS AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE GIVE A LOT OF INPUT, VERBAL, QUALITATIVE, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE SOMEBODY'S SITTING AROUND CODING THAT THANK YOU TO PEOPLE WHO DO THAT.

I, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT UM, THEN WE COME OUT, THEY COME OUT AND THEY SAY, WE CREATED THE EQUATION OR THE TOOL AND WE'RE GONNA LIKE, KINDA LIKE MEET GRINDED OUT.

AND LIKE WHAT COMES OUT IS A LITTLE BIT LIKE PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED WITH LIKE, HOW DID WE GET THERE? LIKE, CAN YOU SHOW US OUR WORK? AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, MAYBE IT'S REALLY MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A QUESTION, BUT MAYBE LIKE HOW, HOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO, UM, CUZ YOU'RE GETTING ALREADY TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF DATA.

YOU'VE GOT MORE MULTIPLE WEEKS THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE GETTING MORE DATA, WHICH IS AMAZING.

BUT LIKE, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO, HOW ARE YOU GONNA SYNTHESIZE ALL THAT? HOW IS THAT WORK GONNA BE DONE? AND THEN HOW ARE YOU GONNA MAKE, SHOW YOUR WORK AND SHOW PEOPLE MM-HMM.

HOW YOU GOT THERE FROM THE DATA? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE PIECE THAT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'VE GIVEN A LOT OF INPUT AND THEN SOMETHING COMES OUT AND THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, BUT

[02:45:01]

AND I KNOW LIKE NOT EVERYONE'S GONNA BE HAPPY WITH EVERYTHING.

THIS IS, WE'RE ALL TRADE-OFFS ARE GONNA HAVE TO HAPPEN, BUT HOW ARE, HOW ARE YOU GONNA SHOW US THAT WORK? YEAH, NO, I JUST WANNA, I AGREE AND I, I'M, I TWEETED THIS LIKE OUR COLLEGE PROFESSORS MADE US SHOW OUR WORK, RIGHT? OTHERWISE IT WAS, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GOT THAT ANSWER, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE NOT, WHY WE'RE NOT SEEING THE WORK.

UM, I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT AFTER THAT, BUT IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, IT WE'VE TRIED TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE WAYS WE'VE ASKED FOR INPUT BECAUSE WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING KIND OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE PRIORITIZING, UM, WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, PREFER ONE OPTION OR ANOTHER.

WHY IS THAT? UM, AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE BEEN EVALUATING THESE OPTIONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT LOTS OF DIFFERENT DATA AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS.

AND SO ONE WAY THAT PUBLIC INPUT COULD INFORM, UM, OR AND INFLUENCE HOW THIS GOES, IS TO HELP US KIND OF WAIT AND UNDERSTAND WHICH OF THE MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE EVALUATING ARE REALLY MOST IMPORTANT.

SO THAT'S POTENTIALLY ONE WAY.

UM, AND WE'RE ALSO PLANNING TO DO A REPORT OUT IN MAY SO THAT, UM, TO REPORT OUT TO EVERYBODY WHO'S PARTICIPATED, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE HEARD, UM, AND WHAT'S NEXT.

AND I, I WANNA BE CLEAR, SPEAKING, SPEAKING FROM MYSELF, I DO, I DO FEEL THAT YOU'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB SHOWING YOUR WORK.

I MEAN, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET MORE REQUESTS FOR DATA FROM SOME, FROM MAYBE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND SOME OF OUR FRIENDS.

SO YOU'LL BE READY FOR THAT.

UM, BECAUSE WE LOVE DATA, UM, SOME OF US IN URBAN ACTIVISM.

BUT, UM, I, I THINK YOU'VE DONE A, A PRETTY GOOD JOB SHOWING YORK I THINK FOR ME, WHERE WHAT I GET WORRIED ABOUT IS THAT, THAT WE, WE'VE DONE THIS FOR SIX WEEKS AND SUDDENLY THE PROJECT TEAM HAS TO SIT THERE AND CRUNCH OUT.

AND SO I THINK WHAT WOULD REALLY BE HELPFUL TO ME IS WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THAT AT THE END OF THIS, WE HAVE A DASHBOARD THAT SAYS OPTION ONE HERE, HERE'S A, LIKE A, A HEAT MAP OF THE COMMENTS WE HAD ABOUT THAT.

HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT OPTION ONE, HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE DID LIKE ABOUT THAT.

LIKE REALLY SHOW US ALL THE PIECES BECAUSE LIKE, I, I, WHAT I, WHAT I DON'T WANT IT TO COME OUT OF THAT AND I, I THINK WILL NOT WORK FOR THIS COMMUNITY, IS FOR YOU TO COME OUT AT THE END AND SAY, OH, WE HEARD THESE VALUES COMMUNICATED.

NO.

LIKE, LET'S, LET'S DIG IN AND SAY THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE CRITIQUED AND THOUGHT SUCKED ABOUT THIS PLAN AND THOUGHT WAS GREAT ABOUT THIS PLAN.

LET'S JUST LIKE HEAR IT ALL.

NOT JUST LIKE WHAT VALUES EXPRESSED PEOPLE LIKE TO MOVE FAST.

I MEAN WE DID ALL THAT THE LAST FEW YEARS.

IT'S TIME TO LIKE GET NITTY GRITTY AND REALLY SHOW US WHAT YOU HEARD AND, AND MAKE, MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT THERE AND WHY THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.

WELL, ALONG THOSE LINES, WHY THE RELUCTANCE TO SHOW SOME OF THESE NUMBERS, RIGHT? LIKE COST DATA, WHY THE RELUCTANCE TO SHOW SOME, SOME OF THIS, SOME OF THIS COST INFORMATION.

SO WE, WE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON BETTER RESPONDING TO THE QUESTIONS AROUND COSTS.

THE REASON WE CAN'T RELEASE ALL COST DATA IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COMPETITIVELY BID THE PROJECT LATER.

YOU KNOW, IN A NEXT STAGE.

WE, WE CAN'T KIND OF RELEASE ALL OF OUR UNIT COSTS AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PLANNING IN ON, ON EVERY ELEMENT OF IT.

OR WE START TO LOSE SOME ELEMENTS OF COMPETITIVENESS.

WELL, I I'M GONNA PUSH BACK ON THAT.

I'M ESSENTIALLY, FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE BUILDING, WE'RE BUILDING WHAT WE'RE BUILDING IN PHASE ONE, RIGHT? AND WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE.

YOU SAID IT YOURSELF, WE GOT $5 BILLION NOW NO ONE'S ASKING, YOU KNOW, FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, IF I USED TO BE A CONTRACTOR, NO ONE'S ASKING FOR DOLLARS PER CUBIC YARD OF CONCRETE.

NOT THAT, NOT THAT SORT OF DETAILED INFORMATION, BUT AT LEAST ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR AS A COMMUNITY FOR US TO MAKE, UM, INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT THOSE TRADE-OFFS ARE.

AND HONESTLY, MY EXPERIENCE WITH COMPETITIVE BIDS BEING ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE AND COMPETITIVELY BIDDING THESE LARGE SCALE PROJECTS, UNLESS THERE'S OUTRIGHT COLLUSION IN THE MARKET, YOU'RE NO CONTRACTOR'S GONNA TELL THE OTHER ONE WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BID.

RIGHT? SO THEY ALREADY KNOW WHAT, HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE.

YOU'VE ALREADY, YOU'VE, YOU'VE ALREADY TOLD 'EM THAT NO ONE'S GONNA TELL SOMEONE, I'M BIDDING 4.8, YOU'RE BIDDING 4.75, LET ME DROP IT BY HALF A MIL, YOU KNOW, BY 500 MILLION.

IT'S, THAT'S NOT THE WAY THIS WORKS.

SO I, I WOULDN'T BE, I WOULDN'T BE SCARED TO RELEASE THAT HIGHER LEVEL DATA LIKE THAT.

RIGHT? SO WE DO ACTUALLY PLAN TO RELEASE THE HIGHER LEVEL.

WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO LIKE YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND ALSO QUESTION ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, KEY COST DRIVERS AND COST PER MILE OF CERTAIN ELEMENTS AND BEING ABLE TO BREAK THOSE APART.

WE, WE ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON COMMUNICATING THOSE IN A WAY THAT WE CAN PUT THINGS INTO BUCKETS AND, AND ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS FROM A HIGH LEVEL.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, RIGHT? LIKE MAINTENANCE, MAINTENANCE CENTER UP NORTH OR MAINTENANCE CENTER, UH, ON THE EAST SIDE.

BUT IT'S A, I MEAN, IT,

[02:50:01]

WE OWN THE LAND UP NORTH ALREADY, CORRECT? UM, NO.

OH, SO IN, IN NEITHER CASE BE ADDITIONAL LAND REQUIRE.

YES, THERE IS.

SO IN NEITHER CASE WE DO, WE OWN THE LAND.

THAT'S CORRECT.

CORRECT.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

SO THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST, FOR SOME REASON, I ASSUME YOU OWNED THE LAND, I APOLOGIZE, BUT, SO THAT KIND, THAT EXAMPLES KIND OF OUT THE WINDOW.

WELL, THERE'S A COST COSTEL THERE AND I GET THAT YOU'RE, YOU CAN SHOW THAT, UM, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO, TO GET ALL THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT, YOU KNOW MM-HMM.

AS OPPOSED TO NOT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? RIGHT? WHO ARE WE, ARE WE A BIG CITY THAT GETS A, A LIGHT RAIL TO THE AIRPORT AND DID IT, WAS IT ONLY GONNA BE AN EXTRA A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND COULD WE MAKE THAT UP SOMEWHERE? OR WAS IT GONNA BE AN EXTRA $1 BILLION AND WE COULDN'T MAKE THAT UP? RIGHT? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS.

I THINK AS A COMMUNITY WE WANT TO, WE WANT ANSWERS TO.

AND WITHOUT THE COST INFORMATION, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO MAKE THESE REALLY, REALLY HARD OR THESE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT DECISIONS.

ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE OTHER PROBLEM IS WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THE, THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN.

NO ONE CAN TELL US, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GONNA START CONSTRUCTION ON THIS DATE BY 2028.

WE WILL HAVE, OR, OR 2030, WHENEVER WE'LL HAVE PHASE ONE DONE AND IN FIVE YEARS FROM THAT POINT, WE'LL START WORKING ON PHASE TWO.

IF ANYTHING THAT, EVERY TIME I'VE ASKED THAT QUESTION PEOPLE HAVE SAID, WE DON'T KNOW.

SO GIVEN THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT ANSWER IS, AND WE JUST GOTTA WAIT AND GET, LIKE GET SQUEEZE THE MOST JUICE OUT OF, UH, JUICE OUT OF THIS SYSTEM, NOW YOU'RE, AND YOU'RE ASKING, YOU'RE ASKING GREAT QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT YOU'RE NOT GIVING US THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO GIVE YOU GREAT ANSWERS BACK COMMISSIONERS.

I JUST WANT TO KEEP A QUICK TIME CHECK.

IT IS NOW 7 55.

JUST CONTINUE TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS, BUT JUST WANTED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

JUST ONE QUICK SUGGESTION.

FURTHER SHOW YOUR TOOLS AS WELL AS YOUR WORK.

I WOULD, WELL I'VE BEEN PUT IN THE UNFORTUNATE POSITION OF GIVING STOPS TUTORIALS CUZ ANYBODY WHO HAS QUESTIONS SAY YOU'VE PLAYED WITH IT.

I SAY I'VE PLAYED WITH IT FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

NO, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.

BUT, UM, BUT THEY WANNA KNOW HOW THAT THING WORKS.

AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO REALLY KNOW HOW YOUR FINANCIAL MODELING SYSTEM WORKS.

IT'S NOT JUST SOMEBODY'S SPREADSHEET.

I HAVE A FEELING.

SOMETHING TELLS ME, AND I JUST WANNA, SORRY, JUST TO ALIGN MY COMMENT EARLIER TO, TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT, UM, GETTING THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK ACCORDING TO THIS.

WELL THIS RFI IS, IS, AND FROM WHAT I HEARD AT THE LAST MEETING, IT'S PUSHING TOWARDS PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD, WHICH IN A PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD, WE'RE GONNA GET, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, OUR, OUR MAX, NOT MAX COST.

WE'RE GONNA GET A COST AND THE DEVELOPER IS GONNA BE HELD TO THAT COST AND WE'RE GONNA DESIGN ACCORDINGLY.

UM, AS WE MEET EACH GATE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL MOVE, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD UNLESS YOU'RE, UNLESS YOU'RE BIDDING OUT INDIVIDUAL, YOU KNOW, STOPS AND YOU KNOW, ONE EACH MILE OF, OF, OF THE LIGHT RAIL, WHICH WOULDN'T DO PROGRESSIVE, THE PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD MODEL JUSTICE, IT, THE RELEASING THE, THE PER STOP DATA IS NOT GONNA, OR THAT THOSE COSTS IS NOT GONNA BE A BIG, UH, IS NOT GONNA MAKE A, A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS SYSTEM OR, OR WHAT A WHAT A CONTRACTOR OR A POTENTIAL DEVELOPER IS GONNA PAY YOU FOR, FOR, TO BUILD OUT THIS SYSTEM.

AND THAT'S IN MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE.

I UNDERSTAND.

AND, AND WE WILL TAKE THAT FEEDBACK AND WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, WE, WE KIND OF CALL IT A MATH MEMO.

WE, WE REALLY ARE WORKING ON CREATING MORE CLARITY AROUND ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS AND, AND PROVIDING SOME ANSWERS ON THOSE THINGS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK AND WE ARE, ARE HOPEFUL TO RESPOND TO IT VERY SOON.

I WOULD LIKE TO JUST, UM, I KNOW, UM, IT'S HARDER A LITTLE BIT WITH ONLINE.

I WANNA REALLY MAKE SURE OUR COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE ONLINE, UM, DON'T HAVE ANY, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

I GUESS IT'S NOT A QUESTION, I'M JUST, I UNDERSTAND THAT HAVING A RAIL TO THE AIRPORT WOULD BE VERY COOL, BUT WE HAVE A VERY NICE BUS THAT GOES LIKE EVERY 15, 20 MINUTES AND THE AIRPORT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON GOES TO ON A DAILY BASIS IN AUSTIN.

I THINK THE PRIORITY SHOULD BE MOVING AROUND THE CITY.

AND I GUESS I HAVE A, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A DUMB QUESTION, BUT ARE LIGHT RAIL TRAINS REQUIRED TO SOUND A HORN? IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO NAVIGATE TO? UH, SO THERE ARE, IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM A FREIGHT TRAIN, BUT YES, THEY DO HAVE INDICATIONS AND, UM, DIFFERENT CITIES USE DIFFERENT, A HORN OR A, IT'S REALLY MORE OF A BELL.

IT'S, IT'S CALLED AN AUDIBLE DEVICE.

IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE THE LOUD HORN YOU THINK OF WHEN A FREIGHT TRAIN COMES THROUGH WHERE THEY BLOW IT MULTIPLE TIMES.

UM, BUT THERE IS AN INDICATION THAT IS FAR, FAR QUIETER THAN THAT SORT OF NOISE.

BUT WE DO ANALYZE THOSE IMPACTS AND THEY TYPICALLY DO, UM, MAKE THAT, THAT, THAT BELL SOUND, UH, WHEN THEY COME INTO AND OUT OF STATIONS OR IF THERE IS FOR, FOR SOME REASON SOMETHING, UH, YOU KNOW, BLOCKING

[02:55:01]

THE GUIDEWAY.

IF SOME, IF PEOPLE ARE A PLACE THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, THEN THEY WILL USE THAT WARNING DEVICE AS WELL.

? YES.

UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, I HAVE LIKE, I DEFINITELY HAVE A CLEAR FAVORITE HERE AND IT IS NOT ONE THAT GOES TO THE AIRPORT, BUT THEY'RE GONNA DO LIKE A HUGE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION OF THE AIRPORT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.

SO ARE YOU GUYS WORKING WITH THEM TO BUILD IT SO THAT IT IS GOING TO BE EASILY COMPATIBLE IN PHASE TWO? YES.

THE AIRPORT STATION HAS BEEN VERY CLOSELY COORDINATED WITH THE AIRPORT TEAM, UH, AND, AND AT A, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME WE'RE MEETING, YOU KNOW, EVERY TWO WEEKS THERE FOR A WHILE TO DEVELOP THAT STATION CONCEPT SO THAT IT CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO THE AIRPORT'S EXPANSION PLANS AS THE AIRPORT MOVES THEIR DESIGN ALONG.

YOU KNOW, WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE THAT COORDINATION AND RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.

IS THERE A WORLD WHERE THE AIRPORT PAYS FOR ITS CONNECTION TO THE, TO THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM? NO.

IT'S A, IT'S AN HONEST TO GOD QUESTION, RIGHT? LIKE, IS THERE A WORLD IN THAT $4 BILLION WHERE WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THE AIRPORT CONNECTION PAID FOR BY THE AIRPORT OR ITS TRAVELERS? WE WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

UH, WELL THE, I KNOW THAT LIKE VARIOUS TAXES ALSO ARE SUPPOSED TO SUPPORT TRANSIT TO THE AIRPORT AS A POSSIBLE, POSSIBLE USE OF THOSE, UH, FUNDS AS WELL.

SO THAT COULD BE ANOTHER SOURCE OF FUNDS.

SO ALSO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE MORE CALL.

I JUST FEEL, I REALLY FEEL FOR OUR ONLINE PEOPLE AND I REALLY WANT YOU TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.

SO, UM, ESPECIALLY Y'ALL, BUT ANYONE, IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS OBSCENE NOS, CAN I JUST HELP YOU WITH THAT? SO IF THEY DO HAVE QUESTIONS, THEY ALWAYS GOES TO THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE AND FILL OUT THOSE COMMENTS STUFF THERE.

THEY DON'T WANT TO ASK IT NOW.

WE CAN AT LEAST GET THEIR COMMENTS THAT WAY.

SO THAT WOULD BE NO PROBLEM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

I WOULD JUST SAY, SORRY, ONE MORE LAST GENERAL COMMENT CAUSE I'VE, UH, UH, SPEAKING WITH FOLKS, I LIVE OFF FAR AND RIVERSIDE, UM, AND I AM NOT ADVOCATING FOR ANYONE, ONE IN GENERAL, BUT SPEAKING TO SOME FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY OVER THERE, THERE IS SOME, UH, I THINK PEOPLE WANT CLARITY ON WHAT THAT MAINTENANCE STATION IS GONNA LOOK LIKE IF FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE OPTIONS GO TO MONS AND THEY'RE IN THAT AREA, UM, I, I, I WOULD, I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE ATP, UM, TO GIVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE ON THAT, ON THAT MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND AS MANY COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT CAN COME OUT OF THAT MAINTENANCE FACILITY, RIGHT? CUZ OTHERWISE IT JUST FEELS LIKE WE'RE GETTING MORE INDUSTRIAL STUFF IN MONOPOLI.

AND I THINK THAT I'M, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY THAT, BUT THAT SENTIMENT HAS OCCURRED.

AND SO IF THIS, IF THIS IS MORE THAN THAT AND THERE IS COMMUNITY BENEFIT AROUND THIS, WHETHER IT'S JOBS, WHETHER IT'S EDUCATION, UH, POTENTIAL FOR, FOR INTERNSHIPS OR EDUCATION, WHATEVER, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT SOMETHING THAT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY BESIDES JUST PARKING TRAINS THERE.

UM, AND I'M NOT MINIMIZING THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND BY ANY MEANS, THERE'S, IT'S MUCH MORE THAN TO THAT.

BUT I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY HELP OUT IN, IN MAKING THAT, UH, A SOFTER PULL IN TOLOS.

THAT'S VERY HELPFUL FEEDBACK.

AND WE CAN MAKE THAT A FOCUS OF OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, WITH, WITH THOSE AREA NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.

UM, WE HAVE THIS POSTED FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.

IF ANYONE WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO SO.

I DON'T, I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED MORE TIME.

SO WHAT I'M GONNA PROPOSE IS THAT WE DESIGNATE SOME PEOPLE TO CREATE A RECOMMENDATION.

IT MIGHT INCLUDE SOME PRINCIPLES, IT MIGHT INCLUDE SOME PROS AND CONS OF VARIOUS PLANS.

I DON'T KNOW, I MEAN, IT'LL BE UP TO THE PEOPLE THAT WRITE THIS, THE WORKING GROUP, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WILL BE, CHOOSE THIS OPTION.

IN FACT, I KIND OF DOUBT THAT.

UM, BUT, UM, I WONDERED IF I AM WILLING TO HELP WRITE THIS, BUT I ABSOLUTELY NEED HELP WITH IT.

UM, SO I REALLY WOULD NEED A PARTNER TO GET THIS READY.

IS IT, OR THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SORT OF FORM A WORKING GROUP TO GET THIS DONE? A RECOMMENDATION FOR OUR MAY 2ND MEETING? I'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE, BUT I'D BE WILLING TO TRY.

UM, AND THEN, CUZ WE CAN'T ALL SEND, OR I CAN, IF I CAN SEND 'EM DIRECTLY TO YOU, I'M HAPPY TO SEND YEAH, WE CAN, I MEAN, I THINK THE IDEAL IS TO FORM A WORKING GROUP AND THAT'S, THAT'S BELOW QUORUM.

I HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE AND MY BANDWIDTH IS LOW CUZ OF THE SESSION, BUT I CAN, I WILL SEND THINGS TO YOU AND YOU CAN ASK ME FOR YOUR HELP TOO.

I, WE, I, I I WANNA, I THINK I WANNA BE REALISTIC WITH THIS BODY'S TIME AS WELL.

LIKE, SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO GET HASHTAG ALL THE THINGS AND WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE IT PERFECT.

WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE IT GOOD.

SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ALL GONNA HOLD OURSELVES TO THAT STANDARD .

I'M HAPPY TO SEND SOME THOUGHTS VIA EMAIL IF THAT'S, UH, SEND CHRIS.

[03:00:01]

AND THEN, UM, WE CAN JUST DISCUSS AS, AS WE NEED TO.

SO I HAVE, UH, ATHENA, UH, DANIEL, SAM, WELL, MYSELF.

ANYONE ELSE? COOL.

WELL, UM, I, YOU CALL ME FOR HELP.

SURE.

BUT, AND YOU'D STILL BE, WE'D STILL BE WITHIN WARM RULES TOO, EVEN IF YOU DECIDED TO JOIN IT.

SO I THINK, UM, WAIT, SO WOULD YOU JUST COMMIT US TO THE WORKING GROUP WAS I THOUGHT DANIEL AND I WERE SAYING WE WEREN'T HARD WEREN'T ABLE TO JOIN THE WORKING GROUP.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA BE IN MY HIVE MIND.

IS THAT OKAY? ALL RIGHT.

IT IS OKAY.

I'LL JUST ACTUALLY COMMIT TO BEING IN THE WORKING GROUP.

I'M LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE.

I THOUGHT I JUST, I THOUGHT I GOT OUT OF IT, BUT APPARENTLY I DID NOT.

I THINK WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING GOOD, BUT NOT PERFECT FROM THIS BODY.

CUZ I THINK A LOT OF US ARE INVOLVED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVISM ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.

AND SO WE NEED TO BE REALISTIC WITH OUR TIME AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO VOLUNTEERED.

I WILL CONVENE US VIA EMAIL, SO BE WATCHING YOUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS EMAIL.

I THINK WITH THAT, THAT WILL CONCLUDE THIS ITEM, UNLESS ANYONE WANTS TO JUMP IN LAST MINUTE.

TAKES US TO ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS, UM, A DISCUSSION IN ACTION ON OFFICER ELECTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, TOM, FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, , RIGHT? THAT

[4. Discussion and possible action on the Officer Elections Facilitator: Susan Somers, Chair]

WE, UM, CHRISTOPHER, YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO HELP ME HERE.

WE NEED TO FILL OUR TWO OFFICER POSITIONS WE HAVE TO FILL ARE SIMPLY CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.

YEP.

AND FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, OH, I WANTED TO WELCOME.

DID DANIEL JUST LEAVE? DANIEL DID, BUT DANIEL WILL BE BACK.

DANIEL ALWAYS RETURNS.

OKAY, GOOD.

, THAT IS GOOD BECAUSE I WANNA WELCOME HR COMMITTEE, OUR COMMISSION.

UM, SO WE NEED TO IDENTIFY A CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR.

UM, THE CHAIR IS, I'VE BEEN ACTING CHAIR, BUT IT'S TECHNICALLY VACANT.

UM, AND SO WE NEED TO TAKE, UM, NOT YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION AT ANY TIME.

OH, I MOVE MOVING.

CAN CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON, SIR? JUST FOR THE RECORD.

I'M SORRY.

CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON? JUST FOR THE RECORD.

I MOVED THE NOMINATION OF SUSAN SUMMERS AS CHAIR SUCK.

I'LL SECOND THAT NOMINATION.

SECOND.

OH, .

I, I WILL ACCEPT.

SHALL WE JUST TAKE A VOTE ON THAT? DO WE, WE STILL HAVE, YES, WE'RE AT QUORUM DANIELS, UH, DANIELS OFF THE DICE, BUT LOVE QUORUM.

WE'RE STILL AT CORMAN QUORUM, SO, UM, I GUESS WE SHOULD TAKE A VOTE ON THAT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION TO NOMINATE ME AS CHAIR.

AYE DIANA.

ARE YOU A AYE.

OKAY, PERFECT.

AYE, UM, THAT IS, UH, UNANIMOUS AMONG THOSE ATTENDING.

I'M HAPPY TO SERVE.

UM, WITH THAT, WE JUST NEED, PER OUR BYLAWS, WE NEED TO FIND A VICE CHAIR.

UM, ANY, ANYONE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THERE? WHO IS, IS IS ANYONE KNOW THEY'RE NOT RETURNING? I KNOW THAT YOU SHARED THAT.

UM, SO SAMWELL IS ROLLING OFF.

CINDY IS ROLLING OFF.

GOODNESS.

ALLIE IS ROLLING OFF.

SO THAT LEAVES DANIEL, DANIEL, RUBEN, ATHENA, DIANA AND CECILIA.

AND WE GET SOME NEW PEOPLE, BUT WE CAN'T, IF THEY'RE NOT SEATED, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T MAKE THEM VICE CHAIR.

SO DANIEL GOING BACK SO WHEN HE COMES IN, JUST HIT 'EM WITH IT.

DANIEL, ARE YOU OUR VICE CHAIR? WE JUST ELECTED YOU.

VICE CHAIR, NOT .

CONGRATULATIONS.

DANIEL AND THE DUTIES OF THE VICE-CHAIR ARE, ARE, UH, BASICALLY TO, UM, RUN THE MEETING IN MY ABSENCE AND, UM, HAVE MINIMAL, ABSOLUTELY MINIMAL UNDERSTANDING OF ROBERT'S RULES, WHICH MINE IS DEFINITELY MINIMAL.

UM, AND UM, THAT MEANS THAT YOU DO NEED TO BE WILLING TO ATTEND IN PERSON.

SHOULD I BE UNABLE TO ATTEND? BECAUSE WHOEVER CONVENES THE MEETING, THE CHAIR MUST BE ATTENDING IN PERSON, UM, UNDER CURRENT GUIDELINES FROM STATE WITH, UM, OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

SO, UM, DOES ANYONE WANNA OFFER A NOMINATION OR SELF-NOMINATE? I THINK, I THINK DANIEL, DARN.

I REALLY WANNA NOMINATE DANIEL.

I THINK DOES I, I I NOMINATE REUBEN .

I DID YOU WANT TO? I'M WILLING, BUT I WASN'T GONNA RAISE MY HAND.

I MEAN, I, I COULD DO IT ESPECIALLY, I DON'T KNOW, I CHAT WITH SUSAN ON SLACK ALL THE TIME, SO SHE NEEDS ANYTHING .

I COULD PROBABLY, AND I WORK DOWNTOWN, SO I'M GONNA BE IN PERSON EVERY TIME.

OH, WELL THAT JUST LET ME NOT SAY ANYTHING.

I'M JUST A BYSTANDER.

[03:05:03]

, WE HAVE TWO WILLING CANDIDATES AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S ENCOURAGING.

UM, PERHAPS WE COULD PUT IT TO A MOTION IN THE VOTE.

DOES ANYONE WANNA JUST GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION? I DON'T CARE.

WAIT, IF WE JUST WIN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY, OH WAIT, I'M GONNA SAY LAST NAME.

THAT WOULD MAKE BROOKS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO DO IT.

AH, MAN, THIS IS AWKWARD.

MY LAST NAME IN WHAT ORDER? THAT'S WELL, BROOKS, THAT'S UH, OKAY.

GONNA GET THE ALPHABET AT THE END OR, OH, TRUE, TRUE, TRUE.

WHO WANTS IT MORE? IT IS 8:10 PM UH, I'D RECOMMEND CHAIR THAT WE PUT THIS VOTE TO A MOTION, WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE RUEN OR DANIEL, AND LET THE, THE COMMISSION DECIDE.

UM, SOMEBODY , I, I THINK WE CAN MOVE TO NOMINATE RUBEN.

THAT'S GREAT.

UM, WE HAVE A SECOND FROM ATHENA.

IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY.

AND THEN ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

OKAY, GOOD.

, YOU'LL VOTE FOR YOURSELF AS WELL? YES.

UM, JOINT SUSTAINABILITY.

I THANK YOU GUYS.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

UM, WELL, I THINK WE HAVE OUR OFFICER ELECTIONS DOWN THAT BRINGS

[BRIEFINGS]

US INTO BRIEFINGS.

UM, AND IT IS EIGHT 10, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN MOVE THROUGH THESE QUICKLY.

UM, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION? NO, THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MET ON MARCH THE 15TH AND REALLY DIDN'T TALK ABOUT ANYTHING DIRECTLY RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION.

THEY FOCUSED ON, UH, SETTING UP A ANTI-GRAFFITI MOVEMENT.

UM, BUT BECAUSE I AM LEAVING, I DO WANNA RE UH, REMIND YOU ALL THAT.

I, I DO THINK IT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE AN ACTIVE PERSON REPRESENTING UTC ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, ESPECIALLY FOR THE TOPIC THAT WE'VE JUST DISCUSSED, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S, UH, SOME FAIRLY, UM, ANTI PROJECT CONNECT, UM, FEELINGS ON THAT COMMISSION AND IT MAY CHANGE BASED ON NEW MEMBERS.

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT I DO THINK IT, IT'S VERY HELPFUL FOR SOMEONE WHO IS ON TOP OF WHAT'S GOING ON, ON PROJECT CONNECT TO SHARE WHAT'S GOING ON AND UM, THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION.

WE'LL DEFINITELY, UM, UH, I THINK AS SOON AS WE HAVE A SEAT AT BOARD, I THINK WE'LL REALLY ABSOLUTELY WANNA REPLACE YOU QUICKLY ON THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR AGAIN VOICING THAT.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THIS BODY FOR SO LONG.

YOU MAY, THIS MIGHT BE YOUR LAST MEETING, BUT IT IS, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW.

UH, NOPE.

CHRISTOPHER SAID I'M UP IN MAY, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHEN IN MAY.

I BELIEVE MAY 28TH.

I WILL TRIPLE CHECK ON THAT, BUT OH, OKAY.

JUST BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR EMAILS IF ANY OF YOU ARE YEAH, AFTER LAST MEETING.

I THOUGHT IT WAS LAST MEETING.

YEAH, YOU GUYS WILL SUCK.

WELL MAYBE WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN AND MAYBE NOT, BUT I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THIS BODY.

YOU'VE BEEN A VALUABLE, UM, MEMBER, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO JSC MET AND UM, WE DISCUSSED, UH, BUDGET, UM, CUZ WE MET A WEEK AGO.

AND, UM, NOTHING REALLY TRANSPORTATION RELATED.

WE DID THE JSE DID, UM, PUT FORTH A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE A FULL-TIME PERSON HELPING PROMOTE THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

PREVIOUSLY HAD EITHER BEEN A TEMP OR I THINK IT HAD BEEN A TEMP, SO DOESN'T DIRECTLY RELATE TO UT UTC, BUT THAT'S THE CLOSEST THING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.

THAT DOES RELATE.

UM, BICYCLE ADVISORY.

I THINK YOU'RE MUTED, ATHENA.

UM, THEY DRAFTED AND ADOPTED A BICYCLE PLAN RECOMMENDATION.

AWESOME.

UH, PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY.

ALLIE? YEAH.

P A C UH, HAD OUR PROJECT CONNECT UPDATE PRESENTATION AS WELL, AND THEY HAD A PRESENTATION ON EMERGENCY SIGNAL TIMING.

OH, INTERESTING.

I MIGHT WATCH THAT VIDEO AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE A FUN NIGHT FOR ME.

UM, SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT ME PRIORITY ON THE BUSES.

UM, UH, SO CITY COUNCIL MOBILITY COMMITTEE, I HAVEN'T REALLY SPOOLED UP IN THAT FULLY.

UM, NOW THAT I'M CHAIR, I I'M SURE THAT I WILL DO THAT, BE DOING THAT MORE.

DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE? DID THEY MEET FOR INSTANCE LAST TIME? NO, AND WE'RE GOING TO MEET ON THURSDAY.

AT 1:00 PM SO I'LL BE SURE TO SEND YOU THE I'M NOT INVITE AND EVERYTHING.

I'M, I, I'M GONNA HAVE TO, IF YOU HAVE STUFF, YOU HAVE TO DO THAT IT HAPPENS, BUT I'M, I'M NOT SURE I CAN THIS TIME, BUT OKAY.

[03:10:01]

I KNOW IN ADVANCE I CAN.

US TO, UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, WHAT DO WE HAVE COMING UP? UH, AS WE JUST DISCUSSED, TENTATIVELY THE PROJECT CONNECT, UH, RECOMMENDATION BASED OFF OF WHAT THE WORK GROUP WORK GROUP SAYS.

UM, I WILL CHECK ON THAT.

NO PRESSURE.

LET ME CHECK.

YOU HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER JOB.

YEAH, IT'S REGISTRATION.

IT'S REGISTRATION AT UT SO THAT'S, UM, NOT PROBLEM IS I'M NOT PROBLEM, IT'S KIND OF A DELIGHT, BUT I'M VERY BOOKED RIGHT.

WITH STUDENTS.

UM, UH, SO, UM, COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, THAT'S ME.

WE MET ON MARCH 9TH.

UM, WE SAW, WE MET THE CAT METRO C E O.

THAT WAS VERY NICE.

UM, UH, WE, UH, ON THE NEW CEO WE TALKED ABOUT THE LIFE RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

NOT REALLY, THEY HADN'T RELEASED THE DRAFT YET.

SO IT WAS REALLY ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, THE PUBLIC MEETINGS.

WE GAVE SOME INPUT ON THAT AND THE NEXT STEPS.

AND THEN ALSO WE HEARD ABOUT THE METRO RAPID UPDATE FOR PROJECT CONNECT.

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT THERE'S BEEN, UM, SOME SETBACKS WITH THE METRO RAPIDS NEEDING, UM, THE ELECTRIC BUSES CHARGING, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDING TO BE ADJUSTED FROM WHAT WAS INITIALLY THOUGHT.

AND THAT'S GOING TO SORT OF DELAY THE BUS ORDER AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO INCLUDE CHARGING STATIONS.

SO THERE WAS SOME SETBACKS THERE THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE DELAYED WHILE THOSE PIECES ARE ORDERED AND WORKED OUT AND PLANNED FOR AND PAID FOR.

BUT ALSO SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS IN THAT WE GOT A REALLY SIGNIFICANT GRANT TO SUPPORT THE METRO RAPID, UM, ELECTRIC RAPID BUSES.

UM, SO THAT IS EXCITING AND THAT THOSE FIRST TWO LINES WILL BE COMING, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT, UH, LATER THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT.

SO, UM, WE, AND WE GAVE SOME FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT, UH, TO THE, TO THE, UH, BODY, SO, UH, TO ATP I SHOULD SAY.

SO THAT WAS WHAT WE DID THERE.

UM, OKAY.

SO THAT TAKES

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

WE ALSO PLAN ON HAVING A PRESENT, AN UPDATE ON THE COMBINED TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY AND COMMUNICATION CENTER.

UM, JIM CAN HELP ME OUT IF I'M BUTCHER THIS, BUT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THE COMMUNICATION CENTER WHERE I BELIEVE A P D, UH, EMS AND, UM, ALL OF OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE, UH, LOCATED AND THEY HAVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT TRANSPORTATION RELATED UPDATES THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL.

SO IT'S GONNA BE A VERY, UM, UH, VERY INTERESTING MEETING.

UM, JUST KEEP THAT ON YOUR RADAR.

ADDITIONALLY, WE PLAN TO HAVE, UH, UH, BIANNUAL UPDATES FROM OUR VISION ZERO TEAM, UM, AND HOPEFULLY AN, UH, JUST GIVE GENERAL UPDATES ALONG WITH, UH, SOME MOBILITY UPDATES FROM OUR, UM, ENGINEERING TEAM.

SO IT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING MAY 2ND MEETING.

YEAH, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A FULL AGENDA.

OH YEAH.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, ONE THING I WAS REFLECTING ON, ACTUALLY I WAS DRIVING, UM, WAS UM, IT FEELS LIKE IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE WHILE SINCE WE HAD A, UH, MAYBE I'M WRONG AND I JUST, THE MONTHS ARE RUNNING TOGETHER, BUT UPDATE ON THE, UM, CORRIDOR PROGRAM AND THE MOBILITY BONDS.

IT FEELS LIKE WE MIGHT BE DUE FOR ONE OF, I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND SEE WHEN THE LAST TIME WE ACTUALLY HEARD HAD THEM.

AND IT MAY BE, IT MAY BE MORE, MORE RECENTLY THAN I THINK, BUT, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING I DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA NEGLECT TO HEAR ON SOMETIME IN 2023.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE RIGHT MONTH FOR THAT IS, BUT I, I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO HEAR AN UPDATE OF WHERE THAT SPENDING IS GOING AND ESPECIALLY THE CORRIDORS AS WELL.

UM, ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS THAT, UM, WE WANNA RAISE FROM THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THE NEXT TWO, THREE MONTHS? I SHOULD KNOW THAT ATHENA, YOU'VE BEEN EMAILING ME CONSTANTLY ABOUT VISION ZERO, MOSTLY SUFF A DIVISION ZERO WILL HOPE TO HAVE LOTS OF THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY THEN.

UM, YEAH, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT HOW WE CAN LIKE BASICALLY ELIMINATE DRIVE-THROUGHS.

OH, NICE.

WE'LL FIX THE, WE'RE GONNA FIX THE WHOLE CITY ON THIS, THIS COMMISSION .

UM, UM, SO I DO WANNA, I AGAIN THANK I I SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT CINDY, BUT I REALLY DO WANNA THANK, UM, AS WELL ALLIE AND SAM, WELL FOR THEIR SERVICE AND TIME ON THIS COMMISSION, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S YOUR LAST.

AND I FEEL LIKE WE SAID SOMETHING IN FEBRUARY AND IT'S NOT REALLY EVER ANYBODY'S LAST, BUT I, I DO KIND OF THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COUPLE MORE PEOPLE SEAT IT THAT WE'RE NEW NOMINEES, UM, FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

SO REALLY WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE IF WE DON'T SEE YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING.

AND IF WE DO, THAT'LL BE A DELIGHT AND SURPRISE AND ALSO REALLY WELCOME DANIEL AS WELL.

UM, WE'RE REALLY GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

I'M SO SORRY I WAS LATE.

I GOT HERE AND I WAS LOOKING AND I WAS REALIZING THAT I WAS AT FIVE AND NOT SIX .

SO JUST AN OVERSIGHT ON MY CALENDAR.

YES, FIVE O'CLOCK.

AND CAN YOU TELL US, UM, WHAT DISTRICT ARE YOU REPRESENTING? I'M REPRESENTING RYAN AL ALTERS DISTRICT FIVE.

I DON'T, I DON'T, I HAVEN'T WATCHED THE, UM, THE AGENDAS CLOSELY ENOUGH TO KNOW, BUT I DON'T THINK SO.

AWESOME.

STILL NOBODY IN THE PIPELINE FOR DISTRICT TWO?

[03:15:01]

I KNOW VANESSA WAS STRUGGLING OR COUNCIL MEMBER FRANCIS WAS STRUGGLING TO FIND SOMEONE, BUT, UH, I, WHERE THAT STANDS NOW, I'M GONNA TRY TO WORK ON THAT A BIT, BUT, UM, YES, GET SOME PEOPLE TO APPLY, BUT UM, WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

SO, UM, ALL RIGHT.

SO ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? ALL RIGHT, WELL, UM, WITH HAS ONE.

YEAH, JUST TO MENTION THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE CITY ORGANIZATION AND THERE MAY THANK YOU YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR HER.

REMIND THERE MAY, AND, AND THAT HAS, UM, THERE ARE CHANGES TO THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WITH US MERGING WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE AT THE NEXT MEETING, JUST A FEW MINUTES ON, ON WHERE WE'RE AT AND HOW THOSE CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.

THAT IS A REALLY WONDERFUL POINT.

UM, MAYBE, MAYBE EVEN SOMEONE JUST GIVING US THE THREE MINUTE RUNDOWN OF WHAT CHANGED AND WHY, IF THEY KNOW WHY.

UM, I, I THINK THEY KNOW WHY.

I HOPE THEY KNOW WHY.

I DON'T KNOW WHY YET.

YOU CAN TELL ME WHY.

WE'LL DO OUR BEST.

UM, ALL RIGHT, SO , UM, THAT IS GOOD.