May 24, 2023 Austin Transit Partnership Board Meeting

THANK YOU FOR JOINING

[00:00:01]

UM, I WOULD

[Call to Order]

THE TIME IS 2:04 PM AND TODAY IS MAY 24TH.

UH, AND WE'RE LOCATED AT 2 0 3 COLORADO STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AND ANYONE WHO REQUIRES ADDITIONAL, UM, INTERPRET INTERPRETIVE SERVICES OR TRANSLATION, PLEASE CONTACT CHLOE MAXWELL AND HER CONTACT INFORMATION IS IN EACH AGENDA POSTING.

PLEASE GIVE HER 24 HOUR NOTICE SO WE CAN BE PREPARED FOR YOU.

UM, TODAY, THE

[2.1 Joint Meeting of the Engineering, Architecture & Construction Advisory Committee, Planning, Sustainability, Equity & DBE Advisory Committee, and Finance & Risk Advisory Committee ]

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS ABOUT THOSE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES REPORTS? GREAT.

SO THE

[3.1. Project Connect Status Report / Board Brief ]

THIS REPORT IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN TODAY'S AGENDA BACKUP AND ON ATP'S WEBSITE.

SO WE WON'T GO IN OVER VERY SPECIFIC INFORMATION SO WE CAN ALLOW THIS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

[1. Public Comment]

AND I'D LIKE TO, UM, WELCOME EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO REGISTER TO ADDRESS THIS BOARD TODAY.

I'M REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AFTER ALL OF THE ENGAGEMENT THAT HAS HAPPENED AND ALL OF THE MOVING PARTS THAT WE'VE HAD.

SO WE'LL BE, UM, LISTENING FOR YOU.

I'D LIKE TO, UM, ALSO REMIND PEOPLE TO SIGN UP 24 HOURS AHEAD TO ADDRESS THE BOARD AND JUST THE PROTOCOL OF THE MEETING.

YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A BEEP 30 SECONDS BEFORE YOUR TIME IS UP, AND A FINAL ALARM WHEN THE THREE MINUTES CONCLUDE.

SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER TODAY IS KATIE CAM AND MS. KAM, I BELIEVE YOU'RE PRESENT HERE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME FORWARD? YES.

AND MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN, YOU PRESS THE BUTTON TO SEE A LITTLE RED LIGHT.

WELCOME.

OKAY.

HI, I'M KATIE CAM.

I JUST BIKED IN.

SO CATCHING MY BREATH HERE.

UM, I'M A CIVIL ENGINEER AND URBAN PLANNER THAT'S LIVED IN AUSTIN SINCE 1983.

I WORKED IN MY PHD IN MASTERS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AND I HAD THE, UH, GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT HIGH SPEED RAIL PASSENGER RAIL SYSTEMS, UM, AS PART OF MY DOCTORAL AND POST-DOCTORAL WORK.

AND IT WAS IN THAT PROCESS THAT I STARTED TO REALLY EVALUATE, UH, RAIL TECHNOLOGIES.

AND IT BECAME VERY EVIDENT THAT AT, YOU KNOW, ON STREET RAIL SYSTEMS ARE NOT THE SAFEST.

SO IF WE REALLY WANT A VISION ZERO, WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL ALLOW US TO ELEVATE THE TRAIN SYSTEM AWAY FROM PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS, AND MOTORISTS.

UH, LET'S SEE.

SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT A FIXED RAIL SYSTEM, SO DON'T GET ME WRONG.

I, I WANNA SEE PUBLIC TRANSIT HERE.

UM, I'M A HUGE PROPONENT OF MONORAIL BECAUSE IT DOES ELEVATE IT AND IT DOESN'T PROVIDE THE OVERHEAD STRUCTURE THAT IS SO LARGE A CARLO CONCRETE.

IT'S A SLIM, UM, PROFILE.

AND THERE ARE MONORAIL SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD THAT ARE WORKHORSES.

THEY ARE , THEY HAVE A LOT OF PASSENGERS BEING MOVED PER MILE.

SO I ASKED THE BOARD TODAY TO, UM, REGARDLESS OF THE ROUTE, I'M KIND OF INDIFFERENT ON THE ROUTE, ALTHOUGH I DO LIKE ONE THAT SERVES MORE CENTRAL AUSTIN THAN THE AIRPORT, BUT LOOK AT MONORAIL AS A SERIOUS TECHNOLOGY TO LOOK AT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MINIMIZING THE AT GRADE CROSSINGS.

AND I WANNA POINT SOMETHING OUT.

THE CONGRESS JUST PASSED AN ACT TO GIVE 600 MILLION PER YEAR FOR THE ELIMINATION OF AT GRADE CROSSINGS.

SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PUTTING MONEY BEHIND REMOVING AT GRADE CROSSINGS.

AND YET THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSING TO ADD A BUNCH OF AT GRADE CROSSINGS.

AND THE REASON WHY THEY WANT AT GRADE CROSSINGS ELIMINATED IS BECAUSE 95% OF FATALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH RAIL IS, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIANS OR WHATEVER IN THE RIGHT OF THE TRACK.

SO THAT'S A MAJOR MOTIVATION FOR WANTING THAT TECHNOLOGY TO CONTINUE TO BE ON THE TABLE AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FINAL, UM, DESIGN.

UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, JUST SOME OTHER BENEFITS.

HOW AM I DOING ON TIME? I GET THE 32ND RIGHT, .

OKAY, THANKS, .

SO I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UM, SO I'VE GONE OVER THE SAFETY PARTS OF, UH, SO I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE OTHER ASPECTS.

UM, IT'S, UH, ONE OF THOSE REALLY COOL SYSTEMS THAT WHENEVER I TALK TO PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC, THEY'RE LIKE, OH YEAH, THAT'S SOUNDS REALLY COOL.

[00:05:01]

AND IT SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT LIKE, PEOPLE WOULD RIDE JUST FOR FUN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST LIKE, OH, IT'S HIT ME FROM POINT A POINT B.

THE OTHER THING WANNA EMPHASIZE IS THAT WHAT WE APPROVED ON THE BALLOT WAS A RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM.

AND GETTING A RAIL SYSTEM OFF OF THE A GRADE AND ABOVE, ELEVATING IT ABOVE THE SIGNAL, ICE INTERSECTIONS, ELEVATE ABOVE, THAT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A RAPID SYSTEM.

YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT NAVIGATING ALL THE CONFLICTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THAT STREET SPACE.

UM, SO, UM, WE HAVE THAT.

AND THEN, UM, THERE ANOTHER ISSUE THAT COMES UP LOT IS ADA ACCESSIBILITY, BUT THERE'S A WAY TO DESIGN THAT SO THAT YOU CAN EASILY PROVIDE THAT ADA ACCESSIBILITY TO THE STATIONS.

OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS? I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR OKAY.

THANKS FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD.

THANK YOU.

UM, OUR SECOND SPEAKER IS ANOVIA JOSEPH, AND SHE WILL BE VIRTUALLY JOINING US VIRTUALLY.

IS SHE ON THE LINE? MS. JOSEPH? WELCOME.

UM, MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU THERE? THANK YOU.

MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS, I'M ZNO JOSEPH.

MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO ACTION ITEM TWO, 5.2 AS IT RELATES TO YOUR RESOLUTION FOR AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION, YOUR ARTICLE 13 TAX MATTERS DISSOLUTION AND FOR THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD MEMBERS.

THEY'VE HEARD ME READ THIS INTO THE RECORD BEFORE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 0 1 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986 AS AMENDED THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE.

AND REGARDLESS OF ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF THESE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE CORPORATION QUOTE SHALL NOT DIRECT ANY OF ITS ACTIVITIES TO ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION BY PROPAGANDA OR OTHERWISE.

I SHARE THAT WITH YOU BECAUSE RESPECTFULLY, YOU HAVE LIED TO THE VOTERS, AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS NO BENEFIT TO BLACKS IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, ARE THOSE OF US WHO LIVE NORTH OF US, 180 3 FOR 24 TO 30 YEARS.

YET YOUR BOARD PACKET CONTINUES TO STATE THAT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IS COMMITTED TO EQUITY.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR YOU TO AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN 2014, THE PROJECT CONNECT NORTH CORRIDOR STUDY STATED THAT ALMOST HALF OF THE POPULATION WILL RESIDE IN THE NORTH CORRIDOR BY 2035.

AND ALMOST TWO THIRDS OF THE JOBS IN THE TWO MOST POPULATED COUNTIES WILL BE LOCATED IN THIS CORRIDOR BY 2035 AND WILL ACCOUNT FOR 58% OF ALL THE JOBS IN THE FIVE COUNTY REGION.

YET YOU ARE TRYING TO SELL TO US SOUTH OF US, 180 3 TO DOVES, NOT DOVE SPRINGS, BUT TO THE YELLOW JACKET AREA AS AN VIABLE OPTION.

IT IS NOT VIABLE.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS A LIE.

AND I WOULD ASK THE MEMBERS ON THIS BOARD TO RESIGN.

I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE TO THEIR DIVERSITY OFFICE, AND I'VE ASKED THEM TO REVOKE YOUR 5 0 1 STATUS.

I'VE TWICE TOLD AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL THAT, AND, UH, BASICALLY A COUNCIL MEMBER POOL DENIED LOBBYING.

AND I WANT YOU TO RESPECTFULLY RECOGNIZE THAT MAYOR WATSON'S OWN FACEBOOK LETTER STATES THAT HE INFLUENCED THE LEGISLATION HOUSE BILL 3 8 99, UM, WITH CHAIRMAN CAPRI LEON, AND THERE'S A STATESMAN ARTICLE IN OTHER ARTICLES AS WELL THAT MENTIONED HIS INFLUENCE WITH SENATOR BETTENCOURT.

THAT BILL IS MOVING FORWARD, AS YOU'RE AWARE, TO GIVE VOTERS AN OPPORTUNITY NOVEMBER, UH, SEVENTH 2023 TO VOTE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO ISSUE DEBT TO PAY FOR PROJECT CONNECT.

I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT AND TO BE HONEST WITH THE PUBLIC, AND TO STOP GASLIGHTING, THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, YOUR CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS IS MENTIONED SIX TIMES, AND IT SPECIFIES HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

WELL, WE'RE UNDERSERVED AND WE'RE UNDERREPRESENTED, AND YOU CONTINUE TO STATE THAT THIS SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND GROCERY STORES.

AND I WILL JUST CLOSE BY TELLING YOU THAT I'M NOT MS. JOSEPH AND THE DOMAIN THIS UP.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN PANTEL.

SHE'S ALSO JOINING US VIRTUALLY.

MS. PANTEL, ARE YOU HERE? THIS IS SUSAN PAN.

AM I BEING CALLED? YES, GO AHEAD.

YES, YOUR TURN.

WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BEING

[00:10:01]

THANK, THANK YOU.

I SUPPORT THE, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE INITIAL SEGMENT FOR PROJECT CONNECT, AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK AND THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAT THE STAFF THAT THE STAFF DID.

I DO HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.

I DON'T SUPPORT THE BRIDGE LOCATION.

I THINK THE SOUTH FIRST STREET BRIDGE WOULD BE MUCH MORE PREFERABLE BECAUSE IT PROVIDES ACCESS TO A NUMBER OF AMENITIES SOUTH OF THE RIVER THAT PEOPLE WANNA GO TO, LIKE THE PARKS, THE ENTERTAINMENT VENUES, AND ALSO SOME CITY OFFICES.

UH, THE COMMUNITY WAS TOLD THAT THE DECISION ABOUT THE BRIDGE LOCATION WOULD BE MADE LATER AFTER THERE'S MORE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.

AND I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH SOUTH FIRST STREET, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BRING THAT DECISION ABOUT THE BRIDGE FORWARD.

IN OTHER WORDS, NOT MAKE THE DECISION YET, ALLOW MORE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS, BECAUSE I REALLY DO THINK, UH, SOUTH FIRST STREET WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER LOCATION.

I STRONGLY SUPPORT BUILDING THE SEGMENT UP TO CRESTVIEW STATION THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR MUCH HIGHER RIDERSHIP AND ALSO MUCH BETTER INTERMODAL, UH, TRANSPORTATION IN THROUGHOUT THE REGION, ALLOWING ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN SUBURBS TO COMMUTE INTO AUSTIN EASILY, AND PEOPLE GOING OUT IN THAT DIRECTION OR GOING TO THE SOCCER GAME, UH, MUCH, MUCH MORE EASY, EASY TO TRANS TO MOVE AROUND.

SO I THINK THAT SHOULD BE A VERY HIGH PRIORITY FROM LOOKING AT YOUR, YOUR NUMBERS.

IT LOOKS LIKE YOU COULD FIT THAT IN.

YOU COULD BUILD THAT SEGMENT, UM, UNDER THE LOWER END OF THE BUDGET RANGE THAT IT WOULD FIT IN WITHIN THE 5.1 BILLION.

UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE ALSO A CONSIDERATION, BUT THAT DATA HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO RELEASE THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE DATA TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THOSE TRADE-OFFS ARE.

THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE CATTLE COST, BUT ALSO THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS.

WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO BUILD THAT SEGMENT, I I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT.

THE LAST THING IS, I'M NOT CLEAR WHY THE, WHY THE BUDGET HAS TO BE UNDER 5.1 BILLION.

WHY IT CAN'T BE 5.3 OR 5.4 SO THAT WE CAN BUILD THAT, THAT SEGMENT TO CRESTVIEW.

AND SINCE WE HAVE TO GO TO THE VOTERS ANYWAY IN NOVEMBER, ASK THE VOTERS FOR A LITTLE BIT LARGER BOND, UM, THAN WAS PLANNED SO THAT WE CAN COVER THAT SEGMENT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY ADD A LOT, A A LOT TO THE PROPOSAL.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. FANTA.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELLEN WOOD IN PERSON.

IS SHE HERE WITH US? WELCOME, BRING, THANK YOU.

AND DON'T FORGET TO TURN ON YOUR MIC, THE BOTTOM.

THANK YOU.

SO, BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION, I UH, MOVED HERE IN 75 WITH MY FAMILY, LIVED HERE A LONG TIME, 27 YEAR BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN AUSTIN.

I SUPPORT A BIG SPEND ON TRANSPORTATION.

I DON'T SUPPORT THIS PLAN, BUT I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY WITH RESPECT TO ITEM 5.2, CONSIDERING THE VARIOUS CHANGES, LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS AND LEGAL OPINIONS CIRCULATING RIGHT NOW, I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS AND SEE IF YOU CAN RESPOND TO THEM WITH YOUR COMMITMENT TO FULL TRANSPARENCY.

I THINK THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS WOULD REALLY HELP A LOT OF NORMAL FOLKS IN THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY.

SO, AS I SAID, I PROVIDED THEM IN WRITING AND I HOPE IT'D BE REASONABLE TO EXPECT ANSWERS IN THE NEXT 48 TO 72 HOURS, IF NOT TODAY.

SO I'M GONNA READ 'EM FIRST GIVEN THE BREVITY OF TIME ALLOWED FOR QUESTIONS.

SO FIRST, WERE YOU ADVISED THAT EACH OF THE PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE PLANS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC RECENTLY HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH COST PER MILE AND LOW PROJECTED RIDERSHIP PROJECTIONS COMPARED TO OTHER RAIL PROJECTS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT WILL MAKE FEDERAL FUNDS COMING TO AUSTIN? UNLIKELY.

AND WHAT IS THE RESPONSE TO THOSE CONCERNS? SECOND, DID ANY OF THE FIVE ALTERNATIVE ROUTES FULFILL THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS THAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL BEFORE THE 2020 PROJECT CONNECT ELECTION? THIRD, WITH THE ROUTE YOU'VE NOW SELECTED, HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE DISPLACED COMPARED TO THE 302,000 DISPLACED PEOPLE IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN? AND IF YOU

[00:15:01]

DID ANYONE EXPRESS CONCERN TO YOU ABOUT USING MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TAX REVENUES TO SUPPORT THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS? AND IF SO, WHO WAS IT AND WHAT WAS THEIR CONCERN? KNOWING THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS TO SIGN OFF ON THE ISSUANCE OF MUNICIPAL BONDS, DID ANYONE FROM THE CITY OR CAPITOL METRO OR ANYBODY REPRESENTING THIS PROJECT INQUIRE AS TO THE LEGALITY OF THE UNIQUE FUNDING MECHANISM BEFORE BRINGING IT TO AUSTIN VOTERS OR AFTER IT WAS PASSED? CAN YOU EXPLAIN IN DETAIL WITH DOCUMENTATION WHY THE 7.1 BILLION COST ESTIMATE WAS USED IN THE 2020 ELECTION AND WHY IT WAS SO WRONG? THE EARLIEST DATE ANYONE AT ATP RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THAT ESTIMATE? AND COULD YOU ADDRESS THE RUMOR THAT THE 7.1 BILLION ESTIMATE WAS DERIVED AS A RESULT OF POLLING ON THE PUBLIC, HOW MUCH THEY WOULD APPROVE ON A BALLOT RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL ESTIMATE OF TOTAL PROJECT COSTS? SPECIFICALLY WAS POLLING DONE TO GAUGE SENTIMENT ON THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE APPROVED WAS A LOWER COST ESTIMATE PUT ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE OF THAT POLLING, INSTEAD OF USING A HIGHER NUMBER OF THE PLANNERS THOUGHT WAS MORE REALISTIC AND IF A LOWER NUMBER WAS USED THAN WHAT THE PLANNERS AT THE TIME THOUGHT WAS REALISTIC.

HAVE YOU BROUGHT THIS FORWARD TO THE ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC AS A SIGNIFICANT REASON FOR THE REVISED UPWARD COSTS? AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU TODAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US COPIES TO YOUR QUESTIONS.

UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER SITTING HERE, DEWIT PER YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, UH, ATTP BOARD.

MY NAME IS DEWITT PIERRET.

I'M CEO OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.

UH, PLEASED TO BE WITH YOU TODAY.

SO, UH, THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE HELD, UM, FIVE, UH, WORKING GROUP MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, UH, REPRESENTING, UH, OUR ORGANIZATION.

UH, WE CALLED IT OUR AD HOC COMMITTEE.

AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MADE IN WRITING TO THE ATP BOARD, UH, WAS VOTED UPON BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

UM, WE APPRECIATE THE PROCESS.

UH, WE FELT IT WAS VERY THOROUGH.

THE STAFF FROM, UH, ATP AND, UH, THE CITY'S TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, UH, WERE WITH US THE WHOLE WAY, PROVIDED, UH, AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE ASKED FOR.

SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND IT HELPED US IN OUR WORK.

AND, UH, THE ENGAGEMENT WAS VERY, UH, IMPORTANT TO US.

SO MORE PEOPLE TRAVEL DOWNTOWN THAN ANY OTHER, UH, AREA IN THE CITY.

UH, PROVIDING, UH, CONVENIENT AND CONNECTED SERVICE TO AS MANY PEOPLE DOWNTOWN FOR JOBS AS RESIDENTS, AS TOURISTS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, TO THE ECONOMY.

AND SINCE DOWNTOWN IS VERY DENSE AND IT IS THE CENTER FOR CULTURE, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT, UH, THIS TRANSIT SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE THE HIGHEST RIDERSHIP AND REVENUE, UM, OF THE OPTIONS.

UM, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE USED IN ANALYZING, UH, THE ATP STAFF'S WORK WAS REALLY CENTERED AROUND CREATING A SAFE, WELCOMING, AND VIBRANT DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE.

SO WE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF, UH, THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE ALIGNMENT.

UM, A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, UM, RELATED TO THE TRINITY CROSSING.

WE THINK THE TRINITY CROSSING IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE CONNECTIVITY WITH THE RED LINE AND ALSO, UH, AN EXPANDED CONVENTION CENTER.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DENSITY THAT EXISTS IN RAINY, THE RAINY DISTRICT, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, HAVING TRANSIT RIDERSHIP, WE BELIEVE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

RAINY DISTRICT, ARGUABLY IS THE DENSEST PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND IT'S, UH, A SHAME NOT TO HAVE, UH, TRANSIT ACCESSIBLE.

WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE TRANSIT STATIONS, WE NOTICED THAT, UM, IN COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES, DOWNTOWNS, UM, TRANSIT STATIONS ARE TYPICALLY A QUARTER MILE APART.

THE 15TH STREET STATION AND THE CONGRESS STREET STATION ARE A MILE APART.

SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING AN ADDITIONAL STATION IN AND AROUND WAL RIDGE SQUARE AND THE SWEAT COURTHOUSE, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

UM, THE AIRPORT CONNECTION, WE'RE ASKING THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN AT A MINIMUM TO ACQUIRE THE RIGHT OF WAY, RIGHT? I THINK FUTURE

[00:20:01]

TRAFFIC MITIGATION WE'RE SUGGESTING AT CAESAR CHAVEZ IN 15TH STREET, LOOK AT DOING UNDERPASSES FOR VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST STUDY THAT AS AN ALTERNATIVE.

AND LASTLY, CONGEST CONGESTION MITIGATION.

I, I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO START EARLY FOR BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS IS A KEY PIECE OF THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

UH, NEXT WE HAVE BILL MCKINLEY.

WE HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS BILL MCKINLEY, I REPRESENT TRANSIT FORWARD.

WE ARE AN AUSTIN 5 0 1 CUN WITH A MISSION TO ENGAGE AND EDUCATE OUR FELLOW CITIZENS ABOUT TRANSIT AS A WHOLE WITH A REAL FOCUS ON PROJECT CONNECT.

WE REPRESENT ALL SORTS OF FOLKS RANGING FROM EMPLOYERS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ALL THE WAY TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

AND WE HAVE THREE QUICK THINGS WE WANNA SAY TODAY.

FIRST IS A VERY HEARTFELT THANKS TO ALL OF THIS STAFF FOR ATP, FOR THE ABSOLUTELY EXEMPLARY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT YOU ALL PARTICIPATED IN.

THE FACT THAT YOU SPOKE TO OVER 8,000 PEOPLE IN A SIX WEEK PERIOD FROM ACROSS THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND GEOGRAPHIC PARTS OF THIS CITY IS SPEAKS TO THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU ALL MADE EVERY TIME WE REACHED OUT TO GET YOUR STAFF TO COME SPEAK WITH PEOPLE IN ORBIT.

THE ANSWER WAS YES.

AND IT IS A TRIBUTE TO Y'ALL'S EFFORT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT EFFORT, THOSE COMMENTS, AND PUT THEM INTO YOUR SYSTEM.

SO THANK YOU.

FRANKLY, THIS SHOULD BE A MODEL FOR FUTURE, UH, AREAS OF INPUT AT ALL LEVELS OF AUSTIN, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SECONDLY, WE ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH THE PLAN THAT IS BEING PUT OUT.

TODAY IS A GREAT, GREAT COMPROMISE BETWEEN RIDERSHIP, EXPANDABILITY AND EQUITY.

UH, THE LAST BEING IMPORTANT TO US AS AN ORGANIZATION.

IT'S BUILT INTO OUR MISSION.

AND THIS PLAN ACTUALLY SERVES THE MOST PEOPLE OF COLOR, OF ALL FIVE OF THE PLANS PUT OUT THERE TODAY, WHILE ALLOWING FOR EXPANDABILITY TO AREAS THAT PEOPLE EXPRESSED IMPORTANT TO THEM IN THE ENGAGEMENT PERIOD.

SO, THANK YOU.

THE LAST THING IS REQUEST.

WE NOTICED THAT YOU HAD ON, UH, THE AGENDA TODAY TO VOTE ON THIS.

WE WOULD HIGHLY, HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THOSE OF YOU WITH CAT METRO AND THE CITY TO VOTE QUICKLY AS WELL, UH, IN A UNIFIED MANNER.

I THINK THE FASTER ATP CAN GET ON THE SADDLE AND GET A APPLICATION INTO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE FASTER WE CAN ALL START RIDING A TRAIN.

AS, UH, THE MAYOR SAID, I BELIEVE LAST WEEK THE BEST TIME TO START THIS PROCESS WAS 2000.

THE SECOND BEST TIME IS NOW.

SO LET'S MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE AND FOR THE PLAN TODAY.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS J PAULO CONNOLLY.

WE HAVE THREE MINUTES.

WELCOME.

HI EVERYBODY.

GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY BY BEING ON THIS BOARD.

UM, THERE'S TOO MANY THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SAY AND I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME, BUT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH QUITE A JOURNEY TOGETHER OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.

LOTS OF LESSONS LEARNED, SOME VERY HARD LESSONS LEARNED, AND, UM, IMPORTANT, UH, LESSONS LEARNED.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS ADVO AS AN ADVOCATE, I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE, UM, ANYONE HERE WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS THAT I DON'T SHY AWAY FROM A GOOD CRITIQUE WHEN IT'S, UH, NEEDED.

BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THERE'S A TIME AND A PLACE, UM, WHEN THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE IN THIS VISION AND WHO WANT TO SEE LIGHT RAIL BECOME A REALITY IN THIS COMMUNITY, HAVE TO RALLY TOGETHER AND FIGHT FOR THIS THING THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO US AND FOR THIS VISION THAT 58% OF OUR VOTERS APPROVED.

AND I THINK THAT TODAY IS THAT DAY.

IT'S A DAY FOR US TO STAND TOGETHER, FOR US TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT STAFF PUT FORWARD, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T MY FIRST CHOICE OR THE CHOICE THAT INCLUDES ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I WANT, BUT IT'S A VERY GOOD CHOICE.

AND IT'S A CHOICE THAT REACHES CENSUS TRACKS IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN EAST AUSTIN THAT HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST, UH, POPULATIONS OF BLACK PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR IN CITY LIMITS.

UM, IT'S A CHOICE THAT ALLOWS US TO GO FURTHER NORTH WHEN THE TIME, UH, AND, AND RESOURCES ARE THERE.

AND IT'S A CHOICE THAT WE CAN UNITE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND SAY, THIS IS SOMETHING GOOD ENOUGH AND IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

AND I THINK THE MAIN THING I JUST WANNA SAY TODAY IS, YOU KNOW, THIS MIGHT BE THE CHANCE WE GET FOR MY GENERATION IN AUSTIN TO MAKE LIGHT RAIL A REALITY AND SHAME ON US AS A COMMUNITY IF WE LET THIS DIE.

AND SHAME ON US IF WE DON'T DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO RALLY TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS VISION A REALITY.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE NAYSAYERS AND THERE'S ALWAYS FOLKS THAT WANTED MORE AND WANTED DIFFERENT.

UM, AND I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE TO LEARN AND GROW TOGETHER, BUT SHAME ON US IF WE DON'T UNITE NOW AND SEE THIS VISION THROUGH TO COMPLETION.

SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR WORK AND, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

AND I, LET'S, LET'S BUILD THIS TRAIN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. CONLEY.

AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS RNAV CHIARI.

[00:25:02]

I HOPE I PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME CORRECTLY.

OKAY.

UM, HI, MY NAME IS ARNAB CHIARI.

I'M CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M HERE WITH MY FRIEND DAVID LEE AS WELL.

UM, FIRST OFF, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO.

UM, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME ATTENDING ONE OF THESE MEETINGS, SO I REALIZED WHEN I GOT HERE THAT I WAS REALLY UNDERDRESSED.

SO SORRY ABOUT THAT .

BUT, UM, I, UM, WANTED TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT, UM, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND YOUTH INVOLVEMENT, UM, WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.

UM, I THINK A LOT OF US ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN TRANSIT IN AUSTIN, BUT WE'VE KIND OF LACKED THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE NEEDED TO KIND OF TAKE ACTION, WHICH IS, I FEEL IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PROSPECTIVE RIDERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE USING THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA COMPLETE IN THE NEXT DECADE ARE CURRENTLY SITTING IN HIGH SCHOOLS.

UM, AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE MEETINGS ARE TAKING PLACE.

THE ONLY REASON I KNEW THIS MEETING WAS EVEN HAPPENING WAS CUZ I WAS DELIBERATELY SEARCHING FOR A PLACE THAT I COULD SPEAK.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN COME ACROSS UNLESS YOU'RE ALREADY INTERESTED IN URBAN PLANNING OR YOU'RE ALREADY INTERESTED, UM, IN THESE THINGS.

UM, AS FOR ME, UM, WHAT I'M DOING ALREADY, I'VE, I JOINED, UH, P PECAN.

I'M WORKING WITH MY HOA IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, AND THIS MORNING I TALKED TO BILL MCKINLEY, WHO, UM, GAVE US A LOT OF REALLY, UM, USEFUL INSIGHT AND, UM, ALLOWED ME TO JOIN THE EMAIL LIST FOR TRANSIT FORWARD.

BUT THE ONLY REASON I WAS ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS WAS, AS I SAID, I WAS ALREADY INTERESTED IN URBAN PLANNING.

SO, UM, THE QUESTION I KIND OF WANTED TO POSE WAS HOW DO WE INCREASE YOUTH INVOLVEMENT AND HOW DO WE PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO GET MORE PEOPLE, UM, ON BOARD? BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE, BE INTERESTED IN IF THEY KNEW ABOUT IT.

UM, AND THE YOUTH OF TODAY, THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW, WE DO CARE.

UM, AND WE DO WANT TO HELP, BUT WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW.

SO, UM, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

AND YOUR PARENTS WILL BE PROUD.

AND THERE'S NO DRESS CODE YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ADDRESS US TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I MOVED TO ADOPT THAT DRESS CODE .

THAT'S ALL FOR OUR SPEAKERS TODAY.

YOU DID THE TWO EX OFFICIO NUMBERS.

MADE THE MOTION.

THANK YOU.

UM, AND I, I ATTENDED THE CAC MEETING LAST VIRTUALLY, AND I THINK, I BELIEVE, DID YOU SPEAK AT THAT CAC MEETING WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, THAT WAS YOU? WONDERFUL BECAUSE I, IT RESONATED WITH ME VERY WELL.

BUT THE VOICE OF THE VOICE OF THE YOUTH YOU WILL BE WRITING AND YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND YOUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE WRITING THE SYSTEM.

SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING HERE.

UM, SO WE WILL TAKE UP THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION ITEM ONE TOGETHER WITH ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO SINCE THE PRESENTATION MATERIALS ARE COMBINED.

UM, SO WITH

[5.1 Action Item 1 7 Approval of minutes from the April 19 Board Meeting and the May 8 Work Session]

I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THIS ACTION ITEM.

DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MAYOR WATSON? SECOND.

SECOND BY COMMISSIONER TRIVIUM.

EVERYONE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

THE MEETING MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

UM, SO I DIDN'T ACTUALLY CALL FOR DISCUSSION.

I APOLOGIZE ON THE MEETING MINUTES, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY RIGHT.

NO DISCUSSION.

OKAY.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO

[Items 4.1 & 5.2]

THIS COMBINES A DISCUSSION ITEM RELATED TO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REPORT WITH OUR ACTION, AND THIS IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE STAFF RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATION FOR AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, AND REQUEST THAT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND CAPITAL METRO BOARD CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

SO, UM, NOW IT'S A PERFECT WEEK AND, UM, YOU TAKE A THAT'S RIGHT.

THANK YOU CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, UH, MEMBERS OF THE ATP BOARD.

WE ARE SO HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY.

I THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC WEEK IN AUSTIN, TEXAS AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD, UM, AS THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UH, TO BE IN FRONT OF TODAY.

I THINK, UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS, PLUS OUR COLLEAGUE, UH, WITH THE, UH, COM COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE VEZ HERE TO JOIN US.

UH, OVER THESE MONTHS, UM, OUR TEAMS HAVE SHOWN AGILITY, HAS SHOWN RESILIENCY, AND HAS SHOWN HUMILITY OVER THESE OVER THESE MONTHS.

UM, I WANNA TAKE US BACK

[00:30:01]

AND WE DID THAT IN JULY, AND WE DID THAT IN SEPTEMBER, AND WE DID THAT IN ALL OF THE MONTHS.

AND THE COMMITMENT THAT WE MADE TO YOU, THE BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY, IS THAT WE WOULD DO THAT, UH, IN TWO DIFFERENT FASHIONS.

ONE, FROM THE WAY WE WORK, UM, THE WAY WE WORK AS A TEAM, WE WENT OUT AND STARTED WITH QUESTIONS, NOT ANSWERS WITH CURIOSITY ABOUT HOW WE COULD LISTEN TO DIFFERENT THOUGHTS AND DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT HOW WE COULD ARRIVE AT, UH, A, A COMMUNITY INVESTMENT THAT WE COULD ALL BE PROUD OF.

WE ALSO DID THAT IN PARTNERSHIP IN THIS BUILDING.

WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED MEETINGS WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AND PARTNER AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAP METRO TO GET TO THIS MOMENT TODAY.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE COMMITTED TO YOU AND TO THE COMMUNITY WAS TO BE OF THE COMMUNITY AS A COMMUNITY CORPORATION.

UM, I THINK YOU HEARD THAT ECHO TODAY AND THE COMMENTS, UM, THE TEAM, UH, ACROSS OUR ORGANIZATION PUTTING TOGETHER THIS LAST SIX WEEKS.

I REALLY THINK ABOUT, UM, IT STARTED BEFORE OUR, OUR LIB, THE EVENT AT THE LIBRARY BACK IN THE FALL, WORKING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND COMING UP WITH THE VALUES THAT WE WANTED TO ADHERE TO BEFORE WE PUT OUT OPTIONS.

UH, WE WENT ON AND TALKED TO COMMUNITIES THAT HAD NOT BEEN TALKED TO THROUGHOUT AUSTIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WERE WE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

SO THAT ROOTED US IN AUSTIN THAT ROOTED US IN THE VALUES OF AUSTIN.

I THINK ABOUT THAT JOYOUS LIBRARY EVENT WE HAD.

I I VIEW IT ALMOST AS A FAMILY REUNION WHERE WE COULD ALL COME TOGETHER.

UM, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PICTURE IN THAT TODAY WHERE WE COULD REALLY IGNITE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

AND THE LAST SIX WEEKS HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL.

UM, THE ABILITY FOR US TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, TO BE WELCOMED OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, TO LISTEN AT FIRST, TO LISTEN TO WHAT THE QUESTIONS WERE AND PROVIDE RESPONSES AND PROVIDE RESPONSES AND PROVIDE RESPONSES.

UH, I AM SO PROUD OF OUR TEAM AND HOW WE WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THAT.

BUT I'M ALSO JUST SO, AND MAYBE I'M NOT IMPRESSED CUZ I THINK THAT'S WHO AUSTIN IS, HOW AUSTIN ROLLED UP ITS SLEEVES, UM, TO JOIN US IN THE EFFORT, UM, TO GET US TO THIS MOMENT.

UM, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WE'VE HAD JUST FANTASTIC, UH, PROCESS HERE TO GET THAT.

SO THIS AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, STARTING WITH, UH, A FIRST PHASE OF 38TH STREET TO OLD TOF TO YELLOW JACKET EMBODIES THE VALUES THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH THIS COMMUNITY.

IT GETS US TO, UM, A SYSTEM THAT IS INTERCONNECTED, A SYSTEM THAT IS EXPANDABLE, A SYSTEM THAT, UM, IS, CAN BE USED BY ALL OF AUSTIN AND A SYSTEM THAT GETS TO AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERINVESTED THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY.

AND WE THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

UM, SO WE'RE PROUD, WE'RE PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE.

UM, WE'RE PROUD OF THIS SENSE FOR ME PERSONALLY AND US THIS SENSE TO BUILD COMMUNITY WITH COMMUNITY.

AND SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO THE TEAM FOR A BRIEF OVERVIEW.

OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE BEEN OUT WITH THIS, IT'S BEEN OUT FOR A LITTLE BIT FOR ABOUT A DAY NOW.

UM, AND WE HAVE STEPS AHEAD TODAY IN ADDITION TO THIS ACTION ITEM, BUT WE THOUGHT IT'D BE VALUABLE FOR THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY TO GET A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THAT.

AND I'LL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LINDSAY WOOD, UH, TO GET US STARTED WITH OUR TEAM, OUR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OVER ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU.

WE ARE EXCITED TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS FIRST PHASE AND, AND REALLY OUR GOAL FOR THE, THE PHASE ONE OF AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IS TO BUILD A SYSTEM THAT PEOPLE WILL USE AND WANT MORE OF.

AND IN THIS FIRST PHASE, WE ARE LOOKING AT AN ALIGNMENT FROM 38TH STREET ALONG GUADALUPE, ALL IN DEDICATED SPACE WHERE THE, THE LIGHT RAIL TRAINS HAVE PRIORITY TO MOVE EFFICIENTLY THROUGH THE SYSTEM, MOVING DOWN TO THIRD STREET AND THEN TURNING SOUTH ON TRINITY TO CROSS LADY BIRD LAKE AND SPLIT INTO TWO LINES.

ONE EXTENDING TO THE SOUTH ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS AT OLTORF AND THE OTHER EXTENDING TO THE EAST ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE TO YELLOW JACKET.

UH, A FEW KEY CHARACTERISTICS WE WANT TO NOTE HERE ARE REALLY THE, THE CONNECTIONS TO KEY DESTINATIONS AND TO KEY OPPORTUNITIES THAT THIS PHASE PROVIDES.

YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE HIGHLIGHTED HERE, ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, WHETHER THAT BE THE MEDICAL DISTRICT TO EDUCATION, UT ACC, RIVERSIDE, UH, AND ALSO OPPORTUNITIES OF EMPLOYMENT WITH MAJOR EMPLOYMENT CENTERS ALONG THIS ROUTE.

AND LASTLY, TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE STARTING FROM,

[00:35:01]

I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE LIGHT RAIL IS ONE PIECE OF THE TRANSIT SYSTEM, AN IMPORTANT PIECE, BUT ONLY ONE PIECE.

AND WE ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY VERY MINDFUL OF KEY TRANSFER POINTS SO THAT WE ARE EXPANDING THE REACH OF OUR RIDERS TO THE ENTIRE TRANSIT SYSTEM, UH, IN THOSE, UM, KEY CONNECTIONS.

AND ANOTHER ASPECT OF THIS OPTION IS THE ON STREET ALTERNATIVE IN HOW IT TRAVELS THROUGH DOWNTOWN.

AND PETER'S GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

YES, THANK YOU, LINDSAY.

I THINK, UM, THE, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES FOR HOW TO GET THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND HOW TO BE VERTICALLY ALIGNED.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROPOSAL IS TO BE ON STREET THROUGH DOWNTOWN.

AND I THINK THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF ANALYSIS, WE'VE BECOME TO UNDERSTAND, UM, THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FULFILL, I THINK ONE OF THE, THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE SYSTEM, WHICH IS ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY, RIGHT? BEING ON STREET ALLOWS THIS TO BE THE MOST ACCESSIBLE SYSTEM WE CAN BUILD AND BE ACCESSIBLE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, PARTICULARLY DISABLED.

SO I THINK THERE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES BEING, UM, ON STREET DOWNTOWN.

I THINK WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY, UM, ENHANCE THE STREET SCAPE, UM, AND THE, THE VIBRANCY OF OUR DOWNTOWN ENVIRONMENT TO INVITE EVEN MORE PEOPLE TO USE THE SYSTEM AND TO REALLY INTEGRATE THE SYSTEM INTO THE URBAN REALM AS PART OF THIS, UH, PROPOSAL.

SO, UM, CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS, MY NAME IS VES HAR, I SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT CONNECT.

AND I JUST WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MADE TO THE, ALL THE LEADERSHIP OF THE TRI-PARTY.

I DO WANNA START OFF BY SAYING IT'S VERY EXCITING TO SEE THIS, THIS IS VERY MUCH ALIGNED WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD MADE, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE A LOT OF THE ELEMENTS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT MOVE FORWARD, THE RECOMMENDATION, IT HAS ALREADY BEEN SHARED WITH YOU, AND I KNOW IT IS IN BACKUP.

IT WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH ONE PERSON ABSENT.

BUT IT WAS EXCITING TO SEE ALL OF US COME TOGETHER AND REALIZE THAT THIS IS REALLY THE VISION BY WHICH WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.

THINGS WE, I REALLY WANNA HIGHLIGHT FROM THAT IS, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE REALLY WANTED TO SEE A COMMITMENT TO THE FULL VISION OF WHAT WE HAVE IMAGINED FOR AUSTIN LIGHT TRAIL.

AND I THINK WE SEE THAT HERE TODAY.

WE REALLY SEE THAT FULL VISION AND WHAT WAS PROMISED.

WE'RE SEEING THAT COME TO FRUITION, AND I THINK THAT'S VERY EXCITING IN THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.

I WOULD ALSO SAY I THINK WE WERE VERY MUCH, UM, IN SUPPORT OF AN, UM, AT GRADE OR ON STREET LEVEL TRANSIT SYSTEM.

THE BIGGEST REASON BEING THAT IT SERVES THE GREATEST NUMBER OF RIDERS, WHICH WE'RE SEEING HERE, WHICH IS, AGAIN, VERY EXCITING, BUT ALSO IT REALLY HELPS US CONNECT TO THE OTHER TRANSIT SYSTEM AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION MODES.

IT HELPS US TO REALLY, UH, ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, BUT ALSO SUPPORT FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE USING STROLLERS IN OTHER ELEMENTS IN THEIR DAILY LIFE.

AND IT ALSO ACTIVATES THE STREET LEVEL IN DIFFERENT WAY AND CONNECTS TO SORT OF BUSINESSES AND OTHER THINGS.

SO AGAIN, WE SEE THOSE ELEMENTS HERE IN THIS WITH STAFF RECOMMENDATION, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THAT.

WE ALSO WANNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE THE CSE WAS LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO MOVE FORWARD, ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK WE WERE VERY MUCH ALIGNED WITH THIS PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT THIS SERVES THE MOST BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR OUT OF THE FIVE OPTIONS BY GOING EAST OF PLEASANT VALLEY.

THIS OPTION REALLY SERVES HISTORIC BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS.

SO IN SOME WAYS THIS IS REALLY THE MOST EQUITABLE SYSTEM THAT WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, IMAGINED FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THAT EAST AUSTINSON COMMUNITY THAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN LEFT OUT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS IS VERY MUCH PART OF THE VISION THAT WE HAVE.

I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHILE THE RAIL IS BEING EXTENDED TO EAST AUSTIN, WE WERE ALSO VERY COGNIZANT OF HAVING A MAINTENANCE FACILITY THERE, AND WE MADE A REALLY LARGE RECOMMENDATION SURROUNDING THAT.

NOW I UNDERSTAND, AND I THINK WE AS THE CSE UNDERSTOOD, WE'RE NOT THERE IN TERMS OF THOSE DETAILS, AND THAT IS ALL STUFF THAT IS YET TO COME FORWARD.

BUT WE WANTED TO REALLY MAKE THAT COMMITMENT TO THAT COMMUNITY TO SAY, HERE'S ELEMENTS THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE'LL DESIGN THE FACILITY, THE BENEFITS THAT WILL PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY.

AND I REALLY WANNA THANK THE ADP STAFF AND LEADERSHIP FOR REALLY SUPPORTING THAT VISION OF PROVIDING SOMETHING BENEFICIAL TO THAT COMMUNITY AND ALSO REALLY MITIGATING ANY IMPACTS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE.

LASTLY, I'LL JUST SAY THAT THE SELECTED LIGHT RAIL OPTION, WE DO WANNA SAY IT MUST BE ALIGNED WITH OUR EXISTING TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, BUT ALSO FUTURE, UM, IDEAS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE ARE LAND USE POLICIES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT EFFORTS.

AND WE'RE SEEING THAT WITH THE EFFORTS OF HONESTY, THE FULL TRI-PARTY AND ALL OF THE PARTNERS HERE IN WORKING THROUGH THAT.

LAST, I'LL JUST MAKE TWO PERSONAL COMMENTS.

I THINK ONE, FROM THE CSCS PERSPECTIVE, I REALLY JUST WANNA THANK THE ADP STAFF FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO

[00:40:01]

WE REALLY SAW THAT IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, I KNOW WE'LL GET THERE, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH US AS A COMMITTEE, IT'S REALLY BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH STAFF.

I, I'LL BE HONEST, I'VE ENGAGED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT EFFORTS IN THE PAST.

I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS KIND OF TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ENGAGEMENT, SO IT'S VERY EXCITING TO SEE THAT.

AND I ALSO WANNA SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY WE SAW A COMMITMENT TO WORKING THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AND PRIORITIES, AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE CAN REALLY SEE THAT HERE IN THE STAFF PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VEZ.

UH, WE ALSO WANT TO, AND CHLOE, IF YOU COULD MOVE US ONE PAGE FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

UH, WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE REASONS WHY WE FEEL THIS IS THE BEST FIRST PHASE FOR AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.

AND THE FIRST ONE BEING THE CRITICAL PRIORITY OF PROVIDING AN EXPANDABLE INTERCONNECTED REGIONAL TRANSIT NETWORK.

THIS FIRST PHASE PROVIDES COVERAGE TO THE NORTH, THE SOUTH, AND THE EAST, THAT LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE EXTENSIONS IN ALL THREE DIRECTIONS.

UH, WE ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE KEY TRANSIT SYSTEM CONNECTIONS HERE, BOTH EXISTING AND FUTURE.

AND NOTE THAT THIS OPTION REALLY HELPS US CONNECT TO THE EXISTING RED LINE AND FUTURE GREEN LINE DOWNTOWN.

ALSO METRO RAPID AT PLACES LIKE PLEASANT VALLEY AND OTHER LOCATIONS ALONG THE ROUTE AND HIGH FREQUENCY BUS ROUTES ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTING TO THE GOAL OF MODE SHIFT THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.

JEN, THANKS.

UH, SO A, A KEY MISSION OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY.

UM, AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO THINK ABOUT THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT RIDERSHIP CERTAINLY, BUT ALSO THE COMPOSITION OF THAT RIDERSHIP AND WHO WE WOULD BE SERVING.

UH, SO THIS RECOMMENDED PROJECT, UM, IT WOULD SERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

UH, IT WOULD SERVE, UH, MORE LOWER INCOME AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO ALREADY USE TRANSIT OR WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM IMPROVED SERVICE.

UH, THIS ROUTE WOULD SERVE, UM, AREAS THAT ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERINVESTED.

UM, AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE FOR US TO CONNECT THOSE AREAS WITH JOBS AND OTHER DESTINATIONS.

SO THAT THAT PRINCIPLE OF SERVING UNDERINVESTED AREAS IS REALLY ROOTED IN SOME OF OUR FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS LIKE THE J P A, THAT, THAT HIGHLIGHT OUTCOMES FOR PRIORITY POPULATIONS.

UM, BUT IT WAS ALSO AMPLIFIED IN THE PUBLIC INPUT WE RECEIVED THAT SAID, THIS IS IMPORTANT, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US TO PROVIDE GOOD COVERAGE, BUT ALSO TO SERVE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED THIS SERVICE.

IF WE WANNA GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, UM, LET'S NOTE THAT OVERALL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OVERALL POPULATION DENSITY, UM, AND JOBS AND WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED, UH, THIS PROJECT REALLY KNITS TOGETHER WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, THE MOST POPULATION DENSITY, THE MOST JOBS, AND HISTORICALLY UNDERINVESTED AREAS.

AND THE ONLY THING I'LL ADD HERE IS TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS PAGE, YOU DO SEE IT'S 2045 POPULATION DENSITY IN TOTAL JOBS.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE NOW WITH THE PROJECT ITSELF.

IT IS A JOB CAREER.

WE HAVE THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT DOLLARS HERE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD FROM.

THESE ARE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES AS WE GO FORWARD.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO NOTE THAT AS WE KEEP MOVING AND AS WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THIS FIRST PHASE, I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PRIORITY EXTENSIONS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION.

AND YOU'LL SEE THOSE HERE TO THE RIGHT WITH EXTENSIONS TO THE AIRPORT AND TO CRESTVIEW.

UH, THAT CAME DIRECTLY FROM OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.

WE HEARD TIME AND AGAIN, FEEDBACK THAT THESE ARE CRITICAL CONNECTIONS AND DESTINATIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO REACH.

AND SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THESE AS OPPORTUNITIES, UH, TO ALSO INTEGRATE WITH OTHER REGIONAL PLAN PROJECTS.

AND AT THE CRESTVIEW EXTENSION PARTNERING WITH CAP METRO, UM, TO REALLY SEE THE, THE GREATEST BENEFIT OF THE RED LINE GRADE SEPARATION THAT CAP METRO IS PLANNING.

AND TO SEE THE, THE BENEFITS OF INTEGRATING WITH THE AIRPORT'S EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN CREATING A SEAMLESS CONNECTION FOR OUR RIDER AND, AND FOR ALL OF OUR, UM, TRAVELERS TO CONNECT BETWEEN THE LIGHT RAIL AND THEIR AIR TRIPS AS AS EASILY.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST CONVENIENTLY AS POSSIBLE, THESE PRIORITY EXTENSIONS ALSO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES IN ORDER TO POTENTIALLY ACCELERATE THESE AS, UM, EITHER PART OF THE FIRST PHASE WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDS OR OUR FIRST PRIORITY THEREAFTER.

ALL RIGHT, CHLOE, COULD YOU MOVE US SWAN PAGE AND COURTNEY, OH, THAT'S, WAIT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OVER TIME.

WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT TODAY IN PUBLIC COMMENT.

THIS IS REALLY TO GIVE A HIGH LEVEL WHAT HAPPENED AND, AND WHAT WERE THE TOTAL OUTCOMES.

SO YES,

[00:45:01]

UM, WE INTERACTED WITH OVER 8,000 PEOPLE OVER THE SIX WEEK PERIOD.

WE HAD OVER 90 DIFFERENT MEETINGS AND EVENTS THAT WE ATTENDED.