[00:00:02]
AT A QUORUM OR SHOULD, ARE WE WAITING FOR ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, THEN
[I. Call to Order]
I WILL CALL THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING IN ON FRIDAY, JUNE 2ND OF THE CAPITAL METRO, UH, METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT 1 35.WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING THE ORDER AND SEE IF THERE
[II. Public Comment]
IS ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS.PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
HAVE I MISSED ANYTHING? JUST MISSED JUST MR. MCCANN'S NAME.
WELL, I, I AM, I TRUST THAT HE'S GONNA INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
I'LL TAKE A LOT LESS TIME THAN THAT.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT FORWARD.
WE ARE AN AUSTIN 5 0 1 C THREE WITH A MISSION TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE OUR FELLOW AUSTINITES ABOUT TRANSIT AS A WHOLE WITH A REAL FOCUS ON PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, WE CIRCULATED A LETTER, I BELIEVE I SENT IT TO Y'ALL'S FOLKS, AND HOPEFULLY THEY GOT IT TO YOU.
JUST SUPPORTING THE LIGHT RAIL PROPOSAL PUT FORTH TO YOU BY ATP.
UH, AND WE HAVE A, IT WAS SIGNED BY 26 PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS FROM AROUND THE COMMUNITY, VERY WIDE, DEEP, DIVERSE GROUP OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT REALLY WANNA SEE THIS THING PASSED.
AND WE ASK TWO THINGS, AND WE'VE ASKED THE SAME THING OF THE ATP BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE UNIFIED IN THIS SITUATION.
I THINK WE SAW PRETTY RECENTLY, THERE'S SOME OUTSIDE AUSTIN FOLKS THAT REALLY, UM, DON'T WANNA SEE RAIL AND ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR EFFORTS.
SO WE ALL NEED TO BE UNIFIED IF WE REALLY WANNA SEE THIS GET PUT TOGETHER, AND THEN JUST TO VOTE QUICKLY, WHICH Y'ALL ARE DOING TODAY.
AND WE APPRECIATE THAT SO THAT WE CAN ALL PUT OUR SADDLE ON THE HORSE AND GET OUTTA THE STABLE TO GET THAT APPLICATION INTO THE FEDS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH SINCERELY FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS, AND THANKS TO OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS FOR WORKING WITH US AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME UP AND PRESENT.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, UH, THE BOARD AT THIS TIME? ANYONE ELSE? I'LL ASK A THIRD TIME.
ANYONE ELSE? JUST FOR POSTERITY.
UM, ALRIGHT THEN, UH, WE'LL PROCEED WITH OUR SINGLE
[III.1. Approving a resolution adopting modifications to the light rail element of Project Connect and the associated Implementation Sequence Plan by adopting the Austin Light Rail Implementation Plan]
ACTION ITEM TODAY.AND, UH, THAT IS A, A, THE, UM, EVALUATION AND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM ATP.
WOULD YOU ALL LIKE TO COME FORWARD, KICK US OFF, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE A CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAP METRO COLLEAGUES, UM, A BOARD AS WELL TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE.
AND I GUESS, UH, FOR THE BOARD, WE ARE ALSO POSTED FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SHOULD WE DECIDE THERE ARE ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS OR ANYTHING THAT WE NEED ADVICE FROM OUR LAWYER ABOUT? SO WE ARE POSTED FOR IT.
IT'S NOT NECESSARY UNLESS THERE ARE QUESTIONS.
ALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES, PLEASE TAKE IT AWAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US.
I AM LINDSAY WOOD, THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION WITH A T P.
AND WE ARE SO PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL, A RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS BEEN BUILT ON A, A FOUNDATION OF COLLABORATION AND ANALYSIS ACROSS THE STAFFS OF ALL THREE OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS AT TP CAP METRO AND CITY OF BOSTON.
SO THIS FIRST PHASE, AS YOU CAN SEE IN OUR RECOMMENDATION, EXTENDING FROM 38TH STREET ALONG GUADALUPE COMING DOWN IN A DEDICATED TRANSIT WAY FOR THE LIGHT RAIL, TURNING ON THIRD STREET TO THE EAST, AND THEN TURNING AGAIN TO THE SOUTH ALONG TRINITY TO CROSS LADYBIRD LAKE AND SPLIT INTO TWO LINES.
ONE EXTENDING SOUTH ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS TO UL WHARF AND THE OTHER EXTENDING EAST ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE DIRECT, UH, EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE TO YELLOW JACKET OR JUST THIS SIDE OF FENWAY.
UM, IN THIS OPTION, WE HAVE COVERAGE IN ALL THREE DIRECTIONS THAT LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE EXTENSIONS TO THE NORTH, SOUTH, AND EAST.
WE HAVE CONNECTIONS TO KEY DESTINATIONS
[00:05:01]
THAT PROVIDE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES IN HEALTHCARE.UH, WE HAVE THE MEDICAL DISTRICT EDUCATION WITH UT A C C RIVERSIDE EMPLOYMENT, UH, AT MULTIPLE EMPLOYMENT CENTERS ALONG THE CORRIDOR, INCLUDING MAJOR AREAS, UM, DOWNTOWN AND HOUSING, INCLUDING, UM, HIGH NUMBERS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AND ALL OF THOSE COMBINED PROVIDING ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY ALONG THE CORRIDOR, AND NOT JUST ALONG THE CORRIDOR, BUT THROUGH THE TRANSFER POINTS.
AND, UM, PROVIDING ACCESS WELL BEYOND JUST THE LIMITS OF THE LIGHT RAIL BY CONNECTING TO MULTIMODAL TRANSIT MODES AND REALLY MAXIMIZING OUR, OUR INTEGRATION WITH THE ENTIRE TRANSIT SYSTEM NETWORK.
UM, THIS OPTION INCLUDES ON STREET LIGHT RAIL, UH, REALLY FOR THE, THE MAJORITY OF THE CORRIDOR AND, AND THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WELL, TO MAXIMIZE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND, UM, REALLY VISIBILITY OF THE SYSTEM TO CREATE WHAT, WHAT WE SAY OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A SYSTEM THAT PEOPLE WILL USE AND WANT MORE OF.
SO THIS PROCESS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE STARTED LOOKING AT OPTIONS WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS IN MIND AND ACROSS OUR COLLECTIVE TEAMS, REALLY REVIEWING ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, AND OF COURSE, LISTENING TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THIS RECOMMENDATION BEING INFORMED BY A ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UM, SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE HIGHLIGHTED HERE WITH OVER 90 DIRECT INTERACTION MEETINGS WITH MORE THAN 8,000 PEOPLE, NEARLY 20,000, UH, VIEWS OF OUR VIRTUAL MATERIALS ON OUR WEBSITE, MULTIPLE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE HOSTED AND, AND REALLY EVEN MANY MORE SMALL GROUP CONVERSATIONS BEYOND THAT.
UH, IT WAS AN HONOR TO SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE AT OUR OPEN HOUSE THAT KICKED OFF THIS PROCESS ON MARCH 21ST.
BUT IT WAS ALSO AN HONOR TO SPEAK TO GROUPS OF ONE, TWO, AND THREE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY HAVE A TRUE DIALOGUE AND CONVERSATION TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT MATTERS AND, AND WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE IN LOOKING AT THESE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS HELPED PROVIDE ALIGNMENT, UH, FROM THE MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WE SPOKE TO THAT SUPPORT THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UH, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE SEVERAL HERE HIGHLIGHTED, AND I WANT TO ESPECIALLY HIGHLIGHT THE HARD WORK DONE BY OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, BUT ALSO MANY, YOU KNOW, GROUPS AND, AND ORGANIZED INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY THAT COMMITTED THEIR OWN TIME AND RESOURCES TO DIG IN WITH US.
THEY ASKED US HARD QUESTIONS AND MADE US THINK ABOUT THINGS AND, UH, IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND, AND WE WERE ALL BETTER FOR THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS, UNDERSTANDING, UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES THAT MATTER TO PEOPLE.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK JEN'S GONNA WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THE PLANNING DATA, SUPPORTING THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND SO I'LL, I'LL START OUT TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THAT KEY MISSION FOR THIS PROJECT TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES, BE IT FOR JOBS, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION.
UM, SO CERTAINLY TO THINK ABOUT THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT RIDERSHIP OVERALL, BUT ALSO THE COMPOSITION OF THAT RIDERSHIP AND WHO WE'D BE SERVING, WHERE WE WOULD BE CONNECTING, UM, WITH THIS RECOMMENDED, UH, PROJECT, WE ARE LOOKING TO SERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'RE LOOKING TO SERVE PLACES THAT ARE LOWER INCOME TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SERVING PEOPLE WHO ARE USING TRANSIT NOW, BUT ALSO WHO WOULD NEED USE AND, AND REALLY BENEFIT FROM IMPROVED TRANSIT CONNECTIONS.
UM, IN PUTTING TOGETHER THIS RECOMMENDATION, ONE OF THE PRINCIPLES WE WERE THINKING ABOUT WAS THAT OF, UH, SERVING AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY, UH, UNDER INVESTED ALONG THE CORRIDORS.
AND WE THINK THAT THIS, UH, RECOMMENDED PROJECT, UM, DOES THAT IN TERMS OF CONNECTING SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITIES WITH JOBS AND, UH, OTHER DESTINATIONS THROUGHOUT AUSTIN.
UH, THAT, UM, IN THINKING ABOUT THAT PRINCIPLE, UM, WE WERE AWARE OF CERTAINLY THE, UH, JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT THAT HIGHLIGHTS OUTCOMES FOR PRIORITY POPULATIONS.
UM, BUT ALSO IN THE COMMUNITY INPUT WE HEARD ALL THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, IT REALLY AMPLIFIED THAT, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE, UM, A KEY CONSIDERATION, UH, FOR THIS TRANSIT INVESTMENT.
SOME IMPORTANT METRICS TO OUR OVERALL POPULATION DENSITY AND THE DENSITY OF EMPLOYMENT.
AND FOR THAT WE LOOKED NOT ONLY AT
[00:10:01]
CURRENT CONDITIONS, BUT WHAT'S FORECAST IN THE FUTURE.UM, AND SO WITH THIS PROJECT, WE WOULD BE CONNECTING REALLY CORE AND KEY AREAS AS FAR AS JOB CENTERS WITH, UM, THE HIGHEST POPULATION DENSITIES IN TOWN, BUT ALSO LINKING THOSE AREAS TOGETHER WITH NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AS INVESTED IN THE PAST.
SO I THINK LINDSEY REFERENCED THIS A LI A LITTLE BIT ALREADY, BUT ANOTHER IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE, UM, IN THINKING THROUGH THIS RECOMMENDATION IS HOW LIGHT RAIL, UH, CONNECTS WITH THE EXISTING TRANSIT SYSTEM, BUT ALSO THE FUTURE TRANSIT SYSTEM AND HOW IT ALL WORKS TOGETHER.
UH, KINDA A FEW HIGHLIGHTS ON, UH, THE RECOMMENDED PROJECT.
UH, IT WOULD PROVIDE, UH, A GOOD CONNECTION WITH THE RED LINE AND THE FUTURE GREEN LINE AT THE DOWNTOWN STATION, AND ALSO SOME KEY CONNECTIONS WITH METRO RAPID, INCLUDING NEW SERVICE THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION THAT WOULD CONNECT AT, UH, PLEASANT VALLEY RIVERSIDE.
SO THE EXTENT TO WHICH THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF LIGHT RAIL AND THE WAY IT CONNECTS WITH THE, UH, OVERALL TRANSIT NETWORK, THAT IT'S SEAMLESS, THAT IT PROVIDES CONVENIENT TRANSFERS AND CONNECTIONS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF HOW WE BELIEVE THIS PROJECT IS, UH, PURSUES THE MODE SHIFT GOALS IN THE A S M P, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE HIGHER FREQUENCY, MORE OPTIONS, UH, AND AS MUCH COVERAGE AS POSSIBLE.
ANDY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD A FEW COMMENTS TO THAT BEFORE WE GO? GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR CIVILIAN.
I'M CAPTAIN METRO BOARD MEMBER CEO WATKINS.
I'M CHIEF OPERATOR OFFICER AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT HERE AT CAP METRO.
A COUPLE POINTS RELATED TO THE DECISION ON WHAT RIVER CROSSING WE WERE GONNA MOVE FORWARD, UM, AS THE TRI-PARTY, UM, TEAM WORKED THROUGH THE, UM, OF WHAT WHAT WE WERE GONNA PRESENT FORWARD, IT REALLY DID COME DOWN TO THREE MAIN CHOICES.
UM, ONE BEING FIRST STREET ELEVATED UP UNTIL SEVENTH STREET HEADING UP GUADALUPE.
THE SECOND CHOICE WOULD BE FIRST STREET AT GRADE AT, UM, GOING AGAIN UP GUADALUPE.
AND THEN THE THIRD CHOICE WOULD BE, UM, COURSE RIVER AT TRINITY IN WHICH FACILITATES THE NEED TO THEN GO EAST ALONG DUR STREET AND THEN EVENTUALLY HEAD UP NORTH OF GUADALUPE.
UM, TAKE, LET'S TAKE EACH OPTION, UM, AND HAVE, YOU CAN GIVE YOU SOME BRIEF DETAILS ON EACH ELEVATED.
THE FIRST STREET CROSSING OF GUADALUPE WAS REALLY DEVELOPED AS AN ELEVATED, I MEAN, IT WAS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THAT THE BEST WAY THAT THAT WOULD OPERATE WOULD BE ELEVATED.
UM, AS WE GOT INTO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, IT WAS CLEAR THAT TWO THINGS CAME OUT CLEAR.
ONE IS PEOPLE PREFERRED ACCURATE.
SECOND IS PEOPLE HAD ISSUES GENERALLY WITH ELEVATED AND VISUAL ACCESSIBILITY.
A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CONCERNS CAME OUT IN THE COMMUNITY PROCESS.
AT FIRST STREET, UM, IT PRESENTS TRAFFIC OPERATIONAL CONCERNS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER.
UM, SPECIFIC TO THE CESAR CHAVEZ SIDE, THAT HAS TO BE BY FAR ONE OF THE BUSIEST INTERSECTIONS AND MOST COMPLEX INTERSECTIONS IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
UM, IT'S GOT SIGNIFICANT VOLUMES ALREADY.
AND INTRODUCING A LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE EVERY TWO TO THREE MINUTES IN EITHER DIRECTION WOULD ONLY COMPLICATE THAT EVEN MORE.
PROBABLY IT WOULD SLOW THAT INTERSECTION DOWN, THAT'S ALREADY A PINCH POINT AND CAUSE MORE OPERATIONAL ISSUES.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE THE, THE ISSUES, RELIABILITY OF THE SERVICE.
I MEAN, SERVICE HAS TO BE RELIABLE IF THE SERVICE RELI, WE TAKE IT.
AND, AND SO, UM, RIDERSHIP IS CONNECTED TO RELIABILITY AND SO THAT WAS A MAJOR CONCERN.
AND ONE OTHER THING IS RESILIENCY.
IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPEN IN ANY OF THE MODES FROM BUSES, WHICH USE THE FIRST STREET BRIDGE A LOT CARS, ORDER TRAIN, THE IMPACT THAT A WHOLE TRAFFIC NETWORK, IT WOULD BE PRETTY BAD.
IT'S VERY IMPACTFUL BECAUSE OF THE USE OF THAT INTERSECTION.
UM, NOW IF YOU LOOK ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF RIVER, WE HAVE VERY SIMILAR CONCERNS, NOT AS, NOT AS BAD AS CAESAR CHAVEZ, UH, MAKING A COMING ACROSS FIRST STREET AND MAKING THAT LEFT ONTO THE RIVERSIDE.
UM, NOT ONLY DO YOU, ARE YOU MIXING NUMBER OF DIFFERENT MODES AND THERE'S A LOT OF VOLUME THERE, BUT ALSO A LOT, UM, THERE'S CONFLICTING MOVES BETWEEN THE LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE AND BUSES.
AND THAT ITSELF SLOWS THE SYSTEM DOWN AND ADDS COMPLEXITY TO IT.
NOW LET'S LOOK AT THE TRINITY CROSSING.
UM, FIRST OFF, IT CONNECTS BOTH TO THE RED LINE AND THE FUTURE GREEN LINE.
IT'S GOT MORE STATIONS TO, UM, ONE MORE STATION, I SHOULD SAY, TO CONNECT TO THE EXISTING TRANSIT NETWORK.
AND YES, THE CURVES DO PRESENT A CHALLENGE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA ATTEMPT TO MITIGATE THEM AS BEST WE CAN.
AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS, WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM, WE'RE GONNA LEAN INTO TECHNOLOGY, UM, USE OF ADVANCED SIGNALIZATION SYSTEM, LIKE COMMUNICATION BASED TRAINING CONTROL, UM, BACON SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS FROM THE START.
UM, LIKE THE USE OF THINGS LIKE Z CROSSINGS, WHICH YOU'LL, YOU UNDERSTAND HUMAN FACTORS IN THE DESIGN, UNDERSTAND PEDESTRIAN FLOW, UM, ALSO LOOK AT THE, USING THE LATEST AVAILABLE RAIL TECHNOLOGIES WE CAN, UH, LONGER TRAINS DESIGNED TO BE, BE A LITTLE BIT, HAVE A LITTLE BIT BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE,
[00:15:01]
ESPECIALLY GOING THROUGH CURVES.AND SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT THE TEAM WILL TAKE A LOOK AT AND MAKE SURE WE, WE WORK HARD TO BAKE INTO THE DESIGN AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND ALSO AS PART OF THE TRI-PARTY RELATIONSHIP, MAXIMIZE SIGNALIZATION TECHNOLOGY AND USE IT TO ENHANCE ALL MODES, GET AS BEST TRANSIT FRIENDLY SIGNAL TIMING AS WE CAN FOR BOTH BUSES AND TRAINS.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO JEN.
ALL RIGHT, SO I THINK WE'VE COVERED THE, THE FIRST PHASE AREA FROM 38TH TO OLD WHARF TO YELLOW JACKET, UH, AND, AND THE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF THAT INITIAL PROJECT.
ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS PRIORITY EXTENSIONS HERE FROM 38TH TO CRISPS VIEW, AS WELL AS FROM YELLOW JACKET TO THE AIRPORT.
THESE PRIORITY EXTENSIONS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BASED ON CONTINUED OR RECURRING THEMES OF COMMUNITY INPUT IN AREAS THAT, UH, MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY NOTED WERE IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES TO INTEGRATE WITH OTHER REGIONAL PLANNED PROJECTS SUCH AS THE, UH, REDLINE GRADE SEPARATION AT CRESTVIEW, THAT CAPITAL METRO IS SEEKING ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, CONSTRUCTION IN THE FUTURE.
AND THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
UH, THESE OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE US THE, THE CHANCE TO REALLY INTEGRATE THE LIGHT RAIL WITH THOSE OTHER PROJECTS TO THE BEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.
AND THEY ALSO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO POTENTIALLY LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE THESE EXTENSIONS, UM, TO, TO BE COMPLETED SOONER.
UH, WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS HERE TODAY, AND THEN WE'LL BE, UH, MEETING AT THE JOINT PARTNERSHIP MEETING NEXT TUESDAY AS, AS THE FINAL ELEMENT OF REVIEWING THIS LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
AND WITH THAT, UH, WE ARE, ARE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION BOARD MEMBERS, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, VICE CHAIR POOL, I'LL JUST SAY THANKS.
UM, THE PRESENTATION YESTERDAY AND THIS ONE TODAY, UM, REALLY GOOD WORK ON BEHALF OF STAFF SITTING HERE AND ALL THE STAFF WHO HAVE SUPPORTED YOU ALL.
UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD AND, UH, I'M, THIS ISN'T A VALEDICTORY BECAUSE WE, WE ARE AT THE VERY BEGINNINGS, BUT, UM, IT, IT IS A MOMENT AND, UM, MY THANKS TO THE CHAIR OF THIS BOARD FOR HIS EFFORTS LEADING THIS BOARD AND TO OUR CEO AND PRESIDENT, MS. WATKINS, AND TO OUR FRIENDS WITH ATP AND ALSO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY STAFF AND FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, REALLY A LOT OF WORK.
UM, I'M, I'M JUST EXCITED AND ANXIOUS TO, TO KEEP PUSHING THIS FORWARD AND, UM, DO SOME APPROVAL WORK ON THIS RESOLUTION BOARD MEMBER.
YEAH, I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE HOW MUCH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT YOU ALL HAVE DONE WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS, HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPENT THE RESEARCH, THE QUESTIONS, THE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, THE FOLLOW-UP MEETINGS, UM, A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF HARD WORK, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND I THINK YOU ALL PUT ON, UH, YOUR HATS AND SHOULD WALK VERY, YOU KNOW, PROUDLY.
UM, IT'S NOT EASY TO DELIVER, NOT SO GREAT NEWS TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALL RECOGNIZE THAT AND APPRECIATE THAT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL TRIED TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU COULD THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING I'LL JUST ADD IS WHEN WE, THIS BOARD WAS FACED WITH THIS DECISION WE HAD, UH, EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS, WE HAD PETER ROGOFF COME FROM SEATTLE TO GIVE US SOME HELPFUL ADVICE OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
AND HE SAID, YOU SHOULD REALLY LOOK FOR A ROUTE IN THAT FIRST PHASE THAT PUTS THE PASSENGER FIRST AND THAT MAXIMIZES FEDERAL FUNDING.
UM, AND THAT IT'S A SAFE AND RELIABLE ROUTE.
AND I THINK THIS ROUTE DOES THAT.
AND SO IF LOOKING THROUGH THAT LENS, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT SOMETHING I CARE A LOT ABOUT, AND I KNOW THIS BOARD DOES TOO, IS ARE WE REALLY SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR THAT FEDERAL FUNDING AND FOR THOSE MATCHING FUNDS? AND I WOULD JUST LOVE TO HEAR JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY EVALUATE AND, AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AND HOW WE HAVE CHECKED
[00:20:01]
THE BOX ON THIS.UM, JUST WHEREVER YOU WANNA START WITH THAT.
I CAN, I CAN START THE RESPONSE TO THAT.
UM, SO FOR, TO BE EVALUATED FOR NEW STARTS FUNDING, UM, BY THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, IT'S A FAIRLY PRESCRIBED PROCESS AND, AND WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
AND ABOUT HALF OF THE EVALUATION HAS TO DO WITH THE LOCAL FUNDING COMMITMENT.
AND THE OTHER SIDE IS THE EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT, AND THAT'S ABOUT 50% OF THE RATING.
UH, WITHIN THAT 50%, THERE ARE SIX PRIMARY AREAS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT.
UM, AND, UH, IT, IT, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S ALL LAID OUT, UM, IN GUIDANCE FROM FTA, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT AND HOW THEY LOOK AT IT.
UH, BUT IN GENERAL, UM, THEY ARE LOOKING AT, UM, RIDERSHIP, THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UM, WHERE YOU'RE CONNECTING TO.
UM, THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UM, OUR MODELING RESULTS AND, UM, KINDA WHAT THE NEW PROJECT WOULD ACCOMPLISH AS FAR AS ATTRACTING NEW RIDERS TO TRANSIT AND ATTRACTING RIDERS OVERALL.
UM, IT'S ALSO LOOKING AT THE LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECE.
UM, AND THERE THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS THEY LOOK AT, LIKE PARKING POLICIES AND, UM, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MARKET.
AND SOME OF THOSE ARE QUALITATIVE, BUT ALSO, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE LOCAL JURISDICTION AS FAR AS LAND USE POLICIES, UM, AND WHAT THEY DO TO SUPPORT TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE LAND USE DEVELOPMENT, UH, IN THE VICINITY OF STATIONS PRIMARILY.
I'LL JUST SAY A QUICK ROUND OF THANKS.
UM, ONE OF THESE PICTURES EXCITEDLY IS ACTUALLY FROM SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
WE HAD ATP OUT FOR A COMMUNITY FAIR, AND SO I KNOW IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS ALL OVER TOWN TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THIS PLAN AND SEE THEMSELVES EVENTUALLY, UM, BEING ABLE TO TAP INTO THIS SYSTEM AND BECOME TRANSIT RIDERS.
AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND JUST APPRECIATE HOW MUCH Y'ALL WERE ABLE TO DIG INTO THE DETAILS WITH US.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I'M SURE YOU'VE PROBABLY ANSWERED A MILLION QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS WILLING TO STEP UP AND MAKE SURE WE HAD THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING, UM, GOOD DECISION MAKING FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA BE USING THIS SYSTEM IN THE FUTURE.
SO THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBER ROSS, ANY, ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? BOARD MEMBER HARRIS? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, SIR.
I'M, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A LIGHTNING DELAY OUT HERE.
MUSIC'S KIND OF RUNNING, UH, A LITTLE LOUD AND I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME.
UH, ONE IS I DID WANT TO ECHO, UH, THE PRIOR COMMENTS ABOUT EVERYBODY'S EFFORTS TO MAKE, UH, UH, ADMITTEDLY, UM, I HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE ONES BEEN THE MOST SKEPTICAL ABOUT AT GRADE RAIL, UM, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
UH, AND MY VOTE TODAY IS REALLY MORE FOR A VOTE, UH, APPROVAL OF THE ROUTE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN, UH, LOOK A LITTLE HARDER AT WASTE AS, THE BEST WAY I COULD PHRASE IT IS TO STRETCH THE SYSTEM, ALBEIT BY TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE RIGHT OF WAY TAKES BY, UH, UH, MINIMIZING, POSSIBLY MINIMIZING TRAIN LENGTH, YOU KNOW, TO WHICH MIGHT SHORTEN THE LENGTH OF THE STATION, ET CETERA.
SO REALLY WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP.
UH, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE, I'M HOPING THERE'LL BE SOME OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR INPUT AS WE GO FORWARD.
UH, CUZ I DO THINK WE'VE GOT SOME CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF, UH, NOT ONLY FINANCING, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY, WE WE ALREADY DEALT WITH, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DEAL WITH WHILE THE LEGISLATURE WAS IN SESSION, BUT JUST ALSO RIGHT AWAY TO TAKE AND HOW LONG THAT'S GONNA TAKE.
AND THEN ALSO THE, UH, TAKING A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, EXTENSIONS TO BOTH TO THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH AND POSSIBLY EVEN OUT TO THE AIRPORT.
UH, SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT MY APPROVAL TODAY IS REALLY MORE ABOUT THE ROUTE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
AND ALSO TOO, IS IT A VALIDATION OF THE OVERALL PROJECT CONNECT VISION? UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK SOMETIMES THE, THE LIGHT RAIL TENDS TO DOMINATE THE PROJECT CONNECT, UH, DISCUSSION BOTH PRO AND CON.
AND AS A RESULT WE KIND OF FORGET THAT IT ALSO INCLUDES BUS RAPID TRANSIT, UH, AND OTHER ELEMENTS THAT ARE REALLY GONNA PUSH THE SYSTEM OUT TO WHERE OUR CUSTOMER, YOU KNOW, OUR CUSTOMER BASE IS GONNA BE.
SO, UH, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR EFFORTS TODAY, AND I HOPE THEY CONTINUE TO ENGAGE US AS, UH, THE PROCESS STARTS TO MOVE FORWARD.
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THANK YOU.AND, AND, AND I'LL JUST SAY, UH, THAT, UM, A LOT OF IMPRESSIVE WORK HAS BEEN DONE AND IN MANY WAYS THIS IS LIKE A MARRIAGE.
WE'VE KIND OF, WE'RE GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
UH, WE ARE, ARE BUILDING, UH, A CULTURE TOGETHER.
UH, HOW IS IT THAT WE DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY, UH, TO, UH, TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE CONDUCT THE PROJECT IN A WAY THAT WE MAXIMIZE THE TRUST THAT THE PUBLIC HAS FOR US, THAT THEY CAN SEE US WORK, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND, UH, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO CONNECT THE EXISTING SYSTEM.
I THINK GAP METRO HAS DONE A, A WONDERFUL JOB TRYING TO DO WORK ON PROJECTS IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT.
WHETHER WE TALK ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PICKUP ZONE ON DESAR ROAD, UH, THE PARK AND RIDE AT THE EXPO CENTER, HOW WE CONNECT PLEASANT VALLEY, HOW WE CONNECT DOVE SPRINGS, A LOT OF THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT, THAT, UH, WERE CONSIDERED UNDERSERVED.
I, I THINK THAT NOW THAT A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT HAS BEEN MADE, 18 PROJECTS OVER 25 MILLION, HOW DO WE CONNECT THOSE PROJECTS TO EACH OTHER? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AFTER THE INTEREST OF TRANSIT DEPENDENT RIDERS, BUT CHOICE RIDERS AS WELL? SO, UM, I, I THINK THAT, UM, THE FACT THAT WE ARE SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER, UH, EACH OTHER REASONING TOGETHER, FIGURING OUT HOW WE GO FORWARD IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT.
I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE PARTNERS HERE AND WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
HOW WE BUILD ACCESS, WHETHER I'M GOING TO THE, TO MY JOB, WHETHER I'M GOING TO THE DOCTOR, WHETHER I'M GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE, MAYBE EVEN GOING TO SEE MY KID PLAY AT A YOUTH FOOTBALL GAME.
HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE USE THIS AS A TOOL TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES IN WAYS, UH, THAT THEY AREN'T CONNECTED TODAY? SO IT IS A DAUNTING TASK AND WE HAVE GOT A NUMBER OF, OF PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE UP TO THAT TASK.
AND AS WE BUILD A CULTURE OF COOPERATION AND TRANSPARENCY, HOPEFULLY WHAT WE WILL SEE IS A, A COMMUNITY CONTINUING TO EMBRACE AND WANTING MORE.
SO, UM, I'M, I AM, UH, PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE TEAM, UH, THAT IS, THAT IS WORKING TO BUILD THAT CULTURE.
SO, UM, SO I'M BAPTIST AND I CAN TALK FOR A LONG TIME, UM, BUT IT'S FRIDAY AND, AND I'M GONNA TRY NOT TO DO THAT.
I'M GONNA ASK WHETHER THERE IS ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AMONG MY COLLEAGUES.
SO IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION AMONG THE COLLEAGUES, UH, I WILL CALL UP ACTION ITEM ONE.
UM, LET ME READ IT INTO THE RECORD AND THEN WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION.
UM, I WAS, I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE, MAKE THE MOTION.
I'LL READ IT IN THE INTERVIEW.
UH, AND ACTION ITEM ONE IS APPROVING A RESOLUTION ADOPTING MODIFICATIONS TO THE LIGHT RAIL ELEMENT OF PROJECT CONNECT AND THE ASSOCIATED IMPLEMENTATION SEQUENCE PLAN BY ADOPTING THE LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
AND THE VICE CHAIR POOL HAS MADE THE MOTION.
AND THERE IS A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER ELLIS.
ALRIGHT, NOW IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, LET'S TAKE A VOICE VOTE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TWO VOTES THAT ARE HERE ELECTRONICALLY.
SO, UM, I WILL START WITH VICE CHAIR POOL.
I WOULD EXPECT THE MAKER OF THE MOTION TO SAY YES.
AYE, UH, BOARD MEMBER ELLIS? YES.
UH, GIVEN THE FACT IT'S BEEN MOVED PROPERLY SECONDED AND VOTE AND VOTED ON BY VOICE VOTE, UH, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS WITH A YES.
SO, UH, ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE HAS BEEN APPROVED.
NOW IS THERE, LET'S SEE, UH, THERE, I GUESS THERE, THERE IS NO NEED FOR ANY FURTHER EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, UH, IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN, UH, THE, UM, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TODAY, AND WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED AT 2 0 5, OKAY.
[00:30:27]
AT TWO 15.UH, WE WILL RECON RECONVENE THE MEETING.
UH, IT'S FEBRUARY, UH, FEBRUARY
I, THE, UH, CAPTAIN METRO, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, WE HAVE BEEN JOINED, UM, BY, UH, BOARD MEMBER ERIC STRATTON.
AND, UH, WE ARE, UH, GOING TO ALLOW HIM TO OFFICIALLY, UH, MAKE COMMENTS AND JOIN THE RECORD VOTE.
UH, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON, MR. CHAIRMAN, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO YOU, TO MY DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES, TO THE AMAZING STAFF.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR FLEXIBILITY.
I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE ON TIME, BUT, UM, I, MY, MY OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MY REGULAR DAYTIME JOBY JOB UP IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, UH, PRECLUDED ME.
THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT SOMETIMES HAPPENS WHEN THE, UM, SCANTRON MACHINE GETS STUCK AND YOU, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR GRADES IN ON TIME.
SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, STUDENTS GET A LITTLE BIT ANTSY WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK IF THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR GRADES IN.
SO, UM, I WAS, I JUST KEPT THINKING, OKAY, I'LL GET DOWN THERE AND IT'LL BE THE MIDDLE OF THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE STILL GONNA BE HEARING WHAT'S GOING ON.
THERE'S GONNA BE SOME PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND FEEDBACK, BUT I GUESS WHEN WE HAVE HAD OVER 7,500, 9,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UNIQUE VISITS AND POPULATION, UH, CONNECTIONS, THANKS TO THE AMAZING TEAM FROM ATP'S COMMUNICATIONS GROUP WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH CAP METRO IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHEN WE HAVE HAD EVEN JUST RECENTLY A LETTER WITH DANG NEAR 30 ORGANIZATIONS, UH, COM COMMENT ON THE, THE PROPOSED PLAN.
AND WE'VE HAD OTHER FEEDBACK FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
I THINK PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY WHO HAD ANYTHING TO SAY OR CARED ABOUT IT HAS SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
UH, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I DID NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO GO ON RECORD TOO.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR OPENING UP FOR A COUPLE EXTRA MINUTES.
LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO DO THIS AND, AND BE ABLE TO, TO GET SOMETHING ON RECORD.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG AND DIFFICULT AND ARDUOUS PROCESS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN IN FAVOR OF FROM THE GET GO AS, AS, AS SUPPORTING PROJECT CONNECT.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT IS, THAT IS TRULY TRANSFORMATIONAL.
IT IS, IT'S REALLY THE NEXT STEP FOR FOLKS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY THAT HAVE BEEN SO, UH, ADAMANT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LET, LET'S TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN CONNECTING AND MAKING THIS MEANINGFUL TRANSIT, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR THE ENTIRE REGION, UH, AND ENSURING THAT WE CAN CONNECT PEOPLE TO WHERE THEY LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
AND IF I MAY ADD, YOU KNOW, WHEN, EVEN IF YOU NEVER USE THIS SYSTEM, WHEN YOU GET OTHER PEOPLE OFF THE ROADS, YOU MAKE COMMUTES EASIER FOR YOU IF YOU DON'T USE THE SYSTEM BECAUSE IT TAKES CARS OFF THE ROAD THAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE CLOGGING THE ROADS.
AND SO IT IS A WIN WIN SYSTEM FOR EVERYBODY.
AND I REALIZE THAT WE HAD SOME, WE HAD SOME HICCUPS IN THERE.
WE, THINGS THAT WE COULD NOT PER PERCEIVE THAT WERE GONNA HAPPEN.
I MEAN, THAT THE, THE WHOLE, UH, ALL THE THINGS THAT CAME, THAT WENT ALONG WITH COVID, ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, INFLATION THAT WAS JUST THROUGH THE ROOF, UH, EMPLOYMENT, UH, EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS AND, AND SUCH.
NONE OF THESE THINGS DID WE POSSIBLY IMAGINE WERE GONNA DRIVE UP THE COST, NOT TO MENTION SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO DO.
AND ALL THAT PUT TOGETHER, UH, RAPIDLY AND MASSIVELY DREW UP THE COST.
BUT, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN, HOW, UM, SPEAKING ALSO AS A, AS A, UH, PREVIOUS AND THE FIRST MEMBER OF THE A T P BOARD FROM CAP METRO, HOW PROUD I AM AND PLEASED I AM FOR THE AMAZING WORK THAT THE A T P STAFF, CAP METRO STAFF AND CITY STAFF HAVE DONE THROUGH ALL OF THESE CHALLENGES.
AND THEN WITH THE UPS AND DOWNS, WITH THE, THE RECONSIDERATION AND RETOOLING OF, OF OUR, UH, OF OUR, UH, GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE WITH A T P WITH THE CHANGEOVER OVER AT A T P WITH THE CHANGEOVER AT HERE AT CAP METRO.
WHEN, UM, WHEN RANDY CLARK, WHO WAS ONE OF THE VISIONARIES WHO HELPED BRING THIS ABOUT, HE LEFT.
AND THEN WE, WE BROUGHT ON BOARD, UH, AN ELEVATED UP, UH, DOTTIE WATKINS.
AND THEN, UM, WITH, UH, WITH GREG CANAL COMING AND MOVING UP INTO HIS POSITION AND WITH EVERYTHING ELSE GOING AROUND THAT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE, THINGS HAPPENING DOWN UNDER THE BIG PINK DOME AT THE CAPITOL GANG, YOU HAVE DONE JUST YEOMAN'S WORK, SOME INCREDIBLE JOB.
AND I THINK WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US HERE IS STILL TRANSFORMATIONAL, STILL GENERATIONAL, STILL AMAZING.
[00:35:01]
AND I AM SO PROUD OF EVERYBODY AND SO EXCITED TO BE HERE AS PART OF, UH, THIS BOARD AND PART OF THIS TEAM TO, UH, TO SUPPORT THIS.AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO GREAT THINGS.
SO AS I, I'M FOND OF SAYING GANG, UM, LET'S JUST KEEP HAVING FUN AND DOING BIG THINGS AND, AND I THINK THIS IS GONNA TAKE THIS ALONG THAT PATH.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND FOR THE COMMUNITY TOO, FOR ALL OF YOUR FEEDBACK, CONTINUING TO, TO GIVE US GUIDANCE, SHOW US THE WAY AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
THAT WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CONTINUES TO BE SOMETHING THAT WILL DELIVER YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY, AND INTERCONNECT OUR COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT HAS NEVER TRULY BEEN ABLE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN.
SO, UM, BOARD MEMBER, UH, TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH READS, APPROVING A RESOLUTION, ADOPTING MODIFICATIONS TO THE LIGHT RAIL ELEMENT OF PROJECT CONNECT AND THE ASSOCIATED IMPLEMENTATION SEQUENCE PLAN BY ADOPTING THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
UH, THE MOTION WAS MADE BY VICE CHAIR POOL SECONDED, UH, BY BOARD MEMBER ELLIS.
UH, HOW WOULD YOU VOTE ON THE PROPOSITION? CAN CAN I GET AWAY WITH SAYING, HECK YEAH.
WELL, I IMAGINE THAT I COULDN'T STOP YOU FROM SAYING, HECK YEAH,
AND NO, THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION.
ALRIGHT, THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR.
SO LET'S READ INTO THE RECORD, UH, THAT THE BOARD VOTE WAS UNANIMOUS AND THAT, UH, WE, WE ARE HAPPY THAT THAT, UH, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON GOT ALL OF HIS GRADES AND, UH, I HOPE THAT MOST OF THEM WERE GOOD.
SO, UM, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? DO WE NEED TO COVER ANY OTHER ITEMS? ALRIGHT.
HEARING THAT WE HAVE GOT NO OTHER ITEMS AT, WE WILL CALL THE MEETING TO CLOSE AT 2 22 ON JULY, ON JUNE THE SECOND.
IT WAS FEBRUARY A MINUTE AGO, SORRY.