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[CALL TO ORDER]
ARE MEETING AT CITY HALL IN, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS ON NOVEMBER THE 14TH, 2024.IT IS CURRENTLY 1:02 PM AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THIS MEETING OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE.
UM, PRESENT ON THE DAY IS, ARE MYSELF AND COMMITTEE MEMBER, UM, VELA.
AND THEN JOINING US VIRTUALLY IS, UH, IS CHAIR, UH, ELLIS, UH, WHO'S TRAVELING FOR CITY BUSINESS,
[Public Communication: General]
UM, STAFF.I THINK WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT FROM SPEAKERS THIS AFTERNOON.
FIRST PERSON I'D LIKE TO CALL IS RYAN SAUNDERS.
DO I USE THIS, UH, FOR THIS? COOL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
ALRIGHT,
UM, SO MY NAME'S RYAN SAUNDERS.
I LIVE IN THE E CESAR CHAVEZ NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UM, OVER THE LAST UH, FEW MONTHS I'VE BEEN GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, WORKING ON SOME DIFFERENT INITIATIVES.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING A FEW THINGS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMITTEE.
JUST, UM, PUT SOME IDEAS OUT THERE THAT I THINK COULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, SO JUST THE IDEA OF E CHAVEZ STREET, LIKE WHAT ITS INTENTIONS WOULD BE AND, AND THE VISION FROM, YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD AND SPEAKING TO OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS AND WHAT THE VISION COULD BE.
AND THEN, UM, JUST THE, THE NEED FOR A DIFFERENT FEE STRUCTURE AND SET UP FOR, UH, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND GRASSROOTS EVENTS VERSUS LIKE LARGE OUTSIDE CORPORATIONS, LIKE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FORMULA ONE, LIKE BIG PEOPLE COMING IN.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE SMALL SCALE, LIKE GRASSROOTS, LIKE BEING ABLE TO DO NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS, BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND THEN THE IDEA OF PARKLETS.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, AN ALLEY PROJECT THAT I'M WORKING ON WITH ANOTHER, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS.
UM, SO I JUST, I HAVE A PICTURE HERE, JUST, UH, THIS IS A CLEMENT STREET FARMER'S MARKET IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND I'LL MOVE THROUGH THESE PICTURES QUICK BECAUSE I'M JUST MAINLY BRINGING THESE IDEAS IN.
HOPING TO HAVE A, A FURTHER CONVERSATION LATER.
BUT, UM, JUST LOOKING AT EAST OF CHAVE STREET, WE HAVE SUCH A DENSE, UM, RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING, UH, THE STREET THAT COULD BE A SMALL BUSINESS, REALLY STRONG COMMERCIAL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S JUST REALLY HIGH TRAFFIC, HIGH SPEED, LIMITED CROSSWALKS, UM, POOR QUALITY SIDEWALKS.
SO REALLY I THINK THE FIRST STEP TO START BRINGING MORE PEOPLE AND BUILDING MORE OF A BRAND IS TO HAVE A BETTER MECHANISM FOR HOSTING COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THEN THE IDEA OF PARKLETS.
UM, I, I RECENTLY WAS TRYING TO JUST DO A PARKLET DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT OUT THERE JUST HOPEFULLY WITHIN, INTERNALLY WITHIN THE CITY THAT THERE COULD BE A MORE CONSOLIDATED LIKE, UM, APPROACH TO PLACEMAKING AND A MORE DIRECT CONTACT AND PROMOTION FROM THE CITY OUTWARD FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND, AND DO DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS THAT COULD LEAD TO MORE PERMANENT, UM, PROJECTS THAT BUILD THE NEIGHBORHOOD STRONGER.
UM, THIS IS JUST A SKETCH I DID OF AN IDEA USING A PARKLET TO CREATE SOME MICRO RETAIL ON THE STREET.
UM, SINCE WE REALLY HAVE A LOT OF VACANT LOTS AND ABANDONED BUILDINGS AND YOU CAN'T, UM, DO MUCH FOR PUBLIC, I MEAN, PRIVATE LAND.
SO THIS IS A WAY TO USE PUBLIC SPACE TO BRING MORE VIBRANCY TO THE STREET IN THE SHORT TERM.
AND THIS IS ANOTHER, UH, JUST SKETCH OF, UM, IN FRONT OF LAS CONSUELA IS LIKE THE IDEA OF DOING ONE OF THOSE PARKLETS, SEMI-PERMANENT THERE.
THEY HAVE A ABANDONED DRIVEWAY THERE.
I'VE STARTED CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OWNER IN THE PROPERTY OWNER.
UM, THIS IS JUST ALL IDEAS PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
UM, THIS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, FLOWER SHOP BAKERY, LIKE LITTLE MICRO RETAIL THAT COULD BRING FURTHER TRAFFIC TO THE, TO THE SIDEWALKS.
AND THEN THIS IS LIKE, UH, SHOWN AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU COULD DO A REALLY AFFORDABLE PARKLET AND HOW THERE'S A LOT OF PLANS OUT THERE.
SO WHEN I GET TO THE PLACE WHERE I WANNA DO A PARKLAND IN THE CITY, I I, I'M EXPECTING TO RUN INTO EXPECTATIONS OF ENGINEER DRAWINGS, ET CETERA.
I'LL JUST QUICKLY SCROLL THROUGH SO YOU CAN SEE, BUT I KNOW WE RAN OUTTA TIME.
UH, YOU ARE OUTTA TIME, BUT I, I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
IS IT SAUNDERS OR SAUNDERS? UH, SAUNDERS WITH A S YES MA'AM.
I ACTUALLY, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE YOU BRING FORWARD THIS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF COMMUNITY LEVEL EFFORT.
YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THESE ARE ALL IDEAS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, COME ACROSS THE DAUS IN MY SIX YEARS ON THE DAUS AND PROBABLY PRIOR TO.
UM, AND SO I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS, OR I WANNA ASK IF YOU'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SOME OF THE MORE APPROPRIATE, UM, CITY, UH, DEPARTMENTS.
LIKE HAVE YOU BEEN IN TOUCH WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER? COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ, WHOSE DISTRICT THIS IS? SO I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH DIFFERENT
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PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY, AND I AM ACTUALLY MAKING SOME PROGRESS IN SOME OF THESE.I HAVEN'T HAD DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.
I WOULD ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGE YOU TO START THERE.
HE'LL BE YOUR NUMBER ONE ADVOCATE IN MAKING, YOU KNOW, FORWARD PROGRESSION AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING THAT SORT OF DIRECT CONTACT WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WHO'S OVER, YOU KNOW, PLACEMAKING AND THOSE SORTS OF EFFORTS AND SMALL SCALE MICRO RETAIL, AND THEN ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
UM, AND SO I JUST WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THAT YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH THE, WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT START WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
I THINK HE CAN HELP YOU CUT A LOT OF RED TAPE AND REALLY POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN A LOT OF WAYS.
AND I, I, I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR ALLEY PROJECT.
I STARTED AN ALLEY PROJECT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M A CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN, AND WE'RE FULL OF ALLEYS.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMUNITY WE'VE STARTED TO, UH, REVITALIZE AND RESTORE SOME OF THE ALLEYS IN THE COMMUNITY AND ACTIVATE THEM, FRANKLY, FOR COMMUNITY LEVEL ACTIVITIES.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE FOR YOU, IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE DOING SO, TO GET IN TOUCH WITH JOHN LAWLER RIGHT THERE AT THE END.
UM, AS OUR POLICY STRATEGIST FOR THE DISTRICT ONE OFFICE, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM SO WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH YOU FURTHER AT A LATER DATE.
DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SOUNDS GREAT.
CHAIR ELLIS, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SAUNDERS? I DID NOT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'VE SEEN YOUR EMAIL AND WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU AS WELL.
WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT THINGS LIKE BLOCK PARTIES AND LIVING STREETS THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT LATER TODAY.
AND I THINK THIS IS A PHENOMENAL FIT FOR SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
AND I AGREE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ IS A FANTASTIC RESOURCE AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
NO NEED, NO NEED TO BE NERVOUS,
NEXT WE WILL HAVE MARIA BUSANTE.
I WILL, I'LL ACTUALLY, SO CHANGE OF PLANS.
ERIC PATILLO WILL SPEAK FIRST, AND THEN MARIA WILL SPEAK AFTER HIM.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE MAYOR HAS RULES ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE APPROACH THE PODIUM.
IS THAT APPLICABLE FOR COMMITTEES? I CAN'T SAY THAT I KNOW THAT RULES THERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
I'M A ORGANIZER WITH UNITE HERE.
WE ARE THE UNION THAT REPRESENTS WORKERS AT CONCESSION COMPANIES, UH, INSIDE THE AIRPORT AS WELL AS THE HILTON AIRPORT.
WE APPRECIATE THE AIRPORT SUPPORT FOR A LIVING, A REAL LIVING WAGE OF $25 AN HOUR FOR WORKERS INSIDE THE AIRPORT WHO WORK FOR DELAWARE NORTH.
WE'RE ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROPOSED LEASE EXTENSION FOR THE PROSPERA SLASH HILTON AIRPORT, A COMPANY THAT PAYS A LIVING WAGE AND RESPECTS THE WORKERS' RIGHTS.
WE PRIMARILY, WE ARE PRIMARILY HERE TO TODAY, HOWEVER, TO DELIVER THE MESSAGE THAT MANAGEMENT AT THE HYATT PLACE.
AUSTIN AIRPORT HAS A HOTEL ON A FAST TRACK TO A LABOR DISPUTE.
WORKERS AT FOUR CONCESSION COMPANIES AT THE AIRPORT AND THE HOTEL IN FRONT OF THE HYATT PLACE.
THE HILTON AUSTIN AIRPORT ALREADY UNION ALL ARE SUBJECT TO AUSTIN'S LIVING WAGE ORDINANCE.
THE HYATT PLACE HAS BEEN THE ONLY NON-UNION HOLDOUT ON AIRPORT LAND AND DOES NOT PAY WORKERS A LIVING WAGE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY $20 AND 80 CENTS.
ON JULY 10TH, 2024, THE UNION WON AN ELECTION ON THE BARGAINING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WORKERS AT THE HYATT PLACE.
PRIOR TO THE ELECTION, A COMPANY SUPERVISOR DROVE THE COMPANY VAN IN FRONT OF AN OFF PROPERTY VENUE WHERE THE WORKERS WERE HOLDING A UNION MEETING.
SHORTLY BEFORE THE ELECTION WAS HELD, THE COMPANY GAVE EMPLOYEES A RAISE.
AFTER THE ELECTION, THE COMPANY FILED FOUR OBJECTIONS TO CHALLENGE THE CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTION RESULTS.
THE NATIONAL RELATIONS BOARD DISMISSED THREE OF THOSE OBJECTIONS.
THE FOURTH WENT TO A HEARING AND THE NLRB HEARING OFFICER RECOMMENDED THE OBJECTION BE OVERRULED.
AND THE, AND THE RECOMMENDATION EFFECTIVELY DELAYING UNION RECOGNITION.
SIX, AFTER THE ELECTION WAS HELD, A FEW UNION SUPPORTERS WERE GIVEN DISCIPLINE FOR JOB PERFORMANCE ISSUES THAT INCLUDE TWO WORKERS WHO HAD RECENTLY
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FIRED.AND THOSE TERMINATIONS ARE THE SUBJECTS FOR MORE FEDERAL CHARGES WITH THE NATIONAL RELATIONS BOARD.
THIS MAY SOUND LIKE THE REPORT I GAVE LAST TIME, AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT IS, WORKERS ARE UNJUSTLY FIRED AND THE COMPANY REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THE UNION THE COMPANY HAS FILED.
THE LAST THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
ANY QUESTIONS? NOT AT THIS TIME.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER BY? THIS IS MARIA BUS COULD TRANSLATE.
ARE YOU GONNA TRANSLATE? THANK YOU.
I AM A, UM, WORKER AT THE HYATT PLACE, AUSTIN AIRPORT.
I AM ONE OF THE, UM, MAIN, UH, ORGANIZERS INSIDE OF THE HOTEL, AND I AM HERE IN REPRESENTATION OF MY COWORKERS.
UH, ON JULY 10TH, UH, WE WON BY A SUPER MAJORITY.
UM, AND THE COMPANY SINCE THEN HAS BEEN, UM, MAKING THIS A LONG PROCESS, TEDIOUS PROCESS FOR ME AND MY COWORKERS SINCE WE WON, UH, THE ELECTION.
THE COMPANY SINCE THEN HAS MADE, UM, A VERY HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT INSIDE THE WORKPLACE.
AND THE REASON WE THINK THEY'RE DOING THIS IS THAT, UM, SO WE ARE, UM, INTIMIDATED AND ONE BY ONE, UM, BE FIRED OR LET GO.
TO THIS DAY, UH, THERE IS THREE, THREE OF MY COWORKERS HAVE RESIGNED BECAUSE OF THE SAME REASON, THE PRESSURE THAT THE COMPANY IS PUTTING ON US.
UH, I AM HERE TODAY TO, UM, BRING ATTENTION TO THIS SITUATION AND HOPEFULLY, UM, UM, UH, WE COULD GET SOME HELP, UM, OVER AT THE AUSTIN AIRPORT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, ARE THERE OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS TOPIC? OKAY.
WHAT'S THE, THE, THE STATUS, UH, RIGHT NOW? ARE WE STILL JUST WAITING FINAL MANAGEMENT? UH, YES.
SO THE COMPANY, UM, HAS FILED TWO OBJECTIONS TO THE DECISION OF THE NLRB MM-HMM.
SO, UH, THE, THE, THE PENDING RESOLUTION OF THE OBJECTIONS, THEN, UH, THERE WOULD BE EITHER, I GUESS, RECOGNITION OR NOT OF, UH, OF THE BARGAINING UNIT, CORRECT? YES.
UM, SO THE FIRST OBJECTION, UM, THE ONE, THE, THE OFFICER WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO THIS CASE MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE NLRB.
UM, THE COMPANY THEN MADE AN OBJECTION SAYING THAT HIS DECISION WAS ALSO NOT LIKE AN OBJECTION TO HIS DECISION.
UM, NOW THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR, UM, ALSO CAME OUT AND SAID THAT HIS COWORKER'S DECISION WAS THE CORRECT ONE.
SO Y'ALL ARE JUST IN LITIGATION RIGHT NOW OVER THE, UH, THE BARGAINING UNIT
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RECOGNITION? CORRECT.AND JUST, I WAS JUST TELLING THEM THANK YOU AND THAT WE APPRECIATE THEM.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? THAT WAS IT FOR SPEAKERS.
UM, IF I MAY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE, I, IF I MAY, I JUST HAVE A, A QUICK, UH, UH, I KNOW MR. JOHNSON WANTED TO, UH, UH, GET ON, UH, THE AGENDA, BUT, UH, I, I JUST WANTED TO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, UH, A, A PROCLAMATION COMING UP.
THIS IS RELATED TRANSPORTATION WITH REGARD TO THE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF AUSTIN'S BAN ON TEXTING AND DRIVING.
UH, AND, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE FOLKS AWARE, UH, IT WAS A BIG DEAL.
UH, AUSTIN WAS ONE OF THE FIRST, IF NOT THE FIRST CITY IN TEXAS TO, UH, IMPLEMENT THE, THE TEXTING AND DRIVING BAN.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE CELEBRATING THAT, UH, RIGHT BEFORE THE, THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, UH, AND INVITE FOLKS TO, UH, ATTEND, UH, THEIR, I MEAN, UH, 3,500 DEATHS NATIONALLY, UH, THREE OVER 350,000 INJURIES NATIONALLY FOR TEXTING AND DRIVING.
AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND HIGHLIGHT THOSE, UH, EFFORTS.
UH, UH, SIT ON THE CAMPO BOARD.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, HOW PRIMARILY, UM, OUR, UH, ROAD ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES ARE DISTRACTED DRIVING.
UM, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CHAIR? ALL RIGHT.
WE ARE GOING TO, I'M GONNA ANNOUNCE THE ORDER OF THE ITEMS. WE'RE GONNA TAKE UP ITEMS IN THE ORDER OF 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, AND SEVEN.
AND THEN NUMBER EIGHT, KEEP IT SIMPLE.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Mobility Committee meeting of October 17, 2024.]
ITEM NUMBER ONE, WE ARE GONNA ADDRESS THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING.SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND BEGIN BY APPROVING THE MINUTES FOR OUR PREVIOUS, UH, MOBILITY MEETING ON OCTOBER 17TH, 2024.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER AND MOVE APPROVAL, UH, CHAIR ELLIS MOVES APPROVAL SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER VELA.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, A, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S A UNANIMOUS, UM, PASSAGE OF THE MINUTES.
UH, MOVED BY CHAIR ELLIS AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
[2. Discussion and possible action on the Mobility Committee meeting schedule for calendar year 2025.]
OUR CALENDAR.WE'RE GONNA SHIFT TO, UM, CAN Y'ALL BELIEVE THAT WE'RE ROUNDING OUT 2024? IT'S HAPPENING.
SO WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT 2025 AND THE CALENDAR FOR, UM, MOBILITY COMMITTEE FOR, UM, NOVEMBER OR FOR 2025.
UM, CHAIR ELLIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR, UM, ANY PROPOSED DATES, UM, THAT WILL BE CHANGED AFTER, OR BEFORE I READ WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED? I WOULD THANK YOU AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR CHAIRING TODAY FOR ME, SINCE I'M OUTTA YOU BET TOWN.
IT'S A LOT EASIER TO DO IT IN PERSON I KNOW.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UM, I, I MOVE ADOPTION OF THE CALENDAR, UM, WITH SOME EDITS.
ONE IS TO MOVE THE MAY MEETING FROM MAY 29TH TO MAY 15TH.
ONE IS TO MOVE THE OCTOBER MEETING FROM 10 30 TO 10 16, ADDING A DECEMBER MEETING ON DECEMBER 4TH.
AND THEN I WANTED TO ADD AN ASTERISK INTO THE AUGUST MEETING TO SAY THAT IS ONLY GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE IF IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
WE WILL BE JUST COMING OFF OF BUDGET ADOPTION.
AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T MISS ANYTHING IF THERE WERE SOME REALLY TIME SENSITIVE ISSUES TO ADDRESS.
BUT OTHERWISE, WE TRY TO KEEP IT AT 10 A YEAR FOR OUR MEETING SCHEDULE AND THINK THAT THAT AUGUST ONE WOULD ONLY BE OF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, AND LET'S TRY TO AVOID IT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
IN WHICH CASE, THE MOTION IS TO PASS THE CALENDAR WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF THE MAY 29TH, 2025 DATE CHANGING TO FIVE 15, UM, 25 AND AUGUST 21ST, UM, WITH AN ASTERISK AS AN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY MEETING TO TAKE UP ITEMS THAT MAY, UH, COME UP THAT, UH, REQUIRE URGENT ATTENTION.
AND THE, UH, OCTOBER 30TH MEETING, BEING MOVED TO OCTOBER 16TH AND DECEMBER'S MEETING, UM, BEING INTRODUCED AND PROPOSED FOR THE 4TH OF DECEMBER.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION? SECOND, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER VELA.
UM, WITHOUT OBJECTION, UM, CAN WE VOTE ON THE PROPOSED DATES FOR MOBILITY COMMITTEE FOR 2025? ALL IN FAVOR? THAT'S A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR THE PROPOSED DATES WITH THE 1, 2, 3, 4 CHANGES, UM, THAT WE'VE MADE BY WAY OF THE MOTION BROUGHT, UM, TO THE COMMITTEE BY CHAIR ELLIS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
[3. Update from the Urban Transportation Commission (UTC) regarding actions from the November 12, 2024, meeting.]
THREE, AND THAT IS OUR URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE UPDATE.UM, UH, WE WILL HEAR FROM CHAIR, I BELIEVE I OH, YEP.
WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM CHAIR SUMMERS, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO BEGIN YOUR UPDATE AT WILL.
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COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR HAVING ME TODAY.UM, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? GREAT.
SO, UM, UH, COMPARED TO USUAL, WE MET ON TUESDAY, SO IT'S REALLY FRESH IN MY MIND, UH, THIS TIME AROUND, SO THAT'S GREAT.
UM, UH, WE DID HEAR, UM, UH, UH, A PRESENTATION ON, UM, THE, UH, PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE, UM, PARKING ORDINANCE.
SO THIS IS, UM, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH STAFF PROCESS, PARKING A CODE AMENDMENTS TO 12 DASH THREE AND 12 DASH FIVE.
SO WE HEARD, UM, SOME PROPOSALS, UH, THAT STAFF HAS WORKED UP FOR THOSE AMENDMENTS BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM, FROM COUNSEL, UM, AND MEN, MUCH OF IT DEALING WITH ALIGNING, UM, WHAT'S IN CODE TO SORT OF OUR CURRENT DIRECTION ON, ON, UH, STREET PARKING, UH, FARES, UPDATING, UM, THE FEES FOR PARKING VIOLATIONS, THINGS OF LOTS OF THINGS, BUT A LOT OF IT ALSO DEALING WITH SOME OF THE REQUESTED CHANGES TO PARKING AND BIKE LANES, WHICH OF COURSE, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THIS BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT UTC HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND I THINK WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO START TALKING ABOUT, UM, WAYS TO, UM, DISCOURAGE, UM, PARKING IN OUR BIKE LANES, WHICH IS, UH, WHICH OBVIOUSLY A BIG SAFETY VIOLATION, UM, SAFETY PROBLEM, UM, FOR, FOR EVERYBODY IN, IN THE CITY.
UM, AND FIGURING OUT WAYS TO, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITH COMMERCIAL DELIVERIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS TO, TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
SO WE HEARD A PRESENTATION ON THAT AND WE PASSED, UH, A RECOMMENDATION AS WELL, UH, IN LIGHT OF THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I'LL SEE IF I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH, UM, SOME OF THE, UH, BE IT RESOLVED THERE.
AND THIS IS ALREADY ON OUR WEBSITE, SO, UH, THE ATTESTED VERSION, SO YOU CAN CHECK THAT OUT.
BUT, UM, SO, UM, WE, WE SAID THAT WE REALLY THINK THAT, UH, FROM PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING ANY VEHICLE IN THE BIKE LANE CREATES INHERENT SAFETY RISK FOR BICYCLISTS.
THEREBY, WE THINK WE SHOULD REALLY LIMIT EXEMPTIONS TO THE SITUATIONS WHERE A MOTOR MOTOR VEHICLE NEEDS TO PARK IN THE BIKE LANE FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL ROAD USERS, AND LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THOSE EXEMPTIONS TO ENSURE THE WIDESPREAD KNOWLEDGE THAT PARKING IN THE BIKE LANE IS ILLEGAL EXCEPT IN RARE AND BONAFIDE EMERGENCIES.
SO, UM, UH, WE, ONE THING THAT WE WANTED TO SAY, THERE ARE SOME EXEMPTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT VEHICLES THAT CAN PARK IN THE BIKE LANE, UM, FOR PERFORMING SOME TYPE OF REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE.
UH, UTC AGREES THAT IS OKAY, BUT WE AGREE THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, YOU REALLY SHOULD TAKE THE MEASURES TO FORMALLY SHUT DOWN THE BIKE LANE, UM, WHICH ARE OUTLINED IN, IN THE CITY OFFICE, AND THE STANDARDS AND THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL.
SO THIS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE PUTTING OUT CONES TO ALERT PEOPLE IN ADVANCE THAT THE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A BLOCKAGE IN THE LANE, NOT JUST NECESSARILY JUST PARKING THERE WITHOUT, UM, TAKING THAT, UH, STEP TO SHUT THAT DOWN.
UM, WE ALSO ACTUALLY, EXPA RECOMMENDED AN EXPANSION, UM, FROM STAFF LANGUAGE TO EXPAND THAT ANY EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATING ON EMERGENCY CON UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS MAY PARK IN THE BIKE LANE.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDED AN EXEMPTION FOR PARKING IN THE BIKE LANE FOR TEMPORARY TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE DEVICES.
WE RECOMMEND THAT BE REMOVED ENTIRELY.
UM, AND INSTEAD JUST FOLLOW THE SECTION EIGHT OF THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL, WHICH IS THE, THOSE TEMPORARY TRAFFIC CONTROLS.
JUST FOLLOW THAT VERSUS, UM, CREATING A NEW, UH, NEW, NEW WORDING THERE.
UM, WE HAD A BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT VEHICLES TEMPORARILY STOPPED TO COLLECT SOLID WASTE RECYCLING OR YARD DEBRIS.
AND I THINK STAFF, UM, WE ENDED UP NOT PUTTING THAT INTO OUR RECOMMENDATION, UM, ANY CHANGES, BUT I THINK STAFF HEARD OUR, UM, UH, REMARKS ABOUT SOME OF THE CONFUSION OR NUANCE AROUND SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE, WHAT THAT MEANS, LIKE A, LIKE A PRIVATE TRASH COLLECTOR, LIKE SORT OF VERY INTERMITTENT, VERY TEMP, YOU KNOW, VERY TEMPORARY TYPE OF BLOCKAGES WHERE SOMEONE MAY BE PICKING UP TRASH FROM A MULTIFAMILY DUMPSTER IN WEST CAMPUS VERSUS SOMEONE THAT, YOU KNOW, FULLY PARKS THEIR LANDSCAPING VEHICLE IN THE BIKE LANE TO PICK UP SOME DEBRIS AND DO A LOT OF OTHER THINGS FOR HOURS AND HOURS.
KIND OF MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S REALLY CLEAR IN THE LANGUAGE.
SO WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY INCLUDE THAT IN OUR WRECK, BUT WE HAD A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION.
I THINK STAFF HEARD THAT FROM US, UH, PRETTY CLEARLY.
UM, IN THE RECOMMENDATION, YOU'LL ALSO SEE, UM, THAT, UH, AN INOPERABLE VEHICLE SHOULD ONLY PARK IN THE BIKE LANE WHEN THERE ARE NOT TWO OR MORE GENERAL TRAVEL LANES IN THE VEHICLE'S DIRECTION, OR THE VEHICLE ENTERED THE BIKE LANE DUE TO A CRASH AND WAS UNABLE TO EXIT.
UM, THAT WAS, UH, LIKE, YOU KNOW, A SUGGESTION IN THE STAFF LANGUAGE THAT SAID, IF A VEHICLE IS RENDERED IN OPERABLE FOR A SPECIFIC TIMEFRAME, THEY COULD PARK IN THE BIKE LANE TO CLEAR THE LANE.
WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED AS WELL, UM, IF POSSIBLE, IF THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS.
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WE ALSO, UH, SUGGESTED THAT SAYS, UH, THAT, UM, THE STAFF LANGUAGE SAYS THAT BARK PARKING THE BIKE LANE COULD BE ALLOWED FOR OTHER AUTHORIZED USAGE MARKED BY REGULATORY SIGNAGE WHERE PARKING IS PERMISSIBLE, SUCH AS EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD AND AGREEMENTS.WE ALL AGREE THAT PARKING IN THE BIKE LANE, I THINK, UM, IS A SAFETY ISSUE.
AND UTCS RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THIS WOULD BE ALTERED TO SORT OF SUNSET THOSE TYPES OF AGREEMENTS.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE USED TO THOSE, BUT LIKE, REALLY THAT SHOULD BE LOOKING SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PHASING OUT THAT WHERE, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN LOCALIZED AGREEMENTS TO ALLOW FOLKS TO PARK IN THE BIKE LANE.
AND WE SUGGESTED THAT THE SUNSET PROVISION BE ADDED TO, UH, ELIMINATE THAT EXCEPTION STARTING JANUARY 1ST, 2028, ALLOWING TPW THE TIME TO FIX LEGACY BIKE LANE ISSUES.
UM, WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT, UM, WE ALTER THE SECTION 12 5 12 DASH FIVE DASH 56 TO ALLOW FOR, UH, CITATIONS FOR PARKING VIOLATIONS TO BE SENT VIA MAIL, MIRRORING EXISTING STATUTE STATUTE IN 12 DASH ONE DASH 63, WHICH ALLOWS CITATIONS TO BE SENT WITHIN MO MAIL TO THE OWNER'S, ADDRESSES RECORD ON THE OWNER'S ADDRESS FOR THEIR REGISTERED VEHICLE, UM, OR SHOWN ON THE MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION ON FOR IF AN OUT OF STATE AGENCY AS WELL.
UM, FINALLY OUR LAST BE IT RESOLVED, WE RECOMMEND THAT, UM, WE EXPAND, UM, THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE LOADING PERMIT PROGRAM AND SIMPLIFY THE REQUIREMENT, UM, TO CLEARLY INDICATE THAT IT IS, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PREFERENCE THAT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES BLOCK GENERAL TRAVEL LANES, NOT BIKE LANES OR SIDEWALKS WHEN TWO OR MORE GENERAL TRAVEL LANES ON ONE DIRECTION ARE AVAILABLE.
SO, SIMPLIFICATIONS COULD INCLUDE ALLOWING ALL MOTOR VEHICLES TO LEGALLY UNLOAD IN A GENERAL TRAVEL LANE WHEN TWO OR MORE GENERAL TRAVEL LANES FOR PRESENCE FOR 15 MINUTES WITHOUT A PERMIT OR SIMPLIFYING OR REMOVING PROHIBITED DELIVERY TIME RESTRICTIONS TO INCREASE ENSURE UNIFORMITY IN THE PROGRAM CITYWIDE.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS WHERE CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CITY HAVE CERTAIN RULES AND OTHERS DON'T.
THIS CAN CREATE SOME CONFUSION FOR DELIVERY DRIVERS, UM, AND CONSIDER EXPANDING BEYOND MOTOR VEHICLES CLASSIFIED AS COMMERCIAL VEHICLES TO ALLOW GIG ECONOMY WORKERS TO PARTICIPATE AND POSSIBLY TO LOWER FEES FOR THE PROGRAM.
SO ONE THING THAT UTC HAS HEARD FROM, FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE WHO DELIVER FROM FAVOR OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO BUY THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DELIVERY PERMITS, BUT FOR SOMEONE WHO'S OPERATING AT THAT LEVEL, IT MAY BE PRETTY PROHIBITIVE FOR THEM TO, UH, OBTAIN THAT PERMIT.
SO FIGURING OUT SOME WAYS FOR FOLKS THAT MAY BE DOING DELIVERY, UH, GIG TYPE DELIVERY, THAT THEY COULD ACCESS THIS PROGRAM, WHICH WE THINK IS A REAL BENEFIT WITHOUT IT BEING TOO FINANCIALLY INFEASIBLE.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A BIG DELIVERY CORPORATION, A TRUCKER COULD AFFORD THAT PERMIT, BUT SOMEBODY WHO'S DOING SORT OF A GIG DELIVERY, WHICH A LOT OF THINGS ARE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION, OBVIOUSLY, UM, AND THEY HAVE MORE DIFFICULTY ACCESSING THAT.
AS I SAID, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE, YOU CAN REVIEW THAT.
AND WE ALSO HEARD, UM, UH, A PRESENTATION ON THE COST OF MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES FROM TRANSIT FORWARD, SOME OF THEIR INTERN RESEARCH, WHICH WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
AND WE ALSO CREATED A WORKING GROUP TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
SO THAT WAS OUR MEETING ON TUESDAY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES? NO.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
[4. Our Future 35: Austin’s Cap and Stitch Vision Plan briefing.]
BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.UM, AND TRANSPORTATION STAFF, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE MARKS, I AM TRANSPORTATION OFFICER WITH, UH, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, I AM, UM, HERE WITH MEMBERS OF MY TEAM WHO'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ON THE, OUR FUTURE 35, UM, CAP AND STITCH INITIATIVE.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UH, NOT ONLY INTERNALLY, UH, WITHIN THE CITY STAFF TEAM, BUT WITH RESIDENTS, WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON, UM, A BIG MILESTONE FOR THE PROGRAM THAT WE WANNA SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.
SO IF YOU WILL,
THIS WILL BE A BIT OF A KIND OF A FOUNDATIONAL BRIEFING IN PREPARATION FOR, UM, A WORK SESSION NEXT WEEK.
UM, TODAY WE'RE HERE TO PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE INTENT, UM, OF THE VISION PLAN, THE KEY ELEMENTS AND CONTENT THEREIN.
UM, AND THEN NEXT WEEK AT WORK SESSION, WE'LL BE COMING
[00:30:01]
TO, UM, HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, OUR IMPLEMENTATION OPTIONS, UH, MOVING FORWARD.UM, SO WHAT IS THE VISION PLAN? UM, THE, THE KEY INTENT IS REALLY TO DOCUMENT WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER THE PAST, UM, TWO-ISH YEARS, UM, OF OUR OUTREACH, UM, IN REGARD TO, UM, AUSTIN KNIGHT'S DESIRED OUTCOMES FOR THE CITY'S CAP AND STITCH EFFORT, UM, AND THEIR PRIORITIES FOR, UM, HOW CAP AND STITCH MATERIALIZES, WHAT TYPES OF AMENITIES AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS IT PROVIDES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, AND THE VISION PLAN REALLY IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS, UM, A BLUEPRINT MOVING FORWARD AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO IMPLEMENT CAP AND STITCH OVER THE NEXT, UM, SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, THIS DOCUMENT IS NOW PUBLIC AND LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO, UM, WITH NO FURTHER ADO, I'LL JUST WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE, THE KEY CONTENT HERE.
UM, THE CAP, THE, UM, VISION PLAN, PARDON ME, DOES START BY KIND OF ARTICULATING WHERE CAPS AND STITCHES ARE GONNA BE POSSIBLE IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THE LOCATIONS YOU'RE SEEING ON YOUR MAP HERE IN BLUE.
UM, WE DO ALSO IDENTIFY WHERE THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS EVALUATING CAP OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S EFFORT.
UM, AND THOSE WILL BE KIND OF EVALUATED AND FUNDED AND IMPLEMENTED, UM, IN CONJUNCTION AND IN PARALLEL WITH THE CITY'S EFFORT, BUT THAT'S PART OF A SEPARATE PROCESS.
UM, SO THE VISION PLAN DOES IDENTIFY, UM, ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS, UM, ON THE MAP THAT YOU'RE SEEING WHERE CAPS, UM, ARE POSSIBLE, UM, FOR A TOTAL OF, UM, JUST OVER 25 ACRES.
UM, AGAIN, UM, THE VISION PLAN DOES NOT PROVIDE KIND OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COST ESTIMATES OR, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW WE MIGHT IMPLEMENT THESE OVER TIME.
THAT'LL BE PART OF OUR DISCUSSION WITH YOU AT WORK SESSION NEXT WEEK.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE, UM, IN THE DOCUMENT DO PROVIDE SOME CLARITY, UM, BEHIND WHY, YOU KNOW, THESE LOCATIONS, UM, ARE, UM, THOSE WHERE CAPS MAY BE POSSIBLE AND NOT OTHERS.
UM, AND THE REAL DRIVING FACTOR FOR THAT, UM, NO PUN INTENDED, IS THE, UM, REQUIREMENT THAT TDOT, UM, HAS PROVIDED US THAT WE PROVIDE A MINIMUM OF 16 AND A HALF FEET OF VERTICAL CLEARANCE FROM THE ROADWAY SURFACE, UM, OF, AT ANY HIGHWAY OR ON AND OFF RAMP LOCATIONS TO ANY KIND OF DECK OR RELATED OR PERTINENT ABOVE.
SO THE LOCATIONS ON THE MAP ARE THOSE WHERE WE HAVE CONFIRMED WITH TDOT THAT THAT CLEARANCE REQUIREMENT COULD BE MET, AND THUS, UM, WHERE CAPS COULD BE POSSIBLE.
UM, THE VISION PLAN ALSO CLARIFIES WHAT'S POSSIBLE FOR US, UM, ON TOP OF CAPS.
UM, AND THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT IS A WIDE ARRAY OF OPEN SPACE FEATURES, PARK-LIKE FEATURES, UM, AS WELL AS BUILDINGS, UM, IN SOME, IF NOT MANY LOCATIONS.
UM, AND, AND WORKING WITH TXDOT AND OUR FINANCIAL ANALYSTS, UM, WE'RE REALLY GONNA BE LIMITING, UM, BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES ON CAPS TO, UM, ABOUT TWO STORIES MAX.
UM, AND THAT'S BECAUSE ANY BUILDING HEIGHT, UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT IS THREE STORIES OR HIGHER, UM, IT'S JUST GONNA CREATE ADDITIONAL STRUCTURAL LOAD ON THOSE CAPS, WHICH WILL RESULT IN ADDITIONAL COSTS TO, UM, BEEF UP THOSE STRUCTURES TO HOLD THEM, UM, IN A WAY THAT REALLY DOESN'T PAY FOR ITSELF, UM, IN COST BENEFIT UNTIL WE GET, UM, SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER.
SO FOR THAT REASON, WE'RE GONNA LIMIT BUILDINGS TO TWO STORIES, UM, ON CITY CAPS.
UM, SO THE ADDITIONAL, UM, CONTENT IN THE VISION PLAN, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA STRESS THE, THE DEGREE TO WHICH IT HAS BEEN INFORMED BY THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, THAT THE CAP AND STITCH TEAM HAS BEEN, UM, WORKING ON WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND THEN IN AN ACCELERATED FORMAT, UM, OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS.
UM, SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON SCREEN HERE ARE SOME OF THE, UM, UH, RESPONSES THAT WE'VE HEARD.
THESE ARE AGGREGATED RESPONSE RESPONSES, IN FACT, UM, FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS VIA A WHOLE SERIES OF IN-PERSON OPEN HOUSES, AS WELL AS A CITYWIDE, UM, DIGITAL SURVEY.
UM, ASKING FOLKS THAT ABOUT THE TYPES OF AMENITIES AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT, UM, RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON TOP OF POTENTIAL CAP LOCATIONS.
UM, SO THE TABLE YOU'RE SEEING HERE AT THE LEFT OF OUR SCREEN IS BREAKING THOSE DOWN, THOSE RESPONSES DOWN BY CAP.
UM, YOU'LL NOTE KIND OF A REMARKABLE DEGREE OF CONSISTENCY, UM, FROM RESIDENTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE,
[00:35:01]
UM, GEOGRAPHY HERE FROM HOLLY ALL THE WAY AT THE SOUTH, UM, END OF THE CORRIDOR, ALL THE WAY UP TO, UM, AIRPORT BOULEVARD IN THE NORTH END OF THE CORRIDOR.A LOT OF COMMUNITY INTEREST IN, UM, WHAT I WOULD CLASSIFY AS KIND OF RECREATION AND, AND NATURE TYPE PROGRAMMING.
SO, UM, LAWN SPACE, NATURAL GARDENING, UM, POLLINATOR GARDENS, FOR EXAMPLE, RECREATION AND PLAY ACTIVITIES.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO, UM, A LOT OF STRONG, UM, PREFERENCES FOR, UM, KINDA ARTS AND CULTURE TYPE PROGRAMMING.
SO PERFORMANCE SPACE, PUBLIC ART, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, UM, EVENT SPACE.
UM, SO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE IN THE VISION PLAN, UM, AND IN THE CONCEPTS THAT WE'VE VETTED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS A, UM, A REFLECTION OF THIS INPUT THAT WE'VE HEARD.
AND ALL OF THE CAPS, UM, CONCEPTS IN THE PLAN WILL INCLUDE THESE ELEMENTS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO SOME, YOU KNOW, FOUNDATIONAL STARTER ASSUMPTIONS SUCH AS WE WILL BE PROVIDING TREES, MATURE TREES, AND MATURE TREE SHADE COVER ON ALL OF OUR CAPS, WE WILL BE PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE ON ALL OF OUR CAPS.
UM, SO MOVING FORWARD, UM, TAKING THAT COMMUNITY INPUT, WE'VE HEARD, UM, AND THE KIND OF, UH, SPECIFIC WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH, UH, SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS EARLIER IN OUR PROCESS.
UM, THE VISION PLAN DOES PROVIDE, UM, AN OVERARCHING VISION STATEMENT FOR THE ENTIRE, UM, CAP AND STITCH PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THESE SIX OVERARCHING GOALS, UM, AND GOAL DESCRIPTOR LANGUAGE.
AND THE IDEA HERE IS THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY WITH DESIGNING THESE CAPS, DETERMINING HOW THEY WILL OPERATE AND FUNCTION IN FUTURE, UM, THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE A, A CHECKLIST FOR US.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO BE GOING BACK, UM, AND CHECKING OUR DESIGNS, CHECKING OUR OPERATIONAL PLAN AGAINST ALL OF THESE, UM, SIX GOALS, UM, AND THE VISION STATEMENT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE BEING TRUE, UM, TO WHAT WE'RE HEARING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, AND THEN MOVING ON TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT I, WHAT I KIND OF LIKE TO THINK OF THE, THE FUN STUFF.
UM, WHAT DO WE AS A COMMUNITY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN ON TOP OF THESE CAP OPPORTUNITIES? UM, AS I'VE MENTIONED, WE'VE TAKEN THAT INPUT, UM, FROM TWO YEARS OF OUTREACH, UM, AND REALLY, UM, DISTILLED IT INTO, UM, THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF, I THINK, CHARACTER, UM, THAT'S POSSIBLE ON EACH OF THESE DISTINCT CAP OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND THIS IS KIND OF IN, IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WE'RE REALLY FOR EACH OF THESE, LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LAND USE CONTEXT, UH, DIFFERENT, UM, DESIRES FROM DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND STAKEHOLDERS, UM, ADJACENT TO THESE CAP OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO WE WANNA BE RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIVE TO THE CONTEXT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS HERE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH DESIGN.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED, MAKING SURE WE'RE, WE'RE PULLING OUT WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY WANNA SEE IN THOSE DESIGNS MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UM, IN THE VISION PLAN, UM, WE ARE PRESENTING, UM, WHAT WE WOULD CALL PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS, UM, FOR EACH OF OUR CAP OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE A VISION OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN ON TOP AS DESIGN MOVES FORWARD, AND HOW THOSE DESIGNS COULD REFLECT THOSE VISION AND GOALS AND THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
UM, SO THESE ARE JUST SOME SNIPPETS, UM, TO PROVIDE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE VISION PLAN, UM, COMMUNICATES THAT FOR EACH CAP.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE, UM, IS JUST AN EXCERPT FOR THE CAP BETWEEN CESAR CHAVEZ AND FOURTH STREET.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'VE PROVIDED THIS, UM, SIMILAR CONTENT FOR ALL OF OUR CAP OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, CESAR CHAVEZ TO FOURTH STREET, UM, IS A GREAT EXAMPLE TO DRILL DOWN IN BECAUSE WE HAVE SECURED, UM, $105 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUNDING TO HELP, UM, IMPLEMENT THIS CAP.
UM, AND SO WE'LL PROVIDE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE TO YOU TODAY.
UM, THE IDEA HERE IS THAT THESE CONCEPTUAL ELEMENTS, UM, THAT WE'RE SEEING IN ILLUSTRATIVE FORM HERE WOULD BECOME KIND OF THE, THE STARTING PLACE, THE FOUNDATIONAL INPUT, UM, THAT WILL BEGIN THE DESIGN, THE DETAILED DESIGN PROCESS WITH, UM, AND AS I MENTIONED, THAT WILL DEFINITELY BE HAPPENING FOR THIS CAP.
UM, WE ALSO, FOR EACH OF OUR CAP OPPORTUNITIES HAVE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE TXDOT DESIGN AND ENGINEERING TEAM TO PROVIDE SOME ITY SPECIFICITY AND SOME DETAILS, UM, ABOUT CAP EXTENTS, UM, BOTH IN KIND OF THE HORIZONTAL PLANE AND THE VERTICAL PLANE.
SO PROVIDING SOME CLARITY FOR HOW, UM, WHAT THOSE ELEVATIONS WILL WORK AND HOW EACH OF OUR CAP OPPORTUNITIES WILL, UM, MEET
[00:40:01]
THE SURROUNDING URBAN CONTEXT AROUND IT.AND AGAIN, JUST TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT, UM, SOME OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT REALLY IS A REPRESENTATION, A REPRESENTATIVE CONCEPT, UM, IN THE PLAN FOR CESAR CHAVEZ.
UM, AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE SIMILAR, UM, ILLUSTRATIONS FOR ALL OF THE CAPS, UM, BUT PROVIDING SOME, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL AMENITIES THAT, THAT MEET THE, THE DESIRED CHARACTER.
WE'VE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY, UM, THE TYPES OF ELEMENTS FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON CESAR CHAVEZ, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, THE CONCEPT PLAN PROPOSES KIND OF AN AN ALL AGES RECREATION, UM, AND PLAY, UM, OBJECTIVE HERE.
UM, AND THIS WAS DEVELOPED, UM, NOT JUST, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RESIDENTS, BUT WITH STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH WATERLOO CONSERVANCY, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, UH, JUST KNOWING, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD AT THEIR PALM PARK SITE TO PROVIDE CHILDREN'S PLAY AREAS.
UM, SO REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CREATE SOME KIND OF SYNERGY, UM, WITH THAT ADJACENT PROGRAM.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE, YOU KNOW, PLAYSCAPES AT PALM PARK, HOW DO WE, UM, COMPLIMENT THAT, UM, RATHER THAN COMPETE WITH IT, UM, AND PROVIDE SOME ADULT, UM, AND ALL AGES RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AT THE ADJACENT CAP.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE ARE, UM, COVERED SPORTS COURTS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, UM, ADVENTURE PLAY FACILITIES THAT COULD INCLUDE THINGS LIKE CLIMBING ROCK WALLS, UM, AND SPLASH PADS.
UM, THE TYPE OF, I THINK, BIGGER PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS THAT, UM, MAY NOT FIT OR, OR MAYBE SQUEEZED OUT OF KIND OF THE PA THE SMALLER PALM PARK SITE.
UM, SO THE INTENTS, I WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR THE INTENTS OF THESE CONCEPTS.
UM, I WOULD NOT CALL THESE DESIGNS.
THESE ARE, AGAIN, JUST BEGINNING CONCEPTS, UM, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
UM, AND THE REASON THAT WE WANTED TO GET TO THIS POINT WITH COMMUNITY, UM, YOU MAY RECALL THAT LAST DECEMBER, UM, COUNCIL APPROVED, UM, FUNDING FOR TXDOT, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF 15 SOME ODD MILLION DOLLARS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH 30% DESIGN AND ENGINEERING FOR THE CAP STRUCTURES, UM, IN, AND WE'LL BE, UM, DISCUSSING IN DECEMBER, UM, AN ADDITIONAL FUNDING AGREEMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT DESIGN FOR THE CAPS AND STITCHES THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD IN THE NEAR TERM.
UM, BUT IN ORDER FOR THE TDOT DESIGN AND ENGINEER ENGINEERING TEAM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT DESIGN, THEY NEED TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE, THE STRUCTURAL LOADING NEEDS THAT THE CITY HAS.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO GET THAT FEEDBACK NOW FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
HOW MUCH BUILDING DO WE WANNA SEE HERE? UM, HOW MUCH TREE COVER, APPROXIMATELY, WHERE COULD THOSE BUILDING ZONES BE LOCATED? SO WHAT THE CITY TEAM HAS DONE IS, UM, IN A WAY TRANSLATED THIS CONCEPT THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED WITH COMMUNITY INTO, INTO STRUCTURAL LOADING ZONES, THAT WE ARE FEEDING TO THE TXDOT TEAM TO ALLOW THEM TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND OUR INTENT HERE IS TO PROVIDE AS MUCH FUTURE PROOFING AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE DESIGN TEAMS AS POSSIBLE.
SO, UM, THESE PLANS AREN'T INTENDED TO SAY THAT THERE WILL BE A BUILDING EXACTLY IN THIS LOCATION.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IF YOU KIND OF DIG INTO OUR TECHNICAL APPENDICES, OUR LARGER, UM, ENVELOPES OF WHAT WE WOULD CALL BUILDING ZONES, WHERE BUILDINGS COULD BE LOCATED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THAT FLEXIBILITY.
UM, BUT ALL OF THESE STRUCTURAL LOADING ZONES WILL BE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE KIND OF THE LARGE SHADE, PROVIDING MATURE TREE CANOPY THAT WE'RE HEARING IS CRITICAL.
AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED, UM, WE WILL BE DISCUSSING AT MORE LENGTH, UM, IMPLEMENTATION AND PHASING OPTIONS WITH YOU AT WORK SESSION NEXT WEEK.
BUT THE VISION PLAN, UM, DOES ARTICULATE, UM, THE, UM, HOW CAPS AND STITCHES COULD BE PHASED OVER TIME.
UM, AND SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE, UM, IS KIND OF A BREAKDOWN OF, OF WHAT COULD REALLY BE FIVE DISTINCT PHASES.
UM, PHASE ONE, UM, IS, UM, UH, UH, GONNA BE UP FOR DISCUSSION NEXT WEEK AS WELL.
AND, UM, THIS, THESE ARE THE ROADWAY ELEMENTS.
UM, WHAT COULD BE CONSIDERED KIND OF THE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT ELEMENTS, THE COLUMNS, THE FOOTINGS, THE RETAINING WALLS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ELEMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE CO-CONSTRUCTED WITH TDOT'S FREEWAY PROJECT, UM, AND THAT ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HORIZONTAL DECKS, UM, AT ANY FUTURE DATE.
UM, SO WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THAT, UM, FUNDING COMMITMENT FOR THAT PHASE ONE NEXT WEEK.
PHASE TWO, UM, IS LOOKING AHEAD TO,
[00:45:01]
AGAIN, THAT HORIZONTAL, UM, DECK STRUCTURE, THE CAP ITSELF.UM, AND THAT INCLUDES, BECAUSE LA PROVID, THAT CAP DECK IS WHAT EFFECTIVELY IS CREATING A ROADWAY TUNNEL HERE.
UM, PHASE TWO WOULD ALSO INCLUDE KIND OF TUNNEL RELATED ELEMENTS SUCH AS LIGHTING OR VENTILATION NEEDS.
UM, FOR THE ROADWAY BENEATH THE CAP, UM, THAT FUNDING STACK, WE HAVE A, A, A FEW OPTIONS TO, TO ASSEMBLE, UM, FUNDING FOR THOSE DECK STRUCTURES, UM, STARTING IN 2026, AS LATE AS 2032, UH, AND THEN BEYOND TO 2042.
SO, UM, A LOT OF OPTIONS TO KIND OF, UM, PUT FUNDING TOGETHER FOR PHASE TWO AND PHASE THAT IN.
AND THEN PHASE THREE, FOUR AND FIVE ARE LOOKING AT THE AMENITIES ON TOP.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS, UM, FEASIBLE ACCORDING TO THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT WE, UM, DO HAVE THE OPTION TO KIND OF FOLD IN ON CAP AMENITIES AS THOSE FUNDING STACKS BECOME AVAILABLE.
UM, LOOKING AHEAD TO KIND OF PHASE FIVE, UM, WHERE WE MIGHT EVEN, YOU KNOW, TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME IF WE NEED TO OR WANT TO, UM, TO PROVIDE ANY KIND OF ONE OR TWO STORY BUILDINGS, UM, THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE HERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, THE ADDITIONAL CONTENT THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE VISION PLAN ONLINE AT OUR FUTURE 30 FIVE.COM, UM, ARE THESE TECHNICAL ITEMS THAT WE'VE BEEN CONCURRENTLY WORKING THROUGH WITH THE TXDOT TEAM, UM, MAKING SURE THAT, UM, THE CAP, UM, EXTENDS AND ELEVATIONS AND THE PROGRAMMING AS WELL, UM, IS SERVICEABLE, UM, IS ACCESSIBLE, UM, WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UM, THE ROADWAY PLANS, UM, THAT TDO IS MOVING FORWARD WITH.
UM, WE'VE WORKED ON, UM, GRADING, UM, DETAILS, UM, TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE CAPS WILL ABUT THE ADJACENT URBAN CONTEXT, UM, AND EVEN STARTING TO LOOK AT CONCEPTS FOR HOW WE EXTEND UTILITIES, UM, FROM THE SURROUNDING NETWORKS TO, UM, THIS, THIS SPACE OVER THE FREEWAY.
UM, AND THEN AS I MENTIONED, THAT STRUCTURAL LOADING REPORT REALLY BEING KIND OF A CRITICAL INPUT FOR THE TXDOT DESIGN TEAM AS THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH STRUCTURAL DESIGN.
UM, SO WITH THAT BRIEFING, I'LL UM, KIND OF LEAVE YOU WITH, UM, THE LOOK AHEAD TO NEXT STEPS, AS I MENTIONED.
UM, WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK TO TALK ABOUT, UM, OPTIONS FOR HOW WE PHASE AND FUND, UM, A PROGRAM OF THIS NATURE, UM, GIVEN SOME OF THE UPDATED COST ESTIMATES THAT WE'LL SHARE WITH YOU NEXT WEEK.
UM, AND THEN IN DECEMBER, UM, IS KIND OF THE TXDOT MILESTONE FOR COUNCIL TO, UM, DETERMINE WHICH OF THESE ROADWAY ELEMENTS WE ARE GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, AS A CITY.
UM, AS WELL AS, UM, WHICH ELEMENTS WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, DESIGN, FULL STRUCTURAL AND ENGINEERING DESIGN, UM, IN THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, WE'LL ALSO BE BRINGING YOU, UM, AN ITEM, UM, IN REGARD TO SOME OF THE RECENT FUNDING, UM, BOTH GRANT AND SIB LOAN FUNDING, UM, THAT THE PROJECT TEAM HAS PROCURED.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? A COUPLE, UH, VERY MUCH, UM, UH, APPRECIATE THE, THE PRESENTATION AND IT'S, UH, IT'S EXCITING TO GET, UH, TO SEE THE CONCEPT START TO FLESH OUT.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR, FOR, HONESTLY, I MEAN SINCE I THINK THE FIRST MINUTE I GOT ON THE DICE
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE CANNOT JUST HAVE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, NOTHING THERE EXCEPT THE SUN BEATEN DOWN ON, ON EVERYBODY.
THAT'S NOT, UH, UH, ACCEPTABLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I SAW LIKE THE CUPBOARD, UH, A SPORTS COURTS, WHICH IS A GREAT IDEA.
AND, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, TALL BUILDINGS TO THE EAST AND TO THE WEST, UH, PROVIDE SHADE BOTH IN THE MORNING AND THE AFTERNOON AND REALLY WILL MAKE THE SPACE MUCH MORE FUNCTIONAL AND PLEASANT.
UH, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I MEAN THE TALL BUILDINGS REALLY AND THE KIND OF THE PLAZAS AND THE, THE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT GO AROUND THOSE, UH, UH, TALL BUILDINGS REALLY JUST KIND OF TO ME ADD TO THE GENERAL KIND OF SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT.
RESTAURANTS DON'T NECESSARILY BE ON THE CAP, BUT THEY CAN BE JUST OUTSIDE THE CAB, YOU KNOW, JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD.
SO, UH, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE CAPS, IT'S ALMOST AS IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA GO NEXT TO THE CAPS.
UH, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GONNA BE VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND IF WE'RE JUST GONNA BE BUILDING, AGAIN, TWO TO THREE STORY BUILDINGS ON THE SIDE OF THE CAPS, I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT QUITE REALLY JUSTIFIES THE INVESTMENT.
WHEREAS IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE VERY TALL BUILDINGS ON THE SIDE OF THE CAP, THAT THAT WILL REALLY, I THINK, CONTRIBUTE TO THE VITALITY, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE OR WORK THERE OR, YOU KNOW,
[00:50:01]
A HOTEL OR WHATEVER CAN USE THE CAP.YOU KNOW, IT JUST, I, I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE CAPS, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY ABOUT KIND OF THE AREA, LIKE WHAT DO WE WANT THE AREA TO BE? UH, AND BUT THE VISION THAT Y'ALL ARE LAYING OUT IS, IS REALLY COMPELLING.
UM, AND THE, UM, HONESTLY, MY, MY TO SEE THE, THE UNANIMITY FROM THE PUBLIC IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE COMING BACK, UH, ON THE CAPS, THAT'S REALLY GOOD TOO.
'CAUSE THE COMMUNITY SEEMS LIKE PRETTY MUCH ON THE SAME PAGE IN TERMS OF THE ALMOST ONE VARIATION.
AND, AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, UH, THAT, THAT'S, UH, UH, REALLY, UM, UH, GREAT TO, UH, UH, UH, TO SEE.
UM, AND ANY SENSE, I MEAN, I KNOW WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE, ON THE SUPPORT STRUCTURES HERE, YOU KNOW, IN DECEMBER.
UH, BUT, UH, IF, IF, IF YOU COULD JUST GO THROUGH AND THE TIMELINE AGAIN, WHEN ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT BEING DONE? YEAH, HAPPY TO.
SO TECH DOT WILL BE CONSTRUCTING, UM, THE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS ON OUR BEHALF, UM, THAT THEY WILL BE CITY FUNDED, BUT CONSTRUCTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEIR FREEWAY PROJECT.
SO TEXTILE WILL BE BREAKING GROUND, UM, IN APPROXIMATELY MID 26.
THEY'RE SCHEDULED FOR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION IN APPROXIMATELY 2032.
UM, SO ANY CAP AND, AND CITY FUNDED CAP, UM, FEATURES THAT WE FOLD INTO THEIR SCOPE, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A 2032 COMPLETION DATE.
UM, AT THAT TIME, UM, ONCE THEIR CONTRACTORS DEMOBILIZE, THAT'S WHEN THE CITY COULD THEN COME IN AND START TO PROVIDE THE AMENITIES ON TOP.
SO IN, IN TERMS OF, I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES OF FUNDING, BUT, UH, UH, AND AGAIN, I KNOW INTERNALLY AND, AND, AND PUBLICLY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A A, A TIFF OR A A TS YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FINANCING MECHANISM FOR THE AREA SURROUNDING THAT.
SO THAT WOULD, IF WE LAUNCHED ONE AGAIN, LET'S SAY IN JANUARY, JUST HYPOTHETICALLY, UH, THAT'S GONNA BUILD UP SOME FUNDS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE TIME TO COME UP WITH THE FUNDS TO BUILD THE AMENITIES ULTIMATELY THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED.
UM, WE, UM, WHILE THE ROADWAY ELEMENTS FUNDING IS, UM, UH, HAS TO BE COMMITTED MORE IMMEDIATELY, WE HAVE, UM, TIME TO PUT TOGETHER A FUNDING STACK FOR THE DECKS AND THE, UM, AMENITIES ON TOP.
AND THE ROADWAY ELEMENTS, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE HAVE THE, UM, THE LOAD BEARING STRUCTURES IN PLACE, AGAIN, IDEALLY WE WANT TO PUT THE CAPS AGAIN.
AND I, I, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, I'M, YOU KNOW, NOT IN CONSTRUCTION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
MY SENSE WOULD BE IT MAKES, UH, COMMON SENSE TO KIND OF BUILD EVERYTHING AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, BUT WE COULD, FOR EXAMPLE, GO BACK AND ADD A CAP AT, AT SOME, OR IS THAT, IS THAT TRUE? IS THAT WHAT WE COULD DO? PROVIDED THE ROADWAY ELEMENTS ARE FUNDED AND CONSTRUCTED, THEN YES.
THAT EFFECTIVELY, UM, FUTURE PROOFS THAT LOCATION, UM, SUCH THAT YOU COULD FACE IN A CAP IN FUTURE.
BECAUSE I, I MEAN, AGAIN, I, I THINK THAT THE CESA CHAVEZ, UH, CAP, I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY SECURED SOME FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THAT.
UH, NOT SOME FUNDING ACTUALLY A BUNCH OF, OF FUNDING A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, UH, OR SO WORTH OF FUNDING.
UH, AND, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK THE USE CASE FOR THAT IS, IS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY STRONG.
BUT AGAIN, IMAGINING BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, WE COULD FUND THE, THE, THE BASE INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEN WHAT I DON'T WANNA DO IS, I DON'T WANNA BE IN A SITUATION WHERE THE, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF, YOU KNOW, 2050 IS, IS LOOKING BACK AT THIS COUNCIL AND BEING LIKE, WHY DIDN'T YOU, YOU KNOW, GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY THAT, THAT'S REALLY MORE, UH, UH, MY, MY TOP LEVEL CONCERN.
UM, I KNOW THAT TDOT HAS NOT, UH, THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR ANY OF THE, YOU KNOW, EITHER THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE, THE, THE, OR THE UH, CAP OR THE AMENITIES.
UH, IS THERE, AND AGAIN, I KNOW THAT HOUSTON HAS TALKED ABOUT THIS, EL PASO HAS TALKED ABOUT THIS, DALLAS IS, HAS ALREADY HAS A, A CAP AND IS BUILDING A, A SECOND ONE.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA DO SOME MORE.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE LEGISLATURE, UH, 'CAUSE I MEAN TEX DOT OBVIOUSLY ANSWERS TO THE LEGISLATURE.
THE LEGISLATURE COULD POTENTIALLY PROVIDE FUNDING FOR, UH, TEXDOT HIGHWAY CAPS.
IS THAT A CONVERSATION? IS THERE ANYTHING GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF SECURING A, A RIDER OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO, TO, TO GET THE, YOU KNOW, $250 MILLION FROM THE STATE TO, YOU KNOW, FOR, TO MAKE GRANTS TOWARD HIGHWAY CAPS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I MEAN, I HEAR THE STATE SITTING ON LIKE $30 BILLION
WE WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL FUNDING SOURCES.
AND THE BEAUTY OF IT IS, AS YOU DECIDE IN DECEMBER TO FUTURE PROOF, THEN WE'VE GOT SOME TIME TO PUT THE, THE MONEY'S NOT EVEN DUE
[00:55:01]
IN DECEMBER.IT'S JUST, WE PROMISE WE'RE GONNA CUT YOU A CHECK.
SO THEN WE HAVE TIME TO PUT FUNDING SOURCES TOGETHER AND ALL THINGS ARE ON THE TABLE FOR US.
WE'RE LOOKING AT, AS YOU KNOW, T'S WE'RE LOOKING AT PHILANTHROPY, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER, FUTURE FEDERAL GRANTS, STATE GRANTS, IT'S ALL ON THE TABLE FOR US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO YOUR DECISION AGAIN ON DECEMBER IS JUST GONNA BE WHAT ARE WE GONNA FUTURE PROOF AND THEN CONTINUE TO PURSUE FUNDING FOR? WELL, I I VERY MUCH, UH, APPRECIATE THAT AND, AND, UH, I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT AND IT JUST, UH, WHEN I, I I THINK ABOUT IT, UH, THIS REALLY SHOULD NOT BE, THIS SHOULD BE A STANDARD PART OF THE WAY TXDOT BUILDS HIGHWAYS, REALLY.
I, I, I MEAN IF WE'RE GONNA BUILD A HIGHWAY, THE CAP, UH, HELPS PREVENT THE NOISE POLLUTION, PREVENT THE LIGHT POLLUTION, UH, POTENTIALLY LIMITS, UH, EVEN AIR, YOU KNOW, IN PARTICULATE, UH, POLLUTION.
I, I JUST, AND, AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO LEGISLATIVELY EVEN, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO PUSH TEXDOT IN.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE TIME, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF, AND, AND, UH, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SHIFT THIS COST FROM, UH, THE CITY TO THE STATE WHERE IN MY OPINION IT PROPERLY BELONGS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BETTER FOR, UH, FOR THE CITY.
AND I THINK ALSO, SO OTHER AREAS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS.
LIKE I SAID, OTHER CITIES WANT TO DO THE SAME THING.
AND, AND I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO PUSH THE, THAT'S ANOTHER, I THINK OUR, THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, UH, DIRECTION IS ON THE AGENDA TOO.
SO I, I MIGHT HAVE AN AMENDMENT COMING.
AND JUST AS REMINDER TOO, FROM TDOT'S PERSPECTIVE, THEY WERE SUPPORTIVE OF OUR STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK LOAN.
SO THEY HAVE, THEY, THEY AGREE WITH A PARTNERSHIP.
I THINK THE LOCAL TDOT FEELS SOMEWHAT CONSTRAINED WITH WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP US.
BUT THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN A GREAT PARTNER WITH US.
AND, AND, AND I AGREE AND I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT.
I MEAN, WE'VE MET WITH THEM AND WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM AND, AND THEY WANT TO HELP US BUILD THESE CAPS, BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT GONNA PAY FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT THEY, THEY HAVE BEEN TALKING TO US AND PLANNING WITH US AND ALL THAT AND, AND, AND I DO APPRECIATE IT.
UH, HOPEFULLY LEGISLATURE WILL, WILL GIVE THEM A LITTLE MORE DIRECTION.
SHOW ME THE MONEY, HUH UH, COME ON, TEXAS LYNCH.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
ANY QUESTIONS, CHAIR? I DO THANK YOU.
AND I APPRECIATE CTO'S LINE OF QUESTIONING 'CAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS I WAS CONSIDERING HAVE, HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, WHAT EXACT OPTIONS ARE GOING TO BE IN FRONT OF US IN DECEMBER? IS THIS GOING TO BE A MOMENT WHERE WE UM, FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PHASING IS GOING TO BE? IS THIS GONNA BE A MOMENT WHERE WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE AMENITIES ARE THAT WE'RE SELECTING? MM-HMM.
UM, WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING TO BE IN FRONT OF US IN DECEMBER AND WHAT FLEXIBILITY WILL BE PROVIDED TO COUNCIL FOR INPUT? YES.
SO THE KEY QUESTION IN DECEMBER WILL BE WHERE, UM, DOES CITY COUNCIL WANT TO PRESERVE, UM, THE POTENTIAL FOR, UM, PHASING IN CAPS AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE? SO, WHICH ROADWAY ELEMENTS WILL OR WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD GIVEN, UM, THE COST ESTIMATES AND THE FUNDING RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO THAT WILL INCLUDE CAPS AND AMENITIES? UH, NO, IT REALLY IS A FUNDING COMMITMENT FOR JUST THOSE PHASE ONE, UM, STRUCTURAL SUPPORT ELEMENTS ONLY.
UM, BUT EVERYWHERE WE DO PROVIDE THEM, WE CAN CONTINUE TO PULL FUNDING TOGETHER FOR DECKS AND AMENITIES.
UM, IF THERE ARE LOCATIONS THAT COUNCIL DECIDES NOT TO PROVIDE ROADWAY ELEMENT FUNDING, THOSE CAP OPPORTUNITIES ARE EFFECTIVELY CLOSED MOVING FORWARD.
AND CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT ANY OTHER SORTS OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED? LIKE IS PRIVATE FUNDING AN OPTION? WE KNOW UT HAS STEPPED UP AND SAID THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THE CAPS THAT ARE NEAR THE UT CAMPUS.
UM, WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY THROUGH DOWNTOWN AREAS WHERE WE MAY HAVE FOLKS WHO HAVE PHILANTHROPIC POWER AND MIGHT BE WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE TO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY AMENITY ON THEIR OWN? YES.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WILL, UM, DEFINITELY BE BRINGING SOME, UH, SOME MORE DETAIL IN REGARD TO THAT QUESTION TO YOU NEXT WEEK.
UM, WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH, UM, UH, FINANCIAL SERVICES TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE POTENTIAL FUNDING, UM, SOURCES COULD BE, UM, FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND WHICH, UM, PHASE OF THIS WORK, EACH OF THOSE FUNDING SOURCES MIGHT BE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR.
UM, SO YES, THEY WILL BE, UM, AS, UM, UH, A CM GOOD JUST STATED, EVERY OPTION IS ON THE TABLE.
UM, AND THEY WILL INCLUDE FUNDING SOURCES, UM, LIKE FEDERAL GRANTS, UM, LIKE, UM, PARTNERSHIPS, UM, WITH PHILANTHROPIC, UM, UM, AGENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, LOOKING AT, UM, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, SO THEY'LL BE BRINGING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TO YOU NEXT WEEK.
[01:00:01]
HESITATE TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF THEM JUST BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT.I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION AND, AND THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU ANSWERED FOR TITO.
UM, AND I WILL SAY I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF LETTING THE COMMUNITY THAT IS SURROUNDING THESE CAPS HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE OVER WHAT THEY WANNA SEE THERE.
SO I DO APPRECIATE KIND OF THAT HEAT MAP OF WHERE DO WE WANT CULTURAL CENTER, WHERE DO WE WANT PUBLIC ART PLAYGROUNDS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S REALLY GREAT INPUT AND REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL USE AND WILL LOVE AND NOT JUST PRE DICTATING WHAT WE THINK SHOULD GO THERE WITHOUT THEIR INPUT.
SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S GONE IN ON THAT END.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ALSO.
UM, SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE MINIMUM 16 AND A HALF FOOT REQUIREMENT.
WHAT'S THE RATIONALE THERE? UM, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T, UM, SPEAK WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY FOR, UM, FOR TDO IN TERMS OF WHAT'S DRIVING THAT.
UM, I KNOW FREIGHT CLEARANCE IS, THIS SEEMS LIKE KIND OF A RANDOM NUMBER.
YEAH, I, I, I THINK IT, IT MUST HAVE TO DO WITH FREIGHT CLEARANCE.
THAT'S THE BEST I CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, AND THEN I WANTED TO KNOW, YOU MADE MENTION OF, UM, THE TWO STORIES MAX BUILDINGS AND YOU KNOW, JUST THINKING ABOUT, UH, HIGHEST YIELD, YOU KNOW, BEST HIGHEST USE.
UM, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT KINDS OF BUILDINGS WILL, ARE WE CONSIDERING FOR THOSE TWO STORY BUILDINGS? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO, UM, IN THE VISION PLAN WE POSIT THAT THOSE, UM, BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES COULD BE, UM, UM, AN OPTION TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WE HEARD FOLKS WANT TO SEE, LIKE PERFORMANCE SPACE, LIKE ARTS VENUES, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, LIKE SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATORS OR COMMUNITY SERVICES.
UM, THEY ALSO PROVIDE A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO HELP TO GENERATE, UM, REVENUE AS LEASEABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE OR EVENT SPACE FOR THE ONGOING KIND OF, UM, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THOSE SPACES, WHICH WE KNOW WE WANNA KEEP AN EYE ON IN FUTURE.
UM, AND THEN ONE OF THE LAST QUESTIONS I HAVE IS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO, UM, MOST ESPECIALLY AS I'M LOOKING AT THE 11TH 12TH STREET CAP, UM, A CONTINUOUS CONVERSATION WE HAVE IS ABOUT SORT OF ANCIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE NEED TO BURY POWER LINES, MOST ESPECIALLY ON 12TH STREET.
JUST WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT GOING INTO THE CONSTRUCTION HERE, THAT'S A CONSIDERATION THAT THE POWER LINES WOULD BE BURIED AS A PART OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION ALONG THE 12TH STREET CORRIDOR ITSELF.
THAT'S AN OFFER ALONG THE FRONTAGE ROAD IS WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.
IF THAT'S AN OFFER, THEN YEAH, WE'LL TAKE IT
BUT YEAH, JUST IN ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL OR OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD REQUIRE WIRING, JUST WANTING TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT MOVING FORWARD THAT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE FUTURE FACING REDEVELOPMENT AND RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC EAST 12TH STREET CORRIDOR.
WE CAN, UM, CERTAINLY, UM, WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS ABOUT, UM, LOOKING TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR A, A BETTERMENT OF THAT NATURE.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, IF, YOU KNOW, IT COULD WORK IN ALIGNMENT WITH, I MEAN, I'M NOT CERTAIN HOW FAMILIAR YOU ARE WITH 12TH, YOU KNOW, SO 11TH STREET WENT THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, GIANT REHABILITATION RESTORATION RENOVATION EFFORT, AND 12TH IS JUST SORT OF LANGUISHED, UM, IN THE INTERIM.
AND SO NOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME REALLY INTERESTING OPPORTUNITIES MOVING FORWARD FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE BLOCK.
AND SO IT WOULD JUST MAKE SO MUCH SENSE FOR ME IF YOU GUYS WERE IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH THE FOLKS WITH WHOM, UM, WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE BLOCK.
WE DO HAVE AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY IN THAT, UM, THERE'S A SINGULAR ENTITY THAT OWNS UPWARDS OF 75% OF THE REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS, BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL, BETWEEN, UM, NAVASOTA AND AIRPORT ON 12TH STREET.
AND SO I CAN JUST IMAGINE THAT THAT WOULD MAKE THE EFFORT SO MUCH EASIER TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH A SINGULAR ENTITY.
AND SO IF YOU GUYS AREN'T IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEM ALREADY, I'D ENCOURAGE FOR THAT, THE, THAT DIALOGUE TO START.
UM, AND JOHN LAWLER'S HERE NOW AND CAN HELP TO FACILITATE INTRODUCTIONS AND COMMUNICATION WITH THOSE FOLKS.
IT JUST MAKES SO MUCH SENSE FOR ME, UM, FOR ALL OF THAT TO HAPPEN CONCURRENTLY.
UM, I'LL REACH OUT AND I'LL ALSO, UM, DO A LITTLE RESEARCH AND DIG INTO, UM, THE DRIVER OF THAT 16 AND A HALF FEET FROM TEXTILE FOR YOU.
AND THEN LASTLY, SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO BE BRINGING FORWARD, UM, IN CONSIDERATION AT THE COMMITTEE THAT I CHAIR THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
UM, MY VICE CHAIR ALTER IS GONNA BE BRINGING FORWARD AN ITEM AROUND ALTERNATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE BUILDING MATERIALS, BUT AN ITEM THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD, UM, FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS AS, AS WELL, UM, HAS TO DO WITH, UM, SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE, GREEN ROOFS, MAXIMIZING SOLAR, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THESE ARE CONSIDERATIONS THAT ARE A PART OF
[01:05:01]
THE SUSTAINABILITY, UM, DELIBERATION.THAT'S CERTAINLY A FEATURE THAT, UM, WE WANT TO REFLECT AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO DESIGN.
UM, SO WITH THAT FEEDBACK, YES, WE, WE, UM, WILL ABSOLUTELY, UM, DEVELOP THE, THE SCOPES OF WORK FOR THOSE DESIGN, UM, CONSULTANTS MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT TOPIC IS ADDRESSED.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS SORT OF ALONG THOSE LINES.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT STRUCTURAL BUILDING NEEDS.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEANT BY THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT MAYBE, UM, IN REFERENCE TO, UH, MY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, THE TALLER, UM, AN ON CAP BUILDING IS THE HEAVIER IT BECOMES, AND THE KIND OF A NON-TECHNICAL WORD HERE, BUT THE BEEFIER THAT CAP AND STITCH
SO THAT JUST BECOMES THE, THE WIDER THE COLUMNS GET, THE DEEPER THE FOOTINGS GET, THE THICKER THE DECK GETS, THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT BECOMES FOR US TO PAY FOR THAT.
DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? UH, UH, JUST A QUICK, MY UNDERSTANDING AGAIN, AND I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THIS, I'M NOT SURE IF ANYBODY OUTSIDE UT DOES, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT UT IS GOING WITH STRONGER, DEEPER, UH, UH, FOUNDATIONS THAT CAN HOLD LARGER BUILDINGS WITH THE IDEA OF ESSENTIALLY CREATING MORE CAMPUS, UH, AROUND THAT.
AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT COST LOOKS LIKE, BUT, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THAT KIND OF STUFF RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND ON THE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE BUILDINGS WOULD BE USED FOR, UH, UH, TIMOTHY BRAY FROM, FROM MY OFFICE, AND I WENT UP TO DALLAS SIX MONTHS AGO, I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER NOW.
AND WE VISITED CLIVE WARREN, UH, UH, PARK, UH, THAT HAS A RESTAURANT, UH, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK WITH KIND OF OUTDOOR SEATING.
AND AGAIN, TALKING ABOUT ACTIVATING AN AREA.
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT REALLY DO ACTIVATE AN AREA, UH, AND, AND TURN, YOU KNOW, A VISIT TO THE PARK, A SHORT VISIT TO THE PARK INTO AN AFTERNOON AT THE PARK.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S JUST A REALLY NICE, UH, UH, COMBINATION.
UH, SO, UH, AND AGAIN, THEY LEASE THAT SPACE AND THAT MONEY GOES RIGHT BACK INTO, YOU KNOW, MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP AND THAT KIND OF STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, POSSIBILITIES, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE LOOK DOWN THE ROAD.
THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENTARY.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATIONS AROUND, UH, GENERATING REVENUE.
YOU KNOW, THE FASTER, YOU KNOW, OUR PROJECTS CAN AT LEAST MAKE AN EFFORT TOWARDS SUSTAINING THEMSELVES THE BETTER.
UM, AND OH, ONE MORE QUESTION FROM THE CHAIR.
UM, I SEE IN THE VISION PLAN THERE'S DISCUSSION AROUND AN EAST AUSTIN TRAIL THAT LOOKS LIKE IT CONNECTS THE RED LINE COMMUTER RAIL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE, THE TRAIL DOWN AT LADYBIRD LAKE.
UM, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT IF THAT'S STILL IN THE PLAN AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT INPUT ON THAT AND HELP TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MULTIMODAL OPTION IS AVAILABLE MOVING FORWARD? YES, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
AND, UM, YES, THAT WASN'T IN THE PRESENTATION TODAY, BUT IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT, UM, IN THE VISION PLAN ITSELF.
THE CONCEPT THERE, UM, IS, UM, REALLY A BETTERMENT TO THE TXDOT PROJECT ITSELF.
SO WHERE THEY ARE REMOVING, UM, OR I SHOULD SAY REPOSITIONING THE FRONTAGE ROAD ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF, UM, THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UM, TO CREATE MORE OF THAT, UM, KIND OF BOULEVARD TREATMENT.
UM, THEY'LL BE MOVING THAT FRONTAGE ROAD AND PROVIDING, UM, A SHARED USE PATH IN ITS PLACE.
UM, TXDOT IS LOOKING AT, UM, ABOUT PLUS OR MINUS, YOU KNOW, 10, 10 TO 12 FEET DEPENDING ON WHAT THE, THE PHYSICAL OPPORTUNITIES OR CONSTRAINTS ARE AS IT RUNS NORTH SOUTH.
UM, THE CONCEPT THAT THE VISION PLAN PROPOSES IS, IS REALLY KIND OF TAKING THAT KERNEL AND TURNING IT INTO A MORE ROBUST, UH, MORE KIND OF, UM, MARQUEE PIECE OF, OF THE CITY'S TRAIL, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR TRAIL NETWORK.
UM, SO WIDENING IT FROM AROUND 10 FEET, GOING UP TO, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS DOUBLE THE WIDTH, UM, TO PROVIDE TWO-WAY BICYCLE FACILITIES AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES.
SO AS WIDE AS 20, 21 FEET, UM, PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, THOSE SHADE COVERING TREES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
LINKING ON THE SOUTH SIDE TO THE TRAIL NETWORK AT LADY BIRD LAKE AND THE BUTLER TRAIL FOLLOWING, UM, EACH OF THE CAPS, UM, AS YOU MOVE SOUTH TO NORTH.
AND THEN IT BECOMES REALLY THIS, THIS, UM, PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE, UM, PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CONNECTS EACH OF, UH, WHAT COULD BE SEPARATED CAP OPPORTUNITIES, BUT REALLY UNIFIES THEM AND PROVIDES A NEW KIND OF NORTH SOUTH PED BIKE AVENUE, UM, THAT CONNECTS NOT JUST TO BUTLER TRAIL, POTENTIALLY EVEN TO THE RED LINE AND LANCE ARMSTRONG BAR BIKEWAY AT FOURTH.
UM, AND ON AND ON ALL THE WAY UP TO OUR NORTHERNMOST CAP CAP AREA.
UM, SO THIS WOULD BE A TXDOT BETTERMENT.
[01:10:01]
IS ACTIVELY WORKING WITH THE TDOT TEAM TO LOOK AT HOW MUCH SPACE CAN WE GET, YOU KNOW, UM, HAVE AVAILABLE TO US WITHIN THE TDOT RIGHT OF WAY.WE KNOW WHERE WE, UM, DO HAVE FUNDED CAPS.
IT'S GONNA BE A, UM, A MUCH EASIER LIFT BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL OF THAT LAND AREA ON THE CAP TO EXPAND THE WIDTH OF, OF THAT TRAIL.
UM, BUT, UM, THE OTHER KIND OF, I THINK, UM, NOTION HERE IS THAT, UM, WE WOULD, UM, IN ITS PROPOSED NAME, UM, REFLECT UPON AND PAY HOMAGE TO THE SURFACE STREET THAT EXISTED EAST AVENUE, UM, BEFORE, UM, THE FREEWAY WAS CONSTRUCTED BACK IN THE SIXTIES.
SO IT'S AN, AN INTERESTING, I THINK, UM, UM, JUST LOGISTICAL BIKE PET OPPORTUNITY AS WELL AS JUST, UM, A CULTURAL OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY.
WE JUST DID A RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE SOUTHERNMOST PHASE OF THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL THAT RUNS ALONG MOPAC.
AND SO I THINK THESE ARE REALLY GREAT MULTIMODAL INVESTMENTS AND, UM, APPRECIATE ALL THE COLLABORATION THAT CAN HAPPEN BETWEEN TECHON AND THE PARTNERS ON, ON INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE THIS, BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY POPULAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SAFER BY AND LARGE FOR PEOPLE TO BE TRAVELING ON.
UM, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT PEOPLE CAN STILL HAVE THAT OPTION IN, IN THE MIDST OF WHAT IS A HIGHWAY EXPANSION.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT FINAL EXPLANATION.
IT ACTUALLY, UH, BROUGHT ABOUT ANOTHER MAYBE NOT QUESTION SO MUCH AS COMMENTARY AROUND THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY.
UM, AS YOU WELL KNOW, IT'S NOT ALSO PRETTY.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, CULTURAL CONSIDERATION THAT SHOULD BE HAD AND MADE AND CONSIDERED DURING THE COURSE OF PAYING HOMAGE TO EAST AVENUE.
'CAUSE THE CONVERSION FROM EAST AVENUE TO I 35, YOU KNOW, IS A SYMBOL FOR A LOT OF FOLKS OF EXCLUSION AND INEQUITY AND FRANKLY STRUCTURAL RACISM.
AND SO MY HOPE IS THAT THERE'S SOME REAL CONSIDERATION AROUND BEING THOUGHTFUL, UM, IN APPROACHING, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL HOMAGE AND, AND THE RECOGNITION OF, OF WHERE WE CAME FROM.
AND THERE ARE SO MANY EXPERT, UM, FACILITATORS AND, UM, EDUCATORS IN TOWN THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AS SENSITIVE AS POSSIBLE TO THE ABOVE SAID SUBJECT MATTER.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, SO WE ARE MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER
[5. Mopac South Project update from CTRMA.]
FIVE.IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT I KNOW STAFF IS GONNA GIVE US A PRESENTATION, BUT WE HAVE, UM, SEVERAL SPEAKERS THAT ARE GONNA SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE, IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CALL THEM UP.
UH, UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS AN UPDATE ON THE MOPAC SOUTH PROJECT FROM THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY.
THE FIRST SPEAKER I HAVE FOR THIS ITEM IS MIRIAM SCHOFIELD.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MIRIAM SCHOFIELD, UH, SPEAKING TO HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF RETHINK 35.
UM, C-T-R-M-A IS PROPOSING A MAJOR EXPANSION OF MOPAC.
UH, THE PROPOSAL INVOLVES ADDING TWO ADDITIONAL TOLL LANES IN EACH DIRECTION IN ADDITION TO GENERAL PURPOSE LANES AND AUXILIARY LANES.
THE STUDY OF ALTERNATIVES THAT THIS PROJECT WAS BASED ON WAS DONE 15 YEARS AGO.
AND THE ONLY TWO ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE BEING LOOKED AT IN THIS STUDY ARE THE MAJOR EXPANSION I JUST ALLUDED TO, AND THE NO BUILD.
WE FEEL REALLY STRONGLY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT AN ALTERNATIVE IS STUDIED THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR VALUES AND VISION.
UM, EVERY TIME WE EXPAND A HIGHWAY IN THE CITY, WE ARE DIGGING OURSELVES DEEPER INTO THE VERY WHOLE THAT WE ARE TRYING DESPERATELY TO CLAW OURSELVES OUT OF WITH THE REST OF CITY POLICY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE, UM, ALLOWING MORE DENSE DEVELOPMENT TO HAPPEN IN THE CITY, AND THAT'S GREAT, BUT THE MOST IMMEDIATE IMPACT OF A HIGHWAY EXPANSION LIKE THIS IS THAT IT WILL RESULT IN LOW DENSITY CAR DEPENDENT DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS GREAT THAT WE'RE REMOVING PARKING MINIMUMS, BUT IF WE'RE THEN INVITING AN ADDITIONAL A HUNDRED THOUSAND CARS PLUS INTO THE CITY EVERY DAY, WE ARE CREATING DEMAND FOR PARKING.
IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ELIMINATE OUR RELIANCE ON COAL, BUT JUST THE I 35 EXPANSION IS THE EMISSIONS EQUIVALENT OF A COAL PLANT.
AND IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE INVESTING BILLIONS IN TRANSIT, BUT THE DATA SHOWS THAT THE MORE HIGHWAY LINE MILES YOU HAVE IN A CITY, THE LESS EFFECTIVE TRANSIT WILL BE.
IF WE KEEP INVESTING IN PROJECTS THAT PULL US IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, WE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD AND WE MAY WELL MOVE BACKWARDS.
SO WE'RE REALLY ASKING FOR THE CITY TO ASSURE THAT THERE IS
[01:15:01]
AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT AN ALTERNATIVE THAT DOES PROVIDE A CONGESTION FREE ROUTE FOR TRANSIT.UM, BUT THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE A HUGE EXPANSION OF THE HIGHWAY, LIKE WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED.
UM, I WANNA END WITH SOME PARTING WORDS FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, UM, IN ADDRESSING THE REST OF THE WORLD, UH, THAT IS PANICKING ABOUT THE IMPACTS ON CLIMATE OF A TRUMP PRESIDENCY.
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAID, DON'T WORRY, YOU CAN COUNT ON THE CITIES.
SO LET'S SHOW THE WORLD THAT AMERICAN CITIES ARE COMMITTED AND DEDICATED TO OUR ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS, AND THAT WE WILL BE INVESTING IN THINGS THAT MOVE US FORWARD AND NOT SUPPORTING THINGS THAT TAKE US BACKWARDS.
LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR MIRIAM OR IN GENERAL FOR MIRIAM, DO YOU MIND PUTTING THE EFFORTS IN THE PODIUM? I I JUST WANT TO SAY I SAW THAT COMMENT AND I REALLY TOOK IT TO HEART AND I APPRECIATED IT.
IT WAS A REALLY A COMPLIMENT, YOU KNOW, FROM MM-HMM,
SO I, I APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING THAT.
IF YOU WOULD, UM, LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND COME FORWARD AND, AND OFFER YOUR PRESENTATION ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THE MOPAC SOUTH UPDATE.
I ACTUALLY HAVE 2 0 2 MORE SPEAKERS.
SO WE, WE HAVE BOBBY LAVINSKY NEXT.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, I JUST, UH, HAND SOME PAPERS.
I'LL GET IT TO YOUR OFFICE AS WELL.
I AM AN ATTORNEY WITH SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS WOULD REACH THROUGH THAT SCREEN AND SLAP ME IN THE FACE IF I WERE TO INDICATE THAT THE NO BUILD SOLUTION IS THE IDEAL SCENARIO.
MOPAC HAS BOTTLENECKS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, AND I APPRECIATE THE GOAL OF MAKING BUS TRAVEL MORE CONVENIENT IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
WE DON'T NEED FOUR LANES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
I HAVE TAKEN THIS PROCESS SERIOUSLY.
UM, SINCE I'VE REJOINED SOSI PARTICIPATED IN EVERY PUBLIC MEETING AT EVERY WORKING GROUP MEETING THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE ON THIS PROJECT.
'CAUSE I KNEW IT WAS COMING BACK AND I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A MAJOR CONCERN.
I IS FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE BEING AN INFORMED AND ENGAGED STAKEHOLDER THAT I'M ASKING FOR HELP FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I HAVE DISTRIBUTED A LETTER WRITTEN BY TRAVIS COUNTY'S LEGAL COUNSEL, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS CONCERNS ABOUT THE ONGOING ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE'D BENEFIT FROM HAVING A DEBATE OVER THE NEPA PROCESS RIGHT NOW, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THAT LEGAL, UM, CONCERNS FROM TRAVIS COUNTY THAT ARE COMING FROM NATIONAL EXPERTS IN THE NE NEPA LITIGATION PROCESS.
IT'S A FIRM OUT OF DC THEY KNOW NEPA VERY WELL.
MORE BROADLY THOUGH, WE NEED RECONSIDERATION OF THE PROJECT SCOPE AND PO POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVES.
CMA INITIATED THE MPEC STUDY IN 2013.
SINCE THE INITIAL SCOPING MEETING OVER 11 YEARS AGO, HUNDREDS OF COMMENTS FROM AUSTIN RESIDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT HIGHWAY WIDENING IE WIDE OR WON'T WORK AS WELL AS THE DESIRE TO MORE FINELY IMPROVE MPAC TO ADDRESS BOTTLENECKS AND MOBILITY.
IN 2015, THE CT MA SELECTED A PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE TO WIDEN MOPAC ADDING FOUR MORE LANES TO THE, TO THE HIGHWAY TWO ON EACH SIDE WITH ALSO AUXILIARY LANES THAT MAKE IT A LOT LIKE IT'S MORE WIDE THAN YOU WOULD THINK.
UM, THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THERE WAS SERIOUS CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES OTHER THAN THIS FOUR LANE EXPANSION IN A PUBLIC FACING MANNER.
HOWEVER, A DECADE OF SMART GROWTH PLANNING HAS A, HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED.
TRAVIS COUNTY AND AUSTIN'S FUTURE.
IN 2020 AUSTIN VOTERS PA PASS PROJECT CONNECT DEDICATING CONTINUOUS TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR A CITYWIDE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK AIMED AT REDUCING RELIANCE ON PERSONAL VEHICLES.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ALSO EMBRACED DENSITY WITHIN, WITH URBAN CORES AND ALONG TRANSIT CORRIDORS APPROVED NUMEROUS PLANS TO REDUCE SOVS AND SET AMBITIOUS GOALS TO ACHIEVE A 50% REDUCTION IN IN SUCH TRIPS BY 2039.
SINCE 2015, TRAFFIC PATTERNS HAVE CHANGED.
COMPUTER COMPUTER BEHAVIORS HAVE CHANGED, IN PART DUE TO MORE COMFORT IN HYBRID WORKPLACE PRACTICES.
YOU'LL SEE THAT WITH THE DATA THAT WAS REVISED, THAT YOU'RE ONLY GETTING A FIVE MINUTE SAVINGS IN TRAVEL TIME SAVINGS FROM THESE, UM, THESE NEW LANES, NOT TO THE REMAINDER OF THE LANES, WHICH WILL NOT SEE SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CITY COUNCIL HAS COMMITTED TO A SUSTAINABLE GROWTH REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND PROMOTING MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
IT IS ALSO COMMITTED TO PROTECTING BARTON SPRINGS, WHICH IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES HABIT WITH HABITAT WITHIN 1200 FEET DOWNFLOW OF THE PROPOSED EXCAVATIONS HIGHWAY WIDENING PROJECTS SUCH AS MOPAC SOUTH CONTRADICT THOSE OBJECTIVES.
AND WE ARE ASKING YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
[01:20:02]
ONE MORE SPEAKER.OUR FINAL SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM IS VICTORIA ROSE.
MY NAME IS VICTORIA ROSE AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE ON THE EDGE.
THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO WHERE MOPAC IS.
UM, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, CT RA'S PLANNED EXPANSION OF MOPAC SOUTH, AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WORK TO PUSH C-T-R-M-A TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROJECT THAT WOULD PROTECT THE ENDANGERED SPECIES AND SENSITIVE CAR FEATURES NEAR THE PROPOSED PROJECT, WHILE ALSO ALLOWING FOR INCREASED FUNCTIONALITY AND SAFETY ALONG MOPAC.
I GET THE TRAFFIC ON MOPAC CAN BE A STRUGGLE, BUT A SOLUTION DOESN'T HAVE TO COME AT THE COST OF PROTECTING ENDANGERED SPECIES OR OUR UNIQUE GEOLOGY IN THE AREA.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT LIVING IN AUSTIN IS KNOWING THAT I SHARE A HOME WITH THE UNIQUE GOLDEN CHEEK WARBLER AUSTIN, BLIND SALAMANDER AND BARTON SPRINGS SALAMANDER.
THEY'RE ALL REALLY CUTE AND FUN TO SEE OUT IN THE WILD.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY ALL OF THESE SPECIES WILL BE IMPACTED IN SOME WAY BY THE C TMAS PLANNED EXPANSION.
AND C-T-R-M-A AT THIS POINT HASN'T EVEN STARTED THE REQUIRED SECTION SEVEN CONSULTATION WITH THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TO CLOSELY LOOK AT THE IMPACT TO THESE SPECIES.
UM, AND I WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT ON, DURING AN OPEN HOUSE THAT WAS HELD ON TUESDAY, THERE WAS HOSTED BY TXDOT AND C-T-R-M-A THAT THERE WAS NO MENTION OF THE AUSTIN BLIND SALAMANDER AND THE MATERIALS AT THE OPEN HOUSE ALSO DIDN'T HAVE ANY DETAILS ON HOW SPECIES WOULD BE PROTECTED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
ANOTHER GREAT PART OF LIVING IN AUSTIN IS THE UNIQUE CAR GEOLOGY THAT GIVES US, I DON'T KNOW, SOME OF OUR COOLEST FEATURES, THE CAVES AND SINKHOLE AND SPRINGS.
UM, AND AT THAT SAME OPEN HOUSE, THERE WERE NO PLANS PRESENTED TO IDENTIFY AND PROTECT CAST FEATURES BEFORE OR DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND SUCH AN OVERSIGHT IS REALLY NOT GREAT BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THAT IN PAST EXPANSIONS AND ROAD PROJECTS AROUND THAT MOPAC AREA, THAT THEY'VE HIT A LOT OF CAVES AND A LOT OF VOIDS THAT HAVE ENDED UP POLLUTING OUR WATER QUALITY.
UM, SO I AM PRETTY FRUSTRATED THAT C-T-R-M-A IS PUSHING THROUGH THE CURRENT PUBLIC COMMENT PHASE OVER THE HOLIDAYS AND WITHOUT REVISITING ALTERNATIVES THAT COULD PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, UM, AND THAT THEY'RE PUSHING THIS THROUGH AFTER KIND OF A 10 YEAR PAUSE.
UM, SO I HAD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE PROTECT WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT AUSTIN AND URGE THE C-T-R-M-A TO GO BACK AND TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND COME UP WITH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO FIX WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON.
AND, UH, HELLO TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS SAW IT.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? NOT ON THIS ITEM, NO.
SO NOW STAFF, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND APPROACHING THE PODIUM FOR YOUR PRESENTATION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
RICHARD MENDOZA, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS, AND I'M GONNA ASK REPRESENTATIVES OF CRMA, UH, TO APPROACH THE PODIUM AND PROVIDE, UH, THE UPDATE ON THEIR PROJECT.
ALL RIGHT, SINCE THERE'S TWO OF US, WE ARE GONNA SHARE THE TABLE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IF I'VE EVER SEEN A REPRESENTATIVE OF C-T-R-M-A IN CHAMBERS.
I SERVE, UH, AS PART OF THE C TMAS GEC TEAM.
UM, AND I'M SERVING AS THE CORRIDOR MANAGER FOR THIS ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY.
I'M DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING FOR THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL OF MOBILITY AUTHORITY.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL GET INTO IT.
WE HAVE, UH, AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECT FOR YOU.
UM, I WANTED TO START WITH JUST GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT TO ORIENT US.
THIS, AGAIN, IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY WITH, UH, TERMINUS FROM CAESAR CHAVEZ DOWN TO SLAUGHTER LANE.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES.
OUR RECENT ACTIVITY, UM, I GUESS ONE OTHER ITEM I'LL ADD HERE WAS OPEN HOUSE FIVE, UM, AT THE END OF 2022, WHICH SERVED AS AN UPDATE IN REINTRODUCTION OF THE PROJECT FROM THE POST COVID KIND OF ACTIVITY.
[01:25:01]
UM, FROM THERE WE MOVED TO A 2045 TRAFFIC UPDATE, UM, WHICH WAS POSTED IN MARCH OF 2024.AND THEN WE HOSTED TECHNICAL WORK GROUPS, WHICH WE'LL TOUCH ON A LITTLE BIT HERE FROM MAY TO JUNE OF 2024.
AND OUR CURRENT ACTIVITY, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY FOR AN UPDATE, WAS WE ARE NOW IN AN ACTIVE OPEN HOUSE COMMENT PERIOD.
WE HOSTED, UM, WE HOSTED AN OPEN HOUSE ON TUESDAY, JUST THIS PAST TUESDAY FROM FIVE TO 8:00 PM AT AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, WE HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED ATTENDEES AND RECEIVED 23 COMMENTS THAT FIRST EVENING.
BUT WHAT I REALLY WANNA POINT OUT HERE IS THAT THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE IS GOING TO BE OPEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 48 DAYS, UH, AS OPPOSED TO THE 15 REQUIRED DAYS.
SO THIS WILL EXTEND FROM, UH, NOVEMBER 12TH TO DECEMBER 29TH.
UM, AND I'VE GOT LISTED HERE THREE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT, UM, FOLKS CAN SUBMIT OFFICIAL COMMENTS.
UH, FIRST IF YOU GO TO THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE, YOU'LL FIND LINKS TO THE COMMENT FORMS. UH, THERE'S ALSO THE EMAIL AND THEN OF COURSE BY MAIL IF YOU PREFER THAT.
ALL RIGHT, SO JUST AS MUCH AS WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT IS WITHIN THE STUDY, I WANTED TO TOUCH ON SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, HIGH PRIORITY THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY WITHIN THIS STUDY.
SOME OF THESE EXAMPLES ARE THE BEE CAVES INTERSECTION AND THE PARK AND RIDE.
SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT THE RMA HAS WORKED AS REGIONAL PARTNERS FOR FOR YEARS TO TRY TO REACH, UM, CONSENSUS AND APPROACH ON, ON HOW TO, HOW TO INTEGRATE THESE THINGS.
UM, AND AT THIS POINT, THERE HADN'T BEEN A REGIONAL CONSENSUS.
AND SO WE HAVE, UH, IDENTIFIED THESE AS, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY IN THE STUDY, BUT REALLY WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE MOBILITY AUTHORITY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THESE REGIONAL COLLABORATIONS AND WELCOMES THESE PARTNERSHIPS AND BETTERMENTS TO ADDRESS THESE, THESE COMMUNITY ISSUES.
UM, SOMETHING WE'VE OFTEN BEEN ASKED ABOUT IS THE SH 45 CONNECTION BETWEEN I 35 AND FM 1626.
UM, IN THE PUBLIC THAT'S OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE SH 45 GAP STUDY THAT IS NOT PART OF OUR PROJECT.
THE MOBILITY AUTHORITY IS NOT ENGAGED IN THAT PROJECT, AND THAT PROJECT WAS NOT IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE CAMPO 25, 20 45 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN OR MODEL.
SO IT IS ALSO NOT PART OF OUR TRAFFIC FOUNDATION.
UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING ON ARE ALSO, UM, AN ELEVATED BIKE PED CROSSING AT BARTON SPRINGS.
SO WHILE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, COORDINATE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ADJUST LOCATION OF THAT CROSSING TO, TO BE BETTER SUITED, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THAT WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY AT THIS TIME.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT IF THAT CAN BE A, A, A FUTURE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AS WELL.
UM, I'LL SPEAK TO SHARED USE PATHS, UH, QUITE A BIT THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION AS WELL.
BUT WE HAVE MADE EFFORTS TO CREATE, UM, AND FILL IN GAPS WITHIN THE SIDEWALK AND SHARED USE PATH NETWORK, BUT WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE A CONTINUOUS 12 FOOT SHARED USE PATH SYSTEM.
AND THEN LAST, WE OFTEN RECEIVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON DESIGN CONSTRUCTION FUNDING.
I WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY PHASE.
UM, THESE ARE POTENTIAL FUTURE PHASES THAT THE RMA IS NOT, UM, CURRENTLY ENGAGED WITH AND HAS NO COMMITMENT TO AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO WHAT YOU WILL FIND WITHIN OPEN HOUSE SIX, OPEN HOUSE SIX IS A PRESENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDED BUILD ALTERNATIVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT TO HELP SHAPE THE STUDY.
UM, YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO FIND THE DETAILED EVALUATIONS FOR THE ALL SIX OF THE BUILD ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THE CORRIDOR, AS WELL AS EVALUATION OF THE OPERATIONAL CONFIGURATIONS, WHICH ARE, UM, CONFIGURATIONS AND OPTIONS ON HOW TO CONNECT TO DOWNTOWN, WHICH HAS BEEN A BIG, BIG TOPIC.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, ALL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICAL STUDIES AND REPORTS TO AID IN THE PROTECTION, UM, OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO WHAT I'LL SHARE HERE IS, UM, STEPPING FIRST INTO THE PUBLIC INPUT AND HOW THAT HAS, UM, HELPED SHAPE THE PROJECT TO DATE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THIS HAS BEEN A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITY FOR A LOT OF ROBUST COORDINATION WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, UM, INCLUDING OF COURSE, CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED, UM, OVER TIME WITH PUBLIC COMMENT AND SUGGESTION AND ANY STAKEHOLDER COORDINATIONS.
[01:30:01]
UH, NEW DIRECT CONNECTORS AT S TWO 90, UM, BYPASS LANES AT BARTON SKYWAY TO LOOP 360 A BYPASS LANE IS JUST WHAT HELPS US SKIP THE, THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS.UM, THERE'S A SOUTH TO NORTH U-TURN AT BARTON SKYWAY.
WE'VE ADDED, UH, EXTENDED RATHER THE AUXILIARY LANE FOR THE TEXAS TURNAROUND AT LOOP 360.
SO THAT RELIEVES CONGESTION AT THAT INTERSECTION.
UM, WE'VE RECONFIGURED THE B CAVE AND R 22 SOUTHBOUND EXIT RAMP TO KINDA SHIFT THAT NORTH FOR SOME SAFETY A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE'VE LOOKED AT ADJUSTING RAMPS NEAR WILLIAM CANNON TO HELP WITH CONGESTION THERE.
WE ALSO, UM, HAVE ADDED THIRD LANES OF POPULAR.
ONE WAS SOUTHBOUND AND NORTHBOUND GENERAL PURPOSE LANES NEAR THE WILLIAM CANNON DRIVE.
UM, THERE ARE MANY ADDITIONAL A DA BIKE AND PED CROSSINGS THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR WIDE AND SHARED USE PATHS LIKE WE'VE SPOKEN TO, FILLING IN THE GAPS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CORRIDOR.
UM, AND THEN, LIKE I HAD MENTIONED, THE BARTON SPRINGS JUST PLACING PLACEMENT OF THAT CROSSING, UM, FOR BETTER ALIGNMENT THERE.
ALL OF THESE CHANGES ARE IN REALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE SHARED VALUES, UM, WITH THE MOBILITY AUTHORITY IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH, UM, YOU KNOW, HAS THE PRIORITY OF PROTECTING HUMAN AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
WE'RE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON SAFETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, THEY'RE THIS RECOMMENDED BUILD ALTERNATIVE CARRIES WITH IT NO INCREASED ELEVATIONS OVER LADY BIRD LAKE, NO DIRECT CONNECTOR RAMPS TO CAESAR CHAVEZ OR NEAR OUR AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND WE'VE MAXIMIZED, UH, WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY THE PEDESTRIAN AND, AND CYCLIST ROUTES.
SO IN ADDITION TO STAKEHOLDER INPUT THAT WE GATHER THROUGH OUR OPEN HOUSE OPPORTUNITIES, WE ALSO, UM, AS WE'RE MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD, HOSTED SERIES OF TECHNICAL WORK GROUP MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD THIS PAST, UM, SUMMER.
AND THOSE INCLUDED, UH, MANY OF THE PARTNER AGENCIES THAT I'VE, I'VE REFERENCED.
BUT I'LL, I'LL SPEAK TO A FEW CITY OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY ROLLING WOOD, UM, AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT SAVE OUR SPRINGS, UM, BARTON SPRINGS, EDWARDS AQUA CONSERVATION DISTRICT, UH, SAFE STREETS, MANY, MANY, UM, ADVOCACY GROUPS.
AND WE, UH, BASICALLY WERE ABLE TO CREATE A FORUM WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO EXCHANGE AND SHARE INFORMATION.
SO WE PRESENTED ON THESE TOPIC MEETINGS, WHAT OUR APPROACH WAS TO STUDY AND EVALUATE AND UNDERSTAND, UM, THESE AREAS, THESE ISSUES.
WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE WHAT OUR ANTICIPATED APPROACH TO THOSE, UH, WAS, HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT STUDYING IT, AND THEN SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF THOSE EXPERTS WITHIN THOSE, UM, AGENCIES AND, AND ENTITIES.
SO FROM THESE MEETINGS, WE HAD RECEIVED, UM, 44 DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS THAT WERE INTRODUCED.
AND OF THOSE WE'RE PLEASED TO SHARE THAT 70% OF THOSE, UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCORPORATE INTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY AND THE SCHEMATIC MOVING FORWARD, ANOTHER 16% WERE PARTIALLY INCORPORATED.
SO AS WE MOVE MORE INTO TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S, UM, WHAT'S IN OPEN HOUSE SIX AND WHAT WE BASE OUR, UM, TRAFFIC ANALYSIS ON, I WANTED TO TAKE A STEP BACK 'CAUSE AND RESHARE SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE SHARED IN MARCH WITH OUR 2045 UPDATE.
UM, WE'VE OFTEN RECEIVED QUESTIONS ON REALLY WHAT THE TRAFFIC MODEL IS, WHAT THE FORECAST IS, AND IT'S BEEN HELPFUL TO, TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC.
SO WHAT IS THE TRAFFIC FORECAST AND WHY DO WE NEED IT? SO STARTING WITH WHY DO WE NEED A TRAFFIC FORECAST? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REQUIRED FROM, UH, THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT OR NEPA.
AND IT IS REQUIRED THAT WE, UH, FOLLOW THE FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR OUR TRAFFIC ANALYSIS THAT ARE BASED ON THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION MODEL THAT'S CREATED BY OUR METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION HERE LOCALLY.
THAT'S CAMPO OUR CAPITAL AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION.
SO THIS MODEL THAT WE USE FOR CAMPO, WHICH IS THE 2045 MODEL, WHICH IS THE CURRENT MODEL AND PLAN SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS, NOISE ANALYSIS AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, CUMULATIVE INDIRECT IMPACT TECH TECHNICAL REPORTS.
SO UNDERSTANDING WHY WE NEED IT, WHAT EXACTLY IS IT? SO CAMPO THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE, AGAIN, COMMUNITY BASED EFFORT DEVELOPS A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, UM, THROUGH CONSENSUS, AGAIN, WITH PARTICIPATING AGENCIES.
THEY HELP DEVELOP THE POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT DEMOGRAPHICS THAT REALLY SHAPE WHAT THAT TRAFFIC MODEL DOES, HOW IT BEHAVES, WHAT'S CONTAINED WITHIN THE MODEL, WHAT PROJECTS ARE IN THE MODEL.
[01:35:01]
OUR PROJECT TEAM THEN TAKES CAMPOS, UM, MACRO LEVEL MODEL AND WE REFINE IT A LITTLE MORE ACCURATELY FOR ALONG THE CORRIDOR ITSELF.WE DO THAT BY, UM, COLLABORATING AND UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, MORE DETAIL OF WHAT IS HAPPENING ALONG THE CORRIDOR AND UPDATING IT IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SMALLER LEVEL PROJECTS THAT WERE NOT WITHIN CAMPOS MODEL, UM, THIS FORECAST PROVIDES JUST A, A SCENARIO THAT REPRESENTS OUR BEST AVAILABLE ESTIMATES AND TRAVEL TIMES AND PROJECT IMPACTS.
YOU KNOW, WE DO RECOGNIZE NO MODEL IS A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURATE, BUT IT IS A, WELL, IT'S A WELL-INFORMED SCENARIO THAT SERVES AS ONE DATA SOURCE IN A ROBUST ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS HERE.
SO WHO REVIEWS THE METHODOLOGY? UM, TEXT DOT SERVES AT.
SO TEXT AUSTIN DISTRICT AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION REVIEWS THESE MODELS AND GIVES US CONCURRENCE TO MOVE FORWARD AND USE THEM.
SO WITH THAT, WANTED TO, BEFORE WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE EVALUATION NUMBERS, UM, I WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK BACK FOR A MOMENT HERE AS WELL, LIKE WE DID IN OUR 2045 UPDATE IN MARCH.
UM, SO IN SUMMARY, LIKE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, WE'RE REQUIRED TO USE CAMPOS REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN AS A FOUNDATION FOR OUR WORK, AND THAT THIS DOES REPRESENT OUR BEST COLLECTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE REGION'S GROWTH.
UM, MANY FOLKS POINT BACK TO THE INITIAL WORK THAT WAS SHARED AND DISCUSSED BASED ON THE 2035 MODELS SOME YEARS BACK.
AND WHILE THERE ARE VARIATIONS BETWEEN THE 2035 AND 2045, UM, THE OUTCOMES, EVEN THOUGH THE THE NUMBERS ARE DIFFERENT, THE, THE OUTCOMES CONTAIN SIMILAR CONCLUSIONS AND INDICATIONS OF, OF PERFORMANCE FOR THE ALTERNATIVES THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE EVALUATING.
SO WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS SLIDE IS A SUMMARY OF THE BUILD ALTERNATIVES, THE REASONABLE BUILD ALTERNATIVES THAT INCLUDED TRANSIT ONLY HOV AND EXPRESS LANES.
I'LL POINT OUT THAT WE DID CARRY FORWARD AND THOSE WILL BE REPRESENTED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.
THE CONCEPT OF DOING GENERAL PURPOSE LANE IMPROVEMENTS ONLY, AS WELL AS STRATEGIES LIKE TRAVEL SYSTEM MANAGEMENT, TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT.
AND WHILE THE RMA CONTINUES TO SUPPORT EFFORTS LIKE TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT, EACH OF THOSE THINGS BY THEMSELVES WAS NOT ENOUGH TO, UM, TO REALLY ADDRESS THE FULL PURPOSE AND NEED.
SO HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS HAS BEEN REFERENCED, THIS IS SHOWING UP FIVE MINUTES OF TRAVEL SAVINGS FOR THE GENERAL PURPOSE LANES.
UM, IT'S ALSO SHOWING, YOU KNOW, 14 MINUTES IN THE PEAK PM PERIOD FOR THE EXPRESS LANES.
IF WE THINK ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS MEANS TO SOMEBODY OVER A YEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TRAVEL TO WORK EVERY DAY LIKE I DO, YOU CAN LOOK AT ME SAVING 40 HOURS A YEAR.
I ALSO WANNA EMPHASIZE THOUGH THAT TRAVEL TIME IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY TRAFFIC METRICS AS WELL AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL METRICS THAT WE USE TO EVALUATE AN ALTERNATIVE.
AND I'LL SPEAK REALLY PRIMARILY TO THIS FIRST ONE HERE OF RELIABILITY.
THERE'S A HUGE BENEFIT IN WHAT WE CALL OFTENTIMES EITHER RELIABILITY OR JUST THE PLANNING TIME.
HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE TO PLAN BEFORE I CAN LEAVE WORK TO GET MY KIDS ON TIME? AND THE EXPRESS LANES IS THE MOST RELIABLE OPTION FOR, UM, BENEFITS ALL USERS ON THE ROADWAY.
SO AS MENTIONED, WE, WE LOOK AT MANY, MANY DIFFERENT EVALUATION CRITERIA.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THESE TRAVEL TIME SAVINGS, RELIABILITY, CONGESTION, UM, DEPENDABILITY, DEPENDABILITY FOR TRANSIT ROUTES, UM, STAKEHOLDER INPUT, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS.
SO ALL OF THESE ARE COMBINED WITH THE, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY FOCUSING IN ON SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ITEMS THAT WE, THAT WE EVALUATE.
UM, WON'T READ THEM ALL HERE TO YOU, BUT, YOU KNOW, AIR QUALITY BIOLOGICAL, I, I WILL SPEAK TO THAT, THAT AT THE OPEN HOUSE WE MADE REFERENCE TO A HANDFUL OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES THAT WILL BE LOOKED AT.
BUT OF COURSE, EVERY ENDANGERED SPECIES IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE CORRIDOR WILL BE, UM, SPOKEN TO WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.
AND THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC WHEN IT'S COMPLETE.
UM, WE ALSO OFTEN RECEIVE QUESTIONS ON ARE WE LOOKING AT CUMULATIVE AND INDIRECT IMPACTS? YES, THAT WILL BE PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.
UM, SO I WANTED TO MOVE THEN TO THE OPERATIONAL CONFIGURATIONS.
[01:40:01]
UM, AGAIN, WHAT THIS REFERS TO IS JUST WHAT THE DOWNTOWN CONNECTIVITY IS FROM THE ALTERNATIVE LANES FROM THE EXPRESS LANES TO, UM, GET TO FIRST STREET, ESSENTIALLY TO DOWNTOWN OR TO ENTER TO MOPAC SOUTH.UM, I'LL SPEAK MORE TO THIS ON THE NEXT SLIDE, BUT REALLY WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS, UM, TO SEE WAS THE IDENTIFIED AND PRESENTED RECOMMENDED BUILD ALTERNATIVE.
BUT YOU'LL SEE LOOKING ON HERE THAT IT'S NOT THE BEST PERFORMING.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY ALTERNATIVE THREE.
SO MOVING INTO Y TWO C AND A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH OUR OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
UM, THE PUBLIC SUPPORT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, VERY VOCAL AGAINST ELEVATED LANES AS WERE PRESENTED IN OPTIONS AND, AND DIRECT CONNECTORS TO SEIZURE CHAVEZ NEAR AUSTIN HIGH.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WERE PRESENT IN THE ONE A AND TWO A AND ONE B AND TWO B ALTERNATIVES.
UM, WE ALSO, A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT FOR FEWER IMPACTS NO RIGHT OF WAY TAKINGS REDUCING, UM, IMPACTS WITHIN THE PARK AREA.
AND OPTION THREE REQUIRED, UM, ABOUT FOUR ACRES OF, OF PARKLAND WITHIN ZILKER AND OVER LADY BIRD LAKE.
SO THESE ARE PRIMARY REASONS IN ADDITION TO THE TRAFFIC REASONS FOR RELIABILITY THAT TWO C WAS RECOMMENDED.
THIS IS JUST A SIMPLISTIC MAP TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT OPTION TWO C LOOKS LIKE.
SO THIS IS FOCUSED IN FOR ORIENTATION TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BARTON SKYWAYS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THERE LADY BIRD LAKE FOR ORIENTATION.
UH, THE EXPRESS LANES ARE IN GREEN, UM, ROADWAY AND BRIDGE WIDENINGS ARE IN BLUE.
AND THE ELEVATED RAMPS THAT HELP, UH, FOLKS EXIT AND ENTER FROM THE EXPRESS LANES ARE THERE IN YELLOW.
SO THIS OPTION GIVES US A, A REALLY SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO HAVE PEOPLE EXIT THE EXPRESS LANE AND, UM, BASICALLY MERGE TO THE OUTSIDE LANE OF THE ROADWAY, ELIMINATING A LOT OF WEAVING AND MERGING, WHICH OF COURSE HELPS WITH OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY FOR THE ROADS, JUST MAKING THE CARS MOVE, UH, BETTER.
BUT IT'S ALSO AN AN EXCELLENT THING FOR SAFETY.
UM, SOMETHING ELSE I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS IN THE KIND OF UPPER RIGHT OF THE MAP ON LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD, YOU MAY SEE ANOTHER LITTLE BLUE LOOP THERE.
THAT'S WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS THE LOOP RAMP FROM SIXTH STREET.
AND THAT HELPS, UH, JUST PROVIDE ANOTHER OPTION FOR FOLKS WHO ARE TRAVELING, UM, UH, WESTBOUND ON LAKE AUSTIN BOULEVARD AND WANTING TO ENTER MOPAC SOUTH SOUTHBOUND RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION LIGHT THERE.
SO I WANT TO, UH, SUMMARIZE WITH JUST SOME OF THE NONT TOLD IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE SCHEMATIC, UM, THAT'S PRESENTED IN THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE.
IT INCLUDES THE LOOP RAMP I JUST TALKED ABOUT, THE SIXTH STREET AND CAESAR CHAVEZ ENTRANCE RAMP TO SOUTHBOUND MOPAC.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT LOOP RAMP ADDITION, UM, AND CREATING A A TWO LANE RAMP ONCE THAT MERGES, THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE EXIT RAMP TO CAESAR CHAVEZ AND NO CHANGES FOR HOW FOLKS ON CAESAR CHAVEZ WOULD ENTER MOPAC.
UM, WE'VE WIDENED EXISTING BRIDGES OVER LADYBIRD LAKE TO FIVE NONT TOLD GENERAL PURPOSE LANES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
AGAIN, THAT'S NOT AS MANY AS WERE PROPOSED WITHIN, UM, OPTION THREE, BUT IT'S, IT'S SIGNIFICANT TO HELP MOVE TRAFFIC.
UM, WE AGAIN ADDED THE NONS SIGNALIZED U-TURN AT BARTON SKYWAY.
THERE'S BYPASS LANES, REPAVING THE GENERAL PURPOSE LANES THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR.
UM, SHIFTING THE EXIT RAMP, UM, SOUTHBOUND TO B CAVE A LITTLE BIT NORTH TO ALLOW FOR SAFETY SAFE MERGING.
UM, ONTO WESTBOUND B CAVE, THERE'S A RAMP REVERSAL THAT'S NORTH OF 360, UM, ON THE NORTHBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD.
AND THAT GREATLY HELPS REDUCE CONGESTION ON THE NORTHBOUND LOOP 360 INTERSECTION.
THAT'S A HUGE BENEFIT TO REGIONAL TRAFFIC BENEFIT TO SH 70 AND 360 BY HELPING THAT TRAFFIC MOVE BETTER.
AND THEN, UM, RAMP OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS REALLY THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR, BUT NORTHBOUND ON FRONTAGE ROADS AT WILLIAM CANNON.
AND OF COURSE THE MENTIONED, UH, INCREASED PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK, UM, CARTOONISH MAP REALLY OF THE, THE BIKE AND PET IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE CORRIDOR.
UM, I'D ENCOURAGE TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE SOME TIME AND LOOK AT THE FULL SCHEMATIC.
BUT REALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO TO COORDINATE WITH CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, URBAN TRAILS AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS REALLY FINALIZING DETAILS OF WHAT THESE CONNECTIONS LOOK LIKE.
BUT WE DO HAVE OUR EYE AND ARE MAKING QUITE A FEW CONNECTIONS THROUGHOUT
[01:45:01]
THE CORRIDOR HERE.SO OVERALL PROJECT BENEFITS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NON TOLD IMPROVEMENTS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, TRAVEL TIME AND RELIABILITY BENEFITS, OPERATIONAL AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AND EFFICIENCY, DEPENDABLE ROUTE FOR TRANSIT.
UM, AS WITH ALL RMA, UM, PROJECTS AND TRANSIT BUSES, UM, ARE FREE WITHIN THE EXPRESS LANES.
THERE'S IMPROVED EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES.
WE'VE ADDED A DA COMPLIANT BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES.
AND THEN THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES INCREASED WATER QUALITY MEASURES ABOVE, ABOVE STANDARDS.
UM, TALK A BIT ABOUT NEXT STEPS.
AGAIN, AS WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE, JUST PLUG AGAIN THAT THAT'S OPEN UNTIL DECEMBER 29TH AND WOULD ENCOURAGE OFFICIAL COMMENTS.
UM, POST OPEN HOUSE SIX, WE WILL BE REVIEWING COMMENTS AND CREATING A OPEN HOUSE SUMMARY REPORT TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC.
WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO WORK ON OUR, UM, DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, WHICH MEANS ADVANCING ALL OF THE TECHNICAL REPORTS THAT WERE REFERENCED.
UM, AND THAT WILL OF COURSE INCLUDE THINGS LIKE FORMAL COORDINATION WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE.
ONCE THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IS PUBLISHED, UM, WE WILL HOST A PUBLIC HEARING TO GATHER COMMENTS ON THAT DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, AND WE DO PLAN TO PUBLISH THAT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING WITH EXTENDED COMMENT PERIODS, JUST LIKE WE'VE DONE FOR ALL PREVIOUS OPEN HOUSES.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, THERE IS A FINAL ROUND OF MODIFICATIONS AND EDITS TO THE EA BEFORE IT'S SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION.
SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR, OUR PROJECT UPDATE.
OF COURSE, WE'RE HAPPY TO, TO TAKE QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING US AND JUST WANNA KEEP DIRECTING FOLKS BACK TO THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, UH, CHAIR, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THE TIME.
I KNOW YOU LIKE TO RUN A TIGHT SHIP AND I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW YOUR LEAD.
AND SO, UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT 2 49.
UM, AND WE HAVE TWO ITEMS TO, UM, TO COMPLETE BEFORE WE DISCUSS FUTURE TOPICS.
UM, COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR C-T-R-M-A, UH, CHAIRLESS? I DO THANK YOU CHAIR FOR THE DAY.
UM, WILL THERE BE ANY RIGHT OF WAY NEEDED TO BE ACQUIRED FOR THIS PROJECT? IS THAT ANTICIPATED? THERE IS NO RIGHT OF WAY IDENTIFIED.
THERE ARE TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS IDENTIFIED.
UM, AND I'M GONNA TRY TO MOVE THROUGH MY NOTES PRETTY QUICKLY.
I KNOW THIS IS A, A VERY BEEFY TOPIC AND WE'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF FOLKS REACHING OUT TO US WITH QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT IT.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S GENERALLY BEEN SOME SUPPORT FOR, YOU KNOW, ONE MORE LANE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY SUPPORT FOR TWO TOLLED LANES THROUGH THIS AREA.
CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT DECISION AND HOW THAT CAME TO BE? YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN WHAT'S ON NORTH MOPAC RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? UM, THE CONCEPT OF HAVING TWO EXPRESS LANES AND MANAGED LANES RATHER THAN ONE.
SO REMEMBER EXPRESS LANES ARE DIFFERENT THAN JUST A TYPICAL TOLL LANE WITH THE MANAGED SYSTEM.
THERE'S NOT, UH, THERE'S NOT AS MANY EXITS AND ENTRANCES AND THAT CREATES JUST OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT.
SO IF YOU END UP WITH ONE ACCIDENT OR A, UH, VEHICLE MOVING BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT OR A TRUCK GETTING IN THERE THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE AND CAN'T GO TO THE SPEED LIMIT, IT JUST CREATES A LOT OF OPERATIONAL ISSUES.
SO TWO LANES, UM, PERFORMS BETTER OPERATIONALLY AND IS, UM, FRANKLY MORE SAFE.
AND IS IT DETERMINED THAT THE, HOWEVER THE LANES ARE DECIDED THAT THEY DEFINITELY HAVE TO START ALL THE WAY AS FAR SOUTH AS SLAUGHTER AND SOME OF THE TRAFFIC PROJECTIONS THAT I'VE LOOKED AT, IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF THE TRAFFIC IS COMING FROM DRIPPING SPRINGS, AND SO I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY LEEWAY ON EXACTLY HOW AND WHEN TO START THOSE LANES.
UM, WELL OUR TRAFFIC MODELING IS SHOWING THAT THE LANES DO ADD BENEFIT FOR THE SOUTH, UM, SECTION OF MOPAC.
BUT OF COURSE WE'RE OPEN TO ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AND, AND DISCUSSING THAT.
I, I'VE, UH, I'LL HAVE TO HAVE SOME MORE CONVERSATIONS ON THAT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THOSE IMPACTS, BUT, UM, WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT HOW IT WAS DETERMINED TO START THAT FAR DOWN.
UM, HOW FAR AWAY ARE WE FROM GETTING CONTINUOUS SHARED USE PATHS? I KNOW THIS WAS A RECOMMENDATION THE CITY HAD COME OUT WITH A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T ANSWER THAT DIRECTLY TODAY.
I, I DON'T HAVE LIKE A MEASUREMENT OF HOW MANY LINEAR FEET OR HOW MANY GAPS WE'RE SHY OF, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PULL THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER AND, UM, BRING IT TO OUR NEXT STAFF MEETING AS WE CONTINUE TO, TO COORDINATE WITH
[01:50:01]
PARKS AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION.AND THEN AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IS CONCERNED, WHO DETERMINES WHETHER IT GETS A FINDING OF SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OR NO FINDING OF SIGNIFICANT IMPACT? SO BECAUSE OF HOW MANY TECHNICAL TOPICS ARE CONTAINED WITHIN AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, THERE'S A WHOLE PANEL OF SPECIALISTS WITHIN TXDOT ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS ESSENTIALLY, UH, THAT HELP REVIEW THIS DOCUMENT.
AND, UM, IT IS TXDOT WHO HAS OUR NEPA DELEGATION WITHIN WITHIN TEXAS THAT WOULD THEN ISSUE A ENVIRONMENTAL FINDING ON THE, ON THE ASSESSMENT REPORT.
SO IT'S TDOT THAT DOES THAT? UM, YES, AND I WILL, I WILL JUST ADD, I'M TRYING TO MOVE A BIT QUICKLY BECAUSE OF THE TIMING HERE, BUT, UM, WE'VE BEEN FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE OPERATIONS IN THIS AREA.
WHEN THE VOTERS APPROVED PROJECT CONNECT, THEY DID IMPROVE A METRO RAPID IN OAK HILL AND, UM, AND A PARK AND RIDE SOMEWHERE IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN IN ADDITION TO THE ONE AT PINNACLE.
UM, I'M STILL GONNA KEEP FIGHTING FOR THAT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS PROMISED TO THE VOTERS AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT SOUTHWEST AUSTIN HAVE CONNECTIVITY TO TRANSIT SERVICES.
UM, SO I REALLY WANNA TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AND, UM, AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN INCLUDE THAT TYPE OF OPERATION.
UM, AND THEN I, I WILL JUST END FOR TIME'S SAKE ON, YOU KNOW, REALLY HEARING THE CONCERNS THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ADVOCACY COMMUNITY HAS BEEN BRINGING TO OUR ATTENTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, TRAVIS COUNTY HAS TAKEN A POSITION ON WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE MOST ROBUST, UM, ASSESSMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, WHETHER THAT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT OR SOME OTHER FORM.
UM, REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WITH ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THIS AREA WITH CAR FEATURES THAT HAVE BEEN PROTECTED THAT A LOT OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING HARD TO, TO ENHANCE, MAKE SURE THEIR PROTECTION MOVES FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN NOT TO FURTHER DAMAGE THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SO I, UH, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION TODAY AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH TECHNICAL STAFF, UM, BUT I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO THE FOLKS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO US AND UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NO SECRET THE FOLKS THAT BUILD HIGHWAYS AREN'T THE HOUSING PLANNERS.
WE'VE GOTTA UNDERSTAND HOW, UM, SPRAWL IS AFFECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND, UM, NOBODY LIKES A LONG COMMUTE.
I UNDERSTAND TRYING TO SOLVE THAT ISSUE, BUT I THINK THAT THESE AGENCIES NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AND CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF ALL WORKING TOGETHER, US INCLUDED, ON TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MINIMIZING IMPACTS TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE TODAY AND, UM, WE'LL BE WORKING ON SOME OF MY COMMENTS MOVING FORWARD AS THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD STAYS OPEN.
YEAH, WE A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE AND HEAR BOTH THOSE POINTS.
ARMY'S OPEN TO CONTINUING TO WORK ON PARK AND RIDES, UM, EVEN IF IT'S A SEPARATE PROJECT FROM OPAC SOUTH.
AND THEN SPEAKING BRIEFLY TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, THAT IS WHAT WE HOPE TO GET OUT OF.
IF WE CAN GET SPECIFICS, IF THERE'S ANY, WE'VE SHARED DETAILED INFORMATION FOR WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, HOW WE'RE GONNA APPROACH IT, UM, AND WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO LISTENING TO HOW TO DO IT BETTER.
AND I'LL FLAG, I'D LIKE TO REACH OUT TO YOU ON THE BACKEND AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY MORE DEFINITIVE SCHEMATICS WE CAN SEE.
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME AVAILABLE AT THE OPEN HOUSE, BUT I'VE BEEN OUT OF TOWN SINCE THEN AND JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSPARENCY AS THESE CONVERSATIONS MOVE FORWARD.
BUT I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU ON THE BACK END AND WE CAN WORK THROUGH SOME OF THAT.
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR THOSE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTARY.
AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE WITH US TODAY.
UM, WITH THAT YOU ALL, WE ARE GONNA MOVE RIGHT ON INTO, UM, LIVING STREETS.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE RIGHT ON INTO ITEM NUMBER SIX, UH,
[6. Living Streets Program update.]
THE LIVING STREETS UPDATE.UM, WE'RE GONNA GET AN, AN UPDATE FROM OUR LIVING STREETS PROGRAM STAFF.
UM, AND GO AHEAD AND PRESENT WHEN YOU'RE READY.
I I ACTUALLY HAVE ONE SPEAKER ON THIS.
BUT, UM, IF YOU CAN GIVE US A SECOND.
OUR, OUR SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM IS ADAM GREENFIELD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. GREENFIELD.
UH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, THE, THE LIVING STREETS PROGRAM STILL, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN EXCITED FROM THE BEGINNING AND THIS PROGRAM IS CONTINUING TO EXPAND.
WE GET A LOT OF COMMENTS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, HOW EXCITED THEY ARE ABOUT THIS.
IN FACT, JUST YESTERDAY I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM A COMMUNITY MEMBER ON THE WOOTEN HEALTHY STREET MEMBER FROM THE RIBBON CUTTING, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND SHE WAS GUSHING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF STREET PARTIES THEY'VE STARTED
[01:55:01]
HAVING ON THIS HEALTHY STREET.AND SHE SAID TO PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER, WOOTEN AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE COMING IN TO HANG OUT THERE.
AND IN FACT, THERE'S A, UH, A PETITION THAT'S NOW RUNNING TO TRY AND EXPAND THAT HEALTHY STREET, UH, FURTHER INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THIS IS JUST ABSOLUTELY MUSIC TO OUR EARS TO HEAR THIS AND, UH, HOPE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING ACROSS AUSTIN.
UM, AND WE'RE ALSO HEARING, YOU KNOW, THAT RESIDENTS ARE REALLY KEEN TO BE MOVING BEYOND THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY BEEN FLAGGED TO US.
WE'VE GOTTA GET THE CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT OUT OF THE STREET AND GET MORE DURABLE, UH, CONTEXT SENSITIVE, UM, AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, UH, EQUIPMENT IN THERE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE HOPING THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH STAFF ON TO, TO ACCELERATE THAT.
'CAUSE WE THINK THAT IS KIND OF A, A TIME SENSITIVE ISSUE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT SO FAR WE ARE JUST SO EXCITED, SO APPRECIATIVE OF, OF THE IMPACTS THAT THIS PROGRAM IS MAKING.
AND ALSO NOW THAT THE, THE, UH, THE BLOCK PARTY PROGRAM IS UNDER THE, THE LIVING STREETS PROGRAM.
UM, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE NUMBER OF BLOCK PARTIES, UH, THAT ARE HAPPENING THIS YEAR, ABOUT 50% HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR.
AND, UH, I'M A A BLOCK PARTY ORGANIZER MYSELF.
WE HAVE ONE ON THE 7TH OF DECEMBER.
YOU'RE ALL INVITED, EVERYONE IN THE CHAMBERS.
AND IT JUST, THESE, THESE EVENTS JUST MAKE SO MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE'S LIVES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BEYOND THOSE OF EVENTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASTIC COMMENTARY.
UM, UH, WITH THE CHAIRS, BLESSINGS AND, UH, THE PATIENTS WI OF OUR STAFF, WE ARE GONNA POSTPONE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN OR, UM, MY APOLOGIES, ITEM NUMBER SIX IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I TOOK THOSE OUTTA ORDER, DIDN'T I? NO, NO, YOU GOT IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA POSTPONE ITEM NUMBER SIX.
THE LIVING, YOU SAID, ARE WE POSTPONING SIX OR SEVEN? SIX.
WE'RE POSTPONING ITEM NUMBER SIX.
UM, THE LIVING STREETS UPDATE TO THE NEXT MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING.
[7. Report by the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department related to ongoing mobility programs and projects in the Central Texas region, including construction and service updates.]
GONNA ROLL RIGHT INTO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGION MOBILITY UPDATE.UM, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THE ITEM? YOU MADE A FACE
I THINK WE'RE MOVING INTO THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
WHAT THOUGHT? YEAH, SO I, I I DID TAKE THEM OUT.
I DID SEVEN AND THEN WENT BACKWARDS.
UM, IN WHICH CASE, SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW IS, UM, TALK ABOUT FUTURE ITEMS,
[8. Identify items to discuss at future meetings]
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.UM, THIS IS WHERE WE IDENTIFY ITEMS TO DISCUSS AT FUTURE MEETINGS, UM, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO HIGHLIGHT ANY ITEMS THAT WE'D LIKE FOR THE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS.
UM, CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO START WITH YOU.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO FLAG WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, POTENTIALLY TEED UP AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION ON THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSIT PLAN.
UH, MICRO MOBILITY CHANGES, UPDATE AS WE TALK ABOUT, UM, SCOOTERS AND, AND BIKES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, MOBILITY, PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS IN ADVANCE OF 8 20, 26 BOND PACKAGE.
AND NOW APPARENTLY LIVING STREETS IS GONNA BE COMING BACK.
SO, SO WE'LL WORK WITH THOSE AND SEE WHAT MAKES SENSE IN THAT MOMENT.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT A RUNNING LIST, UM, AS WELL BEHIND THAT.
UM, ANY
I DO APPRECIATE THE LINE OF QUESTION IN THAT YOU OFFERED EARLIER AS IT TO, UM, TRAIL CONNECTIVITY.
I HEARD A RUMOR A WHILE BACK ABOUT TRAILS CONNECTING ALL THE WAY FROM BOGGY TO SHOAL.
AND I JUST, I HAVE BIG DREAMS ABOUT SEEING THAT LEVEL OF CONNECTIVITY, SEEING THE CITY TRULY CONNECTED, UM, FROM EAST TO WEST.
AND SO, UM, MOVING FORWARD, AS I HEAR MORE MURMURS, UM, I'LL BE BRINGING THOSE ITEMS TO THE CHAIR FOR CONSIDERATION.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR US TO CONSIDER THIS AFTERNOON? DOES IT APPEAR SO, IN WHICH CASE AT 3 0 1, THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE IS ADJOURNED.