[CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:04]
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND I'M GONNA CALL THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION TO ORDER.
WE'RE HERE IN THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION ROOMS AT AUSTIN CITY HALL.
3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA, UM, START WITH, UH, A ROLL CALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE.
UM, SO, COMMISSIONER BFO, DISTRICT ONE.
UH, DISTRICT THREE, COMMISSIONER ALVAREZ, I BELIEVE SHE LET US KNOW SHE WOULD NOT BE HERE.
COMMISSIONER UH, DANIEL COWMAN FROM DISTRICT FIVE HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER EDWARD SMITH FROM DISTRICT SIX.
COMMISSIONER DI DIANA WILLER FROM DISTRICT SEVEN HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER JUSTIN JACOBSON FROM DISTRICT EIGHT.
COMMISSIONER, UH, SPENCER SCHUMACHER FROM DISTRICT NINE HERE.
COMMISSIONER REIN BROOKS, OUR VICE CHAIR FROM DISTRICT 10.
AND COMMISSIONER DESHAUN BROWN.
WE DIDN'T HEAR YOU, BUT WE CAN SEE YOU'RE ONLINE.
UM, SO, UH, WE DO HAVE QUORUM.
I KNOW, UM, WE DO THINK, UM, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY GOOD.
BUT IF ANYONE DOES HAVE TO DROP OFF THE MEETING, PLEASE DO LET US KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
WE JUST WANNA KEEP AN EYE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE QUORUM.
BUT I THINK COMMISSIONER BFO WILL BE JOINING US AND I THINK WE'LL BE PRETTY SAFE ON QUORUM TODAY, QUITE HONESTLY.
UM, I DID WANNA GO AHEAD AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, FOR ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS TO PERHAPS TWO OF OUR COMMISSIONERS WILL BE THEIR LAST MEETING.
SO I KNOW THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER DIANA WHEELER, UM, SOMEONE HAS BEEN APPOINTED BUT HAS NOT FINISHED THEIR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TRAINING IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
SO YOU'RE GONNA PROBABLY BE IN YOUR LAST MEETING, ASSUMING THAT PERSON CAN FINISH THEIR TRAINING BY THE APRIL MEETING.
SO, UM, I REALLY JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE AND RELIABILITY, UM, AND DEDICATION TO THIS COMMISSION.
AND ALSO FOR, UH, TAKING ON THE ROLE OF BEING OUR APPOINTEE TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION AS WELL, WHICH IS LIKE AN EXTRA, YOU JOINED THIS COMMISSION AND THEN YOU GOT A BONUS COMMISSION WITH THAT.
LIKE, WHAT'S THAT ABOUT? SO, UM, WE REALLY DID WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UH, ALSO WANNA TURN TO MY COMMISSIONER, UH, CO UH, TRUSTEE, VICE CHAIR RAVEN BROOKS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, SERVICE AS WELL.
DO YOU KNOW IF SOMEONE'S BEEN APPOINTED IN D 10 N? NO, I DON'T.
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT READY IN APRIL EITHER.
SO YOU HAVE A 90 DAY GRACE PERIOD FROM THE END OF YOUR TERM WHERE YOU CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE IF WILLING.
AND WE DO APPRECIATE THAT IN LIGHT OF TRYING TO MAKE QUORUM.
SO MAYBE WE'LL SEE YOU IN APRIL.
IF NOT, I'LL SEE YOU IN OTHER VENUES, EVEN IF I DON'T SEE YOU IN APRIL.
THANK YOU FOR ESPECIALLY SOME OF YOUR WORK SUPPORTING ME WITH THE AGENDA AND VARIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
UM, WE DO HAVE OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION ON, UM, GENERAL ITEMS. I WANNA TURN TO OUR STAFF AND SEE IF ANYONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION LOOKING AROUND.WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF YOU'RE ON ITEMS, IS THAT CORRECT? ON GENERAL AND ITEMS? GENERAL ITEMS. OKAY.
WE WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT.
SO WE HAVE, UM, LET ME, LET ME, I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE I HEAR.
SO WE HAVE, UH, I'M JUST GONNA READ THIS INTO THE RECORD.
SO FOR MY OWN, UH, BENEFIT AS WELL, UH, SO WE HAVE ADAM GREENFIELD IS HERE TO SPEAK ON, SPEAK ON ADAMS THREE AND FIVE.
SO WE'LL TAKE THOSE AT THE TIME WE TAKE THOSE UP.
REB IS HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM SIX, AND THEN YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK.
CAN YOU REPEAT, I KNOW YOU JUST STATED IT.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT FOR ME ON, ON, UH, GENERAL AND ON STATES? OKAY.
UM, WITH THAT THEN WE'LL TAKE YOUR GENERAL COMMENTS.
SO THIS IS FOR COMMENTS, NOT ON AN AGENDA ITEM.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO.
AH, AND, AND IF YOU COULD TO ALSO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO US AS WELL.
UH, I'M WITH A GROUP CALLED MOBILITY AUSTIN, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A PROPOSAL THAT WE'RE PROMOTING FOR USING, UH, ON DEMAND HYBRID, UH, OR ON DEMAND TRANSIT VAN TRANSIT CITYWIDE.
UH, THIS IS BASICALLY, UH, AN EXPANSION OF CAP METRO'S PICKUP SERVICE TO A CITYWIDE SERVICE.
UM, THE CITY MANAGER IS RUNNING A SET OF MEETINGS FOR INPUT ON, ON FUTURE BUDGET PRIORITIES.
AND THE, UH, THE MEETING THAT'S CLOSEST TO MY HOUSE IS TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE SOUTH AUSTIN REC CENTER.
I THOUGHT, WELL, HOW CAN I GET TO THIS MEETING ON PUBLIC TRANSIT?
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SO I ASKED GOOGLE MAPS BECAUSE IT CAN TELL YOU THIS, AND IT SAID, YOU'RE GONNA WALK, YOU'RE GONNA WALK FROM HOME 1.6 MILES ACROSS SOUTH LAMAR, DOWN A SECTION, A BUSY SECTION OF OLD TORF WITH NO SIDEWALKS TO GET TO THE REC CENTER.THERE'S NO PUBLIC TRANSIT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE'S NO PUBLIC TRANSIT TO THE REC CENTER.
AND THIS IS THE CASE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO, THIS IS WHERE I VOTE, BY THE WAY, PEOPLE ALL OVER TOWN ARE NOT SERVED BY OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM BECAUSE IT DOESN'T GET THEM FROM WHERE THEY ARE TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO, WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
SO THE ANSWER TO THIS IS ON DEMAND VAN TRANSIT.
AND THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT IS BEING USED CITYWIDE ELSEWHERE, IN PARTICULAR IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS, WHICH ISN'T AS LARGE AS AUSTIN, BUT IT'S A VERY SUBSTANTIAL CITY.
AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF, UH, A SUPPLEMENT WITH, UH, THE REST OF THEIR TRANSIT SYSTEM.
THEY DON'T, THEY HAVE NO RAPID BUS SYSTEM.
BUT, UH, IT, IT IS A SYSTEM THAT, YOU KNOW, IF EVERYBODY IS PAYING FOR IT, IT'S AN EQUITABLE SETUP, RIGHT? UH, IF EVERYBODY'S PAYING FOR THE SYSTEM, THEY OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO USE IT.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S A, OFFERS GREAT ADVANTAGE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES OR OTHER OTHERWISE DON'T HAVE A VEHICLE.
BECAUSE CONNECTING TO OUR EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM IS AN EXPENSE OF TIME AND ENERGY AND SAFETY THAT IS PUSHED OFF ONTO THE USERS.
UH, THAT, UH, UH, IT, IT GETS BURIED IN THE, IT IT IN THE NOTION OF, OF WHAT'S COST PER RIDER.
SO, UH, IN GENERAL, IT WILL GET YOU AROUND TOWN FASTER, UH, THAN USING THE CONVENTIONAL, UH, PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM AND AT SCALE.
AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO VIA THE PROVIDER FOR, UH, ON DEMAND, UH, AT LENGTH AND, AND AT SCALE.
THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT, THAT HAS A REASONABLE COST.
IT'S COMPARABLE TO, UH, TO OTHER, UH, FIXED MODE TRANSIT SYSTEMS. AND SO, UH, THE PARKS BOARD HAS ALREADY, UH, SEEN THE, THE MERIT OF THIS.
THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING GOOD TRANSIT TO THEIR, THEIR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND THEY HAVE PASSED A RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE CITY COUNCIL TO PURSUE THIS.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS EVENTUALLY CAN DO THAT TOO.
UM, WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM
[1. Approve the minutes of the Urban Transportation Commission REGULAR MEETING on February 4, 2025. ]
ONE, WHICH IS TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF OUR URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING FROM FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025.YOU'LL FIND THIS, UM, IN THE ONLINE BACKUP, OR IF YOU'RE HERE IN PERSON, IT WAS ALSO, UM, UH, SHARED, UH, ON PAPER HERE.
SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE A MOMENT TO REVIEW, AND THEN I'LL, UM, ACCEPT A MOTION ABOUT THAT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES.
ANY DISCUSSION OR CORRECTIONS.
I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE ON THAT ITEM.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MEETING MINUTES AS CIRCULATED.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT, WHICH DOES INCLUDE COMMISSIONER BUFFET NOW AS WELL.
SO, WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE TO, UM, I THINK WITH OUR QUORUM, WE'RE GOING TO JUST TAKE THE AGENDA IN ORDER.
SO I FEEL COMFORTABLE ON QUORUM, SO I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA TRY TO MIX THAT UP ON THE FLY HERE.
[2. Discussion regarding guiding principles for the 2026 Bond.]
GO TO, UM, ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS OUR ONLY DISCUSSION ITEM, NOT POST IT FOR ACTION, WHICH IS DISCUSSION REGARDING REGARDING THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE 2026 BOND.OUR PRESENTER BEING MICHELLE MARKS FROM THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THANK YOU CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, UM, COMMISSION MEMBERS.
UM, NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, MY SECOND APPEARANCE IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO THANKS FOR HAVING ME AGAIN TODAY.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY, UM, TO, TO GIVE YOU A PRELIMINARY OVERVIEW OF HOW TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS IS STARTING TO THINK ABOUT AND STRUCTURE OUR, UM, EVALUATION CRITERIA.
AS YOU KNOW, WE GET READY IN THE CITY, UM, FOR A POTENTIAL BOND IN 2026, UM, AND SPECIFICALLY THINKING ABOUT, UM, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND EVALUATION CRITERIA WE USE TO IDENTIFY ARE CAPITAL PROJECT PRIORITIES MOVING FORWARD.
SO IF YOU'LL, UM, GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, WE'LL WALK THROUGH, UM, FIRST, THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN ANCHORS THAT TO MY UNDERSTANDING ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS ARE REALLY USING IN THIS BOND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AS THANK YOU, OUR, UM, WAY POST AND ORGANIZING,
[00:10:01]
UM, SYSTEM.AND THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT, UM, CROSSWALKS AGAINST OUR AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UM, PREVIEW IT CROSSWALKS VERY WELL.
UM, AND THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHAT THAT MEANS AS IT TRICKLES DOWN AND REFLECTS, UM, INTO TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR, UM, PROJECT PRIORITIZATION AND SELECTION.
UM, WE'RE NOT AT THIS POINT GOING TO GET INTO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN TERMS OF PRIORITY PROJECTS AND WHAT'S COMING TO THE TOP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE FULL DISCLOSURE IS WE ARE STILL VERY ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN THAT WORK.
SO I DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANY PROJECT INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO BRING THAT, THIS, THIS STRUCTURE TO YOU, UM, FROM THE GROUND FLOOR TO GET ANY INPUT YOU MAY HAVE, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
UM, THE OTHER DISCLAIMER I'LL PUT OUT THERE BEFORE WE JUMP INTO THE CONTENT IS THAT, UH, THE MATERIAL I'M GONNA WALK WITH YOU TODAY REALLY PERTAINS SPECIFICALLY TO CAPITAL PRIORITIES.
WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTENANCE PRIORITIES.
THOSE, UM, NEEDS REALLY ARE LARGELY DRIVEN BY THE, UM, THE KIND OF STATUS OF THE ASSET ITSELF AND, AND THE, THE MAINTENANCE NEEDS OF THE ASSET AT THAT TIME.
UM, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THEY DON'T CONSIDER NEEDS THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT TODAY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, EQUITY AND DEMAND, BUT, UM, MUCH HEAVIER FOCUS ON ASSET CONDITION FOR THOSE.
SO, UM, TO JUMP RIGHT INTO IT, UM, THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN ANCHORS, YOU'LL SEE ON THE TABLE TO YOUR LEFT HERE.
UM, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THESE.
SO EQUITY, AFFORDABLE AFFORDABILITY, EXCUSE ME, INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, PROACTIVE PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS.
AND IN THE CITY STRATEGIC PLAN, THESE, UM, ANCHORS OR VALUES ARE INTENDED TO, UM, BE KINDA AN ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE FOR THE HOW THE CITY PROVIDES THE SERVICES WE DO.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, WHEN YOU KIND OF COMPARE THAT TO THE A SMP GUIDING PRINCIPLES, THERE REALLY IS REASSURINGLY A VERY STRONG CORRELATION HERE, AND WE'VE DONE SOME OF THAT CROSSWALKING HERE WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN ANCHORS IN ORANGE AND THE A SMP GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN BLUE.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, IN SOME PLACES, TWO OR THREE OF OUR A SMP ANCHORS REALLY NEST WITHIN THE CSP, UM, ANCHORS.
UM, BUT THE, THE TAKEAWAY MESSAGE HERE IS THAT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP AND A LOT OF O OPPORTUNITY HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EVALUATION CRITERIA IS REFLECTING BOTH THE CITY STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE A SMP.
SO, UM, TO JUMP RIGHT INTO IT, UM, THE FIRST OF THOSE ANCHORS IS EQUITY.
AND, UM, TRANSPORTATION TYPICALLY ADDRESSES EQUITY BY, YOU KNOW, APPLYING OUR EQUITY ANALYSIS ZONES, OUR E ZS, UM, IN A WAY THAT DIRECTS TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS TO THOSE AREAS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING HIGH EQUITY NEEDS OR AREAS WITH HISTORIC UNDERINVESTMENT.
AND THOSE EEAS WERE DEVELOPED WITH A REALLY, YOU KNOW, EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROCESS, UM, DURING, I BELIEVE OUR WALK BIKE ROLE, UM, PLAN DEVELOPMENT, AND ALL OF THE KIND OF DATA THAT GOES INTO THOSE EEAS WAS DEVELOPED WITH COMMUNITY AS WELL AS WITH OUR EQUITY OFFICE AND IS PUBLISHED ONLINE.
I WON'T GO INTO ALL THAT TECHNICAL DETAIL, UM, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA REINVENT THE WHEEL HERE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, UM, TO USE OUR EEAS, UM, AS, UM, AN A GUIDING TOOL FOR, FOR INVESTMENT DOLLARS MOVING FORWARD, INCLUDING WITH THIS, UM, KIND OF BOND PRIORITIZATION.
UM, WHAT I FAILED TO MENTION IS WE'RE REALLY USING THIS, THIS PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING OUR, UM, GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE BOND TO ALSO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE BOND, HOW DO WE JUST USE THIS AT TPW GENERALLY TO IDENTIFY OUR CAPITAL PRIORITIES, UM, AS A WHOLE, BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE BOND.
SO THIS, THIS IS REALLY KIND OF IN OUR MINDS JUST A PRIORITIZATION EXERCISE FOR CAPITAL DOLLARS, PERIOD, BOND INCLUDED.
UM, THE OTHER ITEM YOU'LL SEE HERE ARE TITLE SIX TRANSIT ROUTES.
AND THOSE ARE ROUTES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED BY CAPITAL METRO AS SERVING LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
THE BENEFIT OF INCLUDING THIS IS THAT IT, IT ALLOWS FOR INVESTMENT PRIORITIES OUTSIDE OF THOSE SPECIFIC CENSUS TRACKS WHERE PEOPLE RESIDE AND LIVE.
AND IT ALLOWS US TO STEP BACK TO LOOK AT, OKAY, WHERE ARE, UM, PEOPLE WITH TRANSPORTATION NEEDS TRAVELING TO? WHERE ARE THOSE DESTINATIONS? WHERE ARE THOSE HIGH NEED TRANSIT ROUTES, FOR EXAMPLE,
[00:15:01]
WHERE WE MIGHT WANNA FOCUS SPEED AND RELIABILITY IMPROVEMENTS.SO TAKING KIND OF A BROADER LENS, UM, AT THE, OUR EQUITY NEEDS.
THE NEXT, UH, PILLAR IS AFFORDABILITY.
AND AT TRANSPORTATION WE LOOK TO, UM, AUGMENT THE CITY'S AFFORDABILITY GOALS BY PROVIDING ACCESS ACCESSIBLE, EXCUSE ME, LOW COST MOBILITY OPTIONS, UM, LIKE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS LIKE ACCESS TO TRANSIT, UM, TO AND FROM WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO TRAVEL.
UM, SO LOOKING AT SOME OF THE CRITERIA WE MIGHT USE TO EVALUATE OUR PROJECTS AGAINST THIS MEASURE, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT KIND OF BICYCLE FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, UM, A PROPOSED PROJECT WOULD PROVIDE, UM, LOOKING AT THE LEVEL OF, OF TRANSIT SERVICE, UM, ALONG A PROJECT CORRIDOR, IS THIS THE TYPE OF, OF, OF IMPROVEMENT THAT WOULD IMPROVE ACCESS TO HIGH FREQUENCY TRANSIT, FOR EXAMPLE? AND DOES THE, A PROJECT INCLUDE HIGH PRIORITY SIDEWALKS AND CROSSINGS, UM, PER OUR MODAL PLANS? UM, AND THEN BACKING UP AND LOOKING AT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO PEOPLE NEED TO GET TO AND FROM, UM, MAKING SURE THAT OUR INVESTMENTS ARE ALIGNING WITH THE IMAGINE AUSTIN GROWTH CONCEPT MAP, UM, AND PRIORITIZING THOSE ACTIVITY CENTERS WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS GROWTH, INNOVATION.
UM, SO TRANSPORTATION REALLY THINKS ABOUT INNOVATION IN TERMS OF, YES, IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY.
SO HOW, AND TO WHAT DEGREE, UM, DO WE INTEGRATE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS SMART INFRASTRUCTURE OR TRANSIT SIGNAL PRIORITY, UM, OR INTEGRATED TRANSIT, UH, TRAFFIC SIGNALS, FOR EXAMPLE, INTO OUR PROJECTS.
UM, BUT ALSO THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET INNOVATIVE IN TERMS OF COORDINATING OUR PROJECTS ACROSS PROGRAMS, ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES TO LOOK FOR LEVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, HOW DO WE GET SMART ABOUT HOW DO WE DEL HOW WE DELIVER OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS? UM, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT FACTORS LIKE, YES, UM, DOES THE PROJECT INCLUDE SMART TECHNOLOGY? IS THE PROJECT, HAS IT BEEN VETTED WITH OUR PARTNERS? UM, AND ARE THERE PROJECT LEVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES? NEXT, LOOKING AT HOW WE SUPPORT THE CITY'S SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY OBJECTIVES.
UM, TPW REALLY THINKS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, UM, IN TERMS OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE INCLUDE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AS PART OF OUR PROJECT'S SCOPES.
UM, THIS IS BECOMING, UM, A, YOU KNOW, A MUCH MORE IMPORTANT AND, AND KIND OF FRONTLINE OBJECTIVE FOR US.
UM, AND THEN BUILDING, UM, PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE, UM, SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION CHOICES THAT, UM, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RE RE REDUCE OUR COMMUNITY'S CARBON OUTPUT.
UM, SO LOOKING AT FACTORS SUCH AS, UH, PROVIDING HIGH PRIORITY SIDEWALKS AND CROSSINGS, LOOKING AT NEEDS ALONG THE TRANSIT PRIORITY NETWORK AND, UH, PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY BICYCLE FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, UM, KIND OF IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR MODAL PLANS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO RESILIENCY, THINKING ABOUT THE FUNCTION OF THE ROADWAY AND WHAT FUNCTION THOSE ROADWAYS PLAY IN TIMES OF AN EMERGENCY, UM, MAKING SURE WE HAVE A RESILIENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN THOSE INSTANCES.
AND THEN AGAIN, IN REGARDS TO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, ARE, DOES THE PROJECT INCLUDE THAT KIND OF VITAL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SCOPE, THINKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT STREET TREES AND, AND, UH, WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTE TO, UH, CLIMATE AND COMFORT.
UM, AND, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT, UM, SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS LIKE LOW CARBON CONCRETE, FOR EXAMPLE, OR, UM, LOW HEAT ASPHALT, AND THEN PROACTIVE PREVENTION.
UM, THINKING ABOUT HOW ARE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS PROACTIVELY PREVENT CRASHES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN? UM, SO THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS, UH, THE, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS BEING IDENTIFIED IN TERMS OF HIGH CRASH INTERSECTIONS, UM, IN OUR VISION ZERO, UH, PLAN, AND IS THE PROPOSED PROJECT ON OUR HIGH INJURY NETWORK, UM, AND THEN DOES THE PROJECT PROVIDE A SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, EITHER ALONG A CORRIDOR OR AT A CROSSING AT AN INTERSECTION? UM, AND I THINK THIS MAY BE THE LAST ONE, BUT CERTAINLY NOT THE LEAST IMPORTANT.
UM, COMMUNITY TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, TRANSPORTATION KIND OF ELEVATES THIS PRINCIPLE BY, UM, ACTIVELY ENGAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, IN A MANNER THAT'S MEANINGFUL AND INCLUSIVE, AND ENSURING THAT, UH, CIP PROJECTS THAT PROCEED, UM, TO BE PRIORITIZED HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT COMMUNITY VETTING PROCESS IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
UM, SO LOOKING AT WHAT LEVEL OF COMMUNITY
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ENGAGEMENT THE PROJECT HAS HAD, UM, AND, UH, THINKING ABOUT KIND OF THE QUALITATIVE EXPERIENCE OF, OF THAT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION THAT CAN BE CHALLENGING TO SAY.UM, AND, UM, ALSO THINKING ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE POPULATIONS THAT WE'RE SERVING IN TERMS OF POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT DENSITY FOR A PROPOSED PROJECT, ARE WE SERVING A LARGE, UH, PROPORTION OF OUR RESIDENTS WITH THIS PROJECT? SO HAVING WALKED THROUGH THOSE, WHERE WE ARE NOW IS, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING TO THINK THROUGH, UM, HOW THESE TECHNICAL CRITERIA, UM, ARE QUALITATIVELY, UM, I'M SORRY, I SHOULD SAY QUANTITATIVELY KIND OF MEASURED AND WEIGHTED AGAINST OUR, UM, NEEDS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ALMOST ENDLESS SUPPLY OF NEEDS OUT THERE, AND WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WE, OUR INTENT IS TO USE THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO IDENTIFY, UH, THE HIGHEST PRIORITY NEEDS, UM, THAT WE SHOULD BE KIND OF PROGRESSING TO THE TOP OF OUR LIST, INCLUDING FOR OUR 2026 BOND.
SO THIS IS AN, AN ONGOING PROCESS.
YOU'LL SEE FOR THE TIME BEING, WE'RE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WEIGHING MOST OF THESE CRITERIA MORE OR LESS, UM, EVENLY, YOU KNOW, DURING OUR A SMP PUBLIC, UM, OUTREACH, WE HEARD A LOT, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE KIND OF FACTORS LIKE EQUITY, AFFORDABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, UM, AND SAFETY.
UM, SO WE'RE NOT REALLY SEEING, UM, A TECHNICAL REASON TO NOT WEIGH THESE MORE OR LESS EVENLY.
UM, AND, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO START TO KIND OF DO SOME SENSITIVITY TESTING WITH THESE CRITERIA AGAINST OUR NEEDS AND, AND SEE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHAKES OUT.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, SHARING THAT, UM, WITH YOU AND, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UM, BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE IN COMING MONTHS.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY.
AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO ANY INPUT YOU HAVE ON THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AS WE GET STARTED HERE.
I MEAN, OVERALL, THESE, THESE CATEGORIES SEEM GOOD.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I DID HAVE IS SORT OF ABOUT HOW THEY WILL, HOW YOU WILL SCALE WITH PROJECT SCOPE OR COST.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF, OF THAT IN HERE, BAKED INTO SOME OF THE CRITERIA ALREADY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS, THINKING BACK TO SOME OF OUR PRIOR BONDING PROGRAMS, WHAT, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, REALLY STRONG GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS LIKE SIDEWALKS THAT WE KNOW HOW, WE KNOW WE HAVE A SYSTEM, WE CAN ROLL THEM OUT REALLY FAST, AND THEY'RE REALLY STRATEGIC, REALLY GOOD TO GO.
BUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, A SIDEWALK WILL TOUCH ON A LOT OF THESE CRITERIA.
BUT IF I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT, LET'S SAY, A CORRIDOR PROJECT OR EVEN A SIGNIFICANT SEGMENT OF A CORRIDOR PROJECT WHERE I'M GOING TO COMPLETELY REBUILD A STREET, AND MAYBE I'M GOING TO TAKE SOME, SOME LANES AWAY FROM PRIVATE VEHICLES AND GIVE THEM TO OTHER AMAZING PURPOSES THAT WE HAVE, AND LIKE, THAT COULD BE REALLY, REALLY TRANSFORMATIVE.
IT'S ALSO REALLY LARGE SCALE AND MORE EXPENSIVE AND, YOU KNOW, HARDER TO PULL OFF CONTRACTUALLY IN THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT I CAN IMAGINE A PROJECT LIKE THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY HIT MORE OF THOSE POINTS.
LIKE, WE'RE USING INNOVATIVE CONCRETE AND WE'RE DOING SMART SIGNALS, AND LIKE WE'RE CHECKING EVERY BOX IN THIS.
SO I GUESS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, BIG SCALE PROJECTS AREN'T OVERLY VALUED IN THIS PROCESS JUST BECAUSE THEY CLICK OFF MORE OF THESE THINGS? BECAUSE I, I REALLY THINK THAT A LOT OF THE JUICE IS IN VERY SMALL SCALE PROJECTS THAT REALLY IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES.
I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.
UM, AS WE'RE KIND OF PUTTING OUR BOND THINKING TOGETHER HERE, UM, OUR PLAN IS NOT JUST TO ADVANCE LARGE SCALE PROJECTS, BUT ALSO PROGRAMS AS WELL.
UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THOSE PROGRAMMATIC DOLLARS FOR THOSE SAFETY AND MO MOBILITY PROGRAMS, UM, THEY DO A LOT OF GOOD.
UM, AND THOSE DOLLARS TEND TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE, QUICKER TO DELIVER, UM, REALLY GOOD BANG FOR THE BUCK.
AND THOSE PROGRAMS THEMSELVES AS KIND OF, UM, A ROLLED UP PROGRAM ALSO TICK A LOT OF THOSE BOXES.
UM, SO YOU'RE GONNA SEE BOTH OF THOSE AS WE START TO TALK ABOUT THE BOND PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. YEAH.
YEAH, I THINK SOMETIMES, AND YOU PROBABLY WERE SAYING PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS AND I GOT CAUGHT UP ON PROJECTS.
SO I THINK IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO KIND OF REMIND PEOPLE OF IT'S BOTH END, YOU KNOW? UM, AND I, I'M SUCH A HUGE SUPPORTER.
I'M A SUPPORTER OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS, BUT I REALLY, REALLY LOVE THE PROGRAMS MAYBE.
AND MAYBE THAT'S A LITTLE MY BIAS.
AND TO YOUR CREDIT, I, I THINK I FAILED TO MENTION THAT, SO I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
UM, YEAH, I SEE LOTS OF HANDS.
I'LL GO WITH COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER.
UM, SO I THINK YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB HERE.
I THINK THE ONLY THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS HOW PROJECT READINESS
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IS WEIGHTED, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CITY COUNCIL HAS VERY MUCH TALKED ABOUT THIS BEING IN A INTEGRATED BOND AND DELIVERY PROGRAM, I THINK IS THE, THE TERM, RIGHT? BUT WE'RE TRYING TO THINK OF, OF PROJECTS WITH DELIVERY IN MIND.AND I THINK THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, TIES INTO EVERYTHING ELSE, RIGHT? LIKE, I CAN MAKE A GOOD ARGUMENT THAT HIGH SPEED RAIL TO SAN ANTONIO WOULD SCORE WELL ON ALL OF THESE, BUT WE PROBABLY CAN'T DELIVER THAT IN A SIX YEAR TIMEFRAME, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO I GUESS WHY, WHY THE DECISION TO MAKE THAT JUST THE SUBSECT OF INNOVATION AND NOT A, A LARGER OVERALL WAITING CATEGORY? YEAH, GREAT COMMENT.
UM, ONE OF THE REASONS IS BECAUSE WE ARE AT, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS BOND PROCESS, REALLY TREATING THAT AS A GATEWAY CRITERIA RATHER THAN EVALUATION MEASURE.
UM, SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT AT THE FRONT END AS WELL AS DURING THIS KIND OF EVALUATION PROCESS.
BUT ANYTHING, UM, AND WE'RE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUR CAPITAL DELIVERY COLLEAGUES RIGHT NOW, EVALUATING, UM, WHAT CAN WE FEASIBLY DELIVER YEAH.
UM, ARE, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN PROJECTS, HAVE THEY BEEN FULLY SCOPED AND DESIGNED? WE'RE CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, NOT GONNA WANNA GET, UH, REPEAT PAST ERRORS OF KIND OF PUTTING FORWARD PROJECTS FOR, UM, CONSTRUCTION FUNDING THAT HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN FULLY VETTED FROM THE ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE.
UM, SO THAT IS GONNA BE A GATEWAY FACTOR.
SO, AND THEN IF I COULD, THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE, IF I COULD ASK A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THINKING OF OUR, OUR VARIOUS PROGRAMS, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD KIND OF ALL PUT THEM IN, IN A LINE IN TERMS OF A SPECTRUM OF WHERE THEY ARE IN, IN PROJECT READINESS, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, SIDEWALKS, WE COULD GO OUT AND BUILD A NEW SIDEWALK TODAY, BIKEWAYS, WE HAVE A GOOD PLAN, URBAN TRAILS, WE HAVE A PLAN THAT NEEDS A LITTLE MORE SCOPE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH TRANSIT, IT'S A LOT MORE REACTIVE, TIED TO THE LAST BOND CYCLE WITH THE TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, RIGHT? SO THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS, RIGHT, I, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT AND, AND URBAN TRAILS THAT MAY BE, MAY NOT BE RIGHT WHERE BIKEWAYS AND SIDEWALKS ARE, UM, WITH PROJECT READINESS, HOW ARE WE GETTING THEM UP TO SPEED SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE 2026 BOND? UM, I, I'M GONNA HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT ONE BECAUSE I AM NOT, YOU KNOW, AS IN THE WEEDS ON THOSE TWO PROGRAMS AND, UM, KIND OF WHERE THEY STAND IN TERMS OF THEIR TOP PRIORITIES MM-HMM
AND HOW, UM, CONSTRUCTION READY THEY ARE.
BUT I AM HAPPY TO CONTACT THOSE PROGRAM OWNERS AND DO SOME INVESTIGATION AND GET BACK WITH YOU WITH THAT.
YEAH, NO, I THINK THAT'S, UH, THAT'D BE GREAT.
I MEAN, THAT'S ONE THING COMMISSIONER BROOKS HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT IS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THAT GREAT UPDATE ON THE TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM, UH, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, AND KIND OF OUR REACTION WAS, THAT'S GREAT, LET'S DO MORE.
UH, 'CAUSE WE HAVE THIS 2026 BOND OPPORTUNITY, BUT, UM, WHEN WE'RE VALUING PROJECT READINESS, THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE THINGS READY,
SO WE'D LOVE TO KNOW WHERE THOSE ARE IN THE PROGRESS.
COMMISSIONER KAMAN, UM, I HAVE ONE COMMENT HERE, AND I, I THINK THAT YOU DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.
AND GENERALLY THIS LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
I THINK THAT THESE ARE REALLY A GREAT SERIES OF CRITERIA FOR, UH, TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO INCREASE THE WEIGHT OF THE PROACTIVE PREVENTION.
UM, I THINK THAT WE THINK A LOT ABOUT EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT GOALS THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
AND I PERSONALLY BELIEVE, AND I HOPE THAT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WOULD BELIEVE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU MAKE IT AT ALL TO YOUR DESTINATION, WHETHER THAT'S GOING TO WORK OR BACK HOME AND THINKING ABOUT EXACTLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SERIOUS INJURIES AND FATALITIES.
SO THESE ARE ALL REALLY GREAT GOALS, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY MATTER IF THERE ARE STILL DEATHS ON OUR ROADS.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE WEIGHT GIVEN TO PROACTIVE PREVENTION.
YEAH, I CAN THINK HOW TO APPLY MOST OF THESE CRITERIA TO A PROJECT THAT, LET'S GET THE MIC.
GEO, I'VE ALWAYS FORGET THAT A PROJECT THAT HAS A GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARY, IT SEEMS FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
SUPPOSE THAT THERE, AND I WERE, AND I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE A PROJECT TO MEASURE BICYCLE USAGE.
HOW WOULD IT FIT IN? IT WOULD BE, IF YOU ACTUALLY, HOW WOULD TAKE PLACE? IT WOULD BE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE SITTING IN A ROOM MM-HMM
OR MAYBE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE SITTING AT HOME, BUT, UH, WORKING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH THE PROJECT, AND THEN PROBABLY A FIELD EPISODE IN WHICH THEY WENT OUT AND, UM, ACTUALLY PLACED SENSORS OR WHATEVER QUESTION, HOW WOULD THAT PROJECT BE SCORED AND EVALUATED? SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BOND DOLLARS MUST BE USED FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS AND HAVE TO
[00:30:01]
RESULT IN A, A, UM, CAPITAL ASSET AT, AT UPON EXPENDITURE.SO ANYTHING THAT'S KIND OF MORE GENERALLY PROGRAMMATIC, UM, LIKE BICYCLE COUNT PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, I THINK WOULD HAVE TO, UM, SEEK A DIFFERENT SOURCE OF FUNDING.
I THINK YOU CAN FUND PLANNING AND ENGINEERING, IS THAT CORRECT? LIKE IN, I'M, I'M LOOKING TO, WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING SOME, UM, UPDATED GUIDANCE, AH, FROM OUR, UM, LEGAL COLLEAGUES.
THAT IT MUST RESULT IN AN ASSET.
WELL, I'M, I KNOW WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW, SO IN OUR, SO, YES.
I'M ALSO LOOKING TO PEOPLE ONLINE AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTER? YES.
UM, JIM DALE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
AND JUST TO ADD TO COMMISSIONER BROOKS, UM, YOUR QUESTION ON, UH, FUNDING A PROJECT LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE FROM OUR OPERATING FUND.
UM, OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS WHERE WE WOULD PAY FOR MAINTENANCE AND STUDIES LIKE THAT.
AND LIKE MICHELLE WAS ALLUDING TO, WE'RE ALSO IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS, UM, PUTTING MORE INTO OUR, OUR OPERATING BUDGET TO PREPARE US FOR BOND PACKAGES THAT COME FORWARD FOR THAT PROJECT READINESS PIECE.
ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
I THINK THAT CONCLUDES THE ITEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO PRESENT TO US TODAY.
[3. Discussion and approval of a recommendation on the Austin Core Transportation Plan. ]
OUR DISCUSSION ACTION ITEMS WITH THE START OF ITEM THREE, WHICH IS, UM, DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF A RECOMMENDATION ON THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.WE DO HAVE A PRESENTER, UM, WITH COLE KITTEN FROM TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
AND, UM, SO WE'LL CALL YOU UP NOW FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP.
I KNOW I'M JUST GONNA, AS CHAIR MAKE THE CALL.
I THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO LET OUR STAFF PRESENT FIRST AND HEAR THE FULL PRESENTATION AND THEN HAVE COMMUNITY SPEAKERS.
I JUST THINK THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, OUR STAFF SPEAKER, THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR COMMUNITY SPEAKER, AND THEN WE'LL DO QUESTIONS AND ANY EMOTIONS RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR COMMISSION MEMBERS, COLE KITTEN, DIVISION MANAGER OVER SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT DIVISION IN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, I'M GIVEN A PRESENTATION ON THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF OUR SERIES OF PRESENTING THE DRAFT PLAN TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AS WE MAKE OUR WAY TO COUNCIL, UM, THIS SPRING.
SO THIS, UM, IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMISSION TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
AND, UM, I WOULD CARRY THAT RECOMMENDATION FORWARD TO, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UM, ON MARCH 11TH, UM, AS WELL AS ONTO COUNCIL.
UM, AND IF THE, THE COMMISSION DOESN'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, THAT'S OKAY AS WELL.
UM, IT'S NOT REQUIRED, UM, IN ORDER FOR US TO, TO GO TO COUNCIL, SO I'LL BE COVERING THE ACT PLAN, PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND, THE PLANNING PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
UM, GO OVER, UM, THE BASIS OF OUR ACT PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS, AND, AND TOUCH ON OUR IMPLEMENTATION, UM, STEPS, AND THEN GO OVER THE, THE NEXT STEPS IN, IN OUR PROCESS TO COUNCIL.
SO, AS WAY OF BACKGROUND, UM, THE ACT PLAN IS INTENDED TO BE ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AS AN ATTACHMENT, UM, TO THE A SMP AS A SMALL AREA MOBILITY PLAN, UM, COVERING DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
UM, IT'S AN UPDATE TO PREVIOUS TRANSPORTATION, UM, FOCUSED EFFORTS DOWNTOWN THAT DATE BACK TO, UH, 2000.
AND THE REASON FOR THIS UPDATE IS BECAUSE A LOT'S CHANGED SINCE 2000, UM, IN REGARD TO TRANSIT PLANNING, BICYCLE PLANNING, UM, THE HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT SERVING DOWNTOWN, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE FOR URBAN STREET DESIGN, UM, AS WELL AS JUST DISRUPTIONS TO TRADITIONAL MOBILITY.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE ACT PLAN WILL, UH, CREATE A UNIFIED VISION FOR TRANSPORTATION DOWNTOWN AND SERVE AS THAT ONE ACTIONABLE PLAN, UM, TO HELP US ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS IN THE AS SMP.
SO, AS I SAID, THIS, THIS, THIS, UM, DATES BACK TO 2001 WITH THE START OF THE GREAT STREETS MASTER PLAN.
[00:35:01]
A STRONG FOUNDATION OF PLANNING.UM, A LOT OF WHAT WE SEE DOWNTOWN THAT WE LIKE, UM, STARTED WITH THE GREAT STREETS PLAN, UM, AND, AND ENDED UP WITH, UH, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN IN 2011, WHERE WE SAW ADDITIONAL, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION AND, AND, UH, MOVING, UH, TRYING TO MOVE US FORWARD IN REIMAGINING OUR STREETS DOWNTOWN.
UM, SINCE THEN, UM, STARTING WITH THE A SMP, UH, ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2019, UM, THE, THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, UM, CHANGED A LOT OF, UH, OUR, OUR POLICY DIRECTION AND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GROW SUSTAINABLY INTO THE FUTURE.
SO, THE, THE AS SMP ESTABLISHED THIS 50 50 MODE SHARE GOAL, WHICH, UM, WOULD ALLOW US TO, UH, DOUBLE IN SIZE BY 2039, UH, BUT MAINTAIN THE SAME NUMBER OF CARS ON THE ROAD AS THERE WERE IN 2019 BY SHIFTING OUR, OUR DRIVE ALONE MODE SHARE FROM 74% IN, IN 2019 TO 50% IN 2039.
SO, A PRETTY FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE MODE SHIFT TO, TO GROW SUSTAINABLY INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE HAD, UM, THE LATEST ROUND OF OUR PROJECT CONNECT LONG TERM VISION PLAN WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE A SMP ADOPTED WITHIN THE SMP.
AND THEN THE INITIAL INVESTMENT WAS FUNDED IN 2020, UM, WHICH IS, WHICH ISN'T, UM, SOMETHING THAT WAS IMAGINED 20 YEARS AGO IN, IN ITS CURRENT ITERATION.
SO A LOT, A LOT TO PLAN AROUND IN THAT REGARD.
UH, WE ALSO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT, UH, HOW WE NEED TO MANAGE DEMAND, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH PARKING POLICIES OR TDM STRATEGIES.
UH, AND THEN WE, THE NEW STREET DESIGN, WE'VE SEEN, UM, HOW TO REIMAGINE THE ALLOCATION OF SPACE THROUGH THE CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE.
AND THEN THE, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON ABOUT ALL OF THE NEW PROJECTS THAT WE'VE SEEN, UM, UH, COME TO FRUITION, AS WELL AS, AS COMING TO FRUITION, UM, SERVING DOWNTOWN WITH OUR MOBILITY BONDS, THE CONVENTION CENTER CHANGES, UM, THE CAP METRO RAPID TRANSIT SERVING SAN JACINTO AND TRINITY I 35 CAPITAL EXPRESS AND, AND THE CAP AND STITCH.
SO, PLENTY, PLENTY OF OF REASONS WHY, UM, TO TAKE, TO TAKE A NEW LOOK AT OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN DOWNTOWN.
SO THIS, THIS PROCESS BEGAN BACK IN 2018 AS A DATA COLLECTION EFFORT IN 2019.
AFTER THE ASS MP WAS ADOPTED, UH, THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ACT PLAN WAS INCLUDED AS AN ACTION ITEM AND THE ASS MP.
SO WE TURNED, UM, OUR, OUR FOCUS TOWARDS DEVELOPING A PLAN, BUT THEN IT, UH, WAS PUT ON HOLD IN MID 2020 AS THE PANDEMIC STARTED AND RESTARTED IN EARLY 2022.
UM, THAT ALLOWED US TO KIND OF, UM, SERENDIPITOUSLY WAIT FOR SOME OF THESE MEGA PROJECTS SUCH AS AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL, UM, AND, AND CAPITAL EXPRESS TO GO THROUGH THEIR PROCESS AND DEFINE WHAT THOSE PROJECTS ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE, SO THAT THE ACT PLAN COULD PLAN AROUND THOSE IMPROVEMENTS INSTEAD OF, UM, PLANNING AROUND AN, AN UNKNOWN MOVING, UH, TARGET.
SO SINCE THEN, IN 2020, WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH TWO PHASES, UH, OUR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN OVER THE, THE GOOD PART OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE IN PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
SO NOW FEBRUARY WE, UH, PUBLISHED THE DRAFT ACT PLAN AND HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
WE'LL BE AT COUNCIL MOBILITY COMMITTEE ON THE 20TH AND ANTICIPATE, UM, GOING TO COUNCIL, UM, SHORTLY AFTER.
SO THEN, UH, NEXT COUPLE SLIDES IS JUST A RECAP OF OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
UM, WHEN WE STARTED OUT, WE, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP.
THIS WORKING GROUP WAS, UH, USED, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS TO, UM, TO TEST INFORMATION AND, AND KIND OF SERVE AS A FOCUS GROUP, UM, ON, IN GETTING INITIAL FEEDBACK ALONG ALONG THE WAY.
UM, BUT WE ALSO IDENTIFIED MORE THAN 80 DOWNTOWN STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE, UM, REACHED OUT TO DIRECTLY.
WE HELD POP-UP, UH, PUBLIC EVENTS DOWNTOWN, UM, UH, WITH, UH, UH, DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS,
[00:40:01]
BUT WE ALSO ENGAGED, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN TO UNDERSTAND, UM, TRY TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE COMMUTING TO DOWNTOWN, AND ENSURING, UH, WE RECEIVE THOSE OPINIONS AS WELL.UM, AND OUR, OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT HAS ALWAYS HAD A, UM, POLICY TO FOCUS ON, ON, UH, HAVE, UH, TARGETED ENGAGEMENT WITH DIVERSE, UM, FEEDBACK.
SO WE LOOKED AT 20 DIFFERENT FOCUS POPULATIONS, WHETHER THAT WAS ETHNICITY, AGE, UM, EMPLOYMENT SECTORS, UM, ET CETERA.
SO THE FIRST PHASE OF, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UM, WAS INTENDED TO, UH, GET PEOPLE'S PREFERENCES IN THE STREET DESIGN ELEMENTS, UM, AS WELL AS UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE TRAVEL TO DOWNTOWN AS, AS WELL AS HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO TRAVEL DOWNTOWN.
BUILDING OFF OF THAT PHASE ONE SURVEY, WE CREATED A, UM, A KIND OF A ADDITIONAL STATED PREFERENCE SURVEY, UM, BASED ON HYPOTHETICAL CROSS SECTIONS AND WHAT THOSE TRADE-OFFS WOULD REQUIRE, UM, DEPENDING ON THE, THE DIFFERENT STREET DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT WERE, THAT WERE EXPRESSED IN, IN PHASE ONE.
UM, WE ALSO ASKED PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THEIR PREFERENCES WERE FOR TRANSIT ONLY LANES, THE BICYCLE NETWORK, AND, UM, CONVERTING ONE WAY TO TWO WAY STREETS.
ALL IN ALL, I THINK WE HAD A, A VERY SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT EFFORT WITH, UM, THE NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS THAT PARTICIPATED, THE NUMBER OF DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, TO TALLY, UM, THE NUMBER OF, UH, IN THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT WE HELD.
SO IN COMPARISON TO A, A CITYWIDE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORT IN A SMALL AREA PLAN, IT, IT, IT, UM, FARED VERY WELL.
SO MOVING INTO THE ACT PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, BUILDING OFF OF WHAT WE, WE HEARD IN THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UM, WE ALSO NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THE ACT PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS ADDRESS THE AS MP GOALS, AS WELL AS THE MAJOR OUTCOMES FOR DOWNTOWN.
SO ALL OF THESE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED DOWNTOWN ARE STREETS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN PLANNED FOR YET.
UM, THESE ARE STREETS THAT ARE, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE, THE MAJOR PLAN PROJECTS LIKE LIGHT RAIL AND RAPID TRANSIT, UH, CAPITAL EXPRESS, CONGRESS AVENUE, UM, OR EVEN THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, UH, CORRIDOR MOBILITY REPORT.
SO OUR ACT PLAN, PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS, FOCUS ON THE STREETS THAT HADN'T BEEN PLANNED FOR.
AND WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO WAS TO ENSURE THAT THEY CHECKED ALL OF THOSE, THOSE MAJOR OUTCOMES, WHETHER IT'S MANAGING GROWTH AND, AND THAT INCREASED DEMAND, INTEGRATING WITH OUR MAJOR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS, SUPPORTING OUR EMERGING TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
BUT, UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY, PRIOR PRIORITIZING SAFETY, OUR CLIMATE GOALS AND OUR, OUR MODE SHARE GOALS.
SO ON THE MAP, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S, UH, FIFTH, SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH ARE IDENTIFIED AS OUR PRIORITY PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF SUPPORTING PROJECTS THAT ARE MEANT TO, UM, COMPLETE THE SYSTEM OR THE NETWORK DOWNTOWN.
UM, THOSE INCLUDE BRAZOS, RED RIVER, NINTH AND 10TH, 11TH AND 12TH.
AND THEN WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS AND STRATEGIES, WHICH ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE LARGE SCALE CIP, BUT MORE PROGRAMMATIC IN NATURE TYPE IMPROVEMENTS THAT FURTHER FILL OUT THE SYSTEMS DOWNTOWN AND HOW, HOW PEOPLE GET AROUND, UH, DOWNTOWN.
SO IN ADDITION TO BUILDING OFF OF THE PUBLIC INPUT, WE ARE, OUR STARTING POINT WAS ALSO BASED ON, UH, AN ANALYSIS OF THE MODAL NETWORKS.
SO OUR FIRST STEP WAS TO IDENTIFY WHERE OUR VEHICLE CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS OCCUR DOWNTOWN, UM, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE OUR LIMITATIONS TO SERVING, UM, VEHICLE DEMAND.
AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT OUR PRIMARY CONSTRAINTS OCCUR AT OUR GATEWAYS INTO AND OUT OF DOWNTOWN.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAP IS THAT, UM, DOWNSTREAM OF A BOTTLENECK IS WHAT'S CONSIDERED EXCESS CAPACITY.
THERE'S MORE VEHICLE LANES THAN THERE ARE CARS TO SERVE DOWNSTREAM OF A BOTTLENECK.
SO IN BETWEEN THE CONSTRAINTS, WE'RE ALLOWED TO ALLOCATE SPACE MORE, UH, TO MORE EFFICIENT MODES, SUCH AS TRANSIT AND, UH, BICYCLE FACILITIES.
OUR, OUR WIDER SIDEWALKS, OUR, OUR FURNITURE ZONE.
UM, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE, ARE MISSING
[00:45:01]
TODAY.UM, AND WHAT THAT ALLOWED US TO DO IS, IS, IS IDENTIFY COMPLETE BICYCLE NETWORK AS WELL AS A TRANSIT, UH, PRIORITY NETWORK.
SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS OUR PRIORITY PROJECTS ON FIFTH, SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH, WOULD ALLOW US TO CREATE TRANSIT ONLY LANES SERVING EAST WEST TRANSIT, CONNECTING TO OUR NORTH, SOUTH TRANSIT ONLY LANES ON GUADALUPE AND SAN JACINTO AND TRINITY.
SO, UH, THAT WOULD REMOVE A LOT OF THE, THE DELAY THAT CURRENTLY OCCURS ON OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM DOWNTOWN WHEN IT'S NOT WITHIN THOSE TRANSIT, UM, ONLY LANES.
AND THEN FROM HERE, OUR PRIORITY PROJECTS CREATE A, A COMPLETE, UM, UH, EAST WEST BICYCLE NETWORK.
SO WE'RE NOT ONLY RELYING ON OUR, OUR, OUR PRIZED, UH, CONNECTIONS INTO DOWNTOWN FROM, FROM THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY ON THIRD, BUT INSTEAD, WE WOULD BE PROVIDING AT LEAST, UM, A BICYCLE, UH, FACILITY IN ONE DIRECTION ON ALMOST EVERY STREET DOWNTOWN, IF NOT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
SO THIS SLIDE, NOT TO GO INTO ANY LEVEL OF DETAIL, BUT IT JUST SHOWS, UM, KIND OF THE STEPS THAT WE TOOK AS WE INTEGRATED THE PUBLIC INPUT AND ITERATED THROUGH THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ON ALL OF THE MANY SCENARIOS OF WHAT, UM, UH, THE CROSS SECTIONS THE, THE, THE STREET DESIGN COULD LOOK LIKE ON EVERY STREET DOWNTOWN.
AND SINCE THEN, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THAT PHASE OF PRESENTING THOSE FINAL RESULTS.
SO THE NEXT FEW SLIDES AREN'T INTENDED TO GO THROUGH THOSE FINAL RESULTS, BUT TO SHOW YOU WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PLAN ONLINE, UM, THE PRIORITY PROJECTS GO INTO THE MOST LEVEL OF DETAIL.
EACH OF THEM INCLUDE THE TYPICAL CROSS SECTIONS ALIGNED WITH THE ASSOCIATED SEGMENTS, UM, SHOWN IN THE PLAN VIEW PROVIDES A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT, THE, UH, ANTICIPATED BENEFITS, AS WELL AS NOTING SOME KEY CONSIDERATIONS.
EACH OF THOSE SUBSEGMENTS INCLUDE, UH, A CONCEPTUAL SCHEMATIC VIEW ALONG THE BOTTOM THAT, THAT CALLS OUT SOME IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES, WHETHER IT'S, UH, CALLING OUT THE, THE PROTECTED BICYCLE FACILITY AND WHERE IT CONNECTS TO OTHER BICYCLE FACILITIES ON ADJACENT, UM, INTERCEPTING STREETS OR CALLING OUT A TRANSIT ONLY LANE.
UM, BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE A ILLUSTRATIVE RENDERING, UM, SHOWING WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, AS WELL AS THE PROVIDING THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT ITSELF AND, AND KEY CONSIDERATIONS.
THE SUPPORTING PROJECTS INCLUDE THE TYPICAL CROSS SECTION ALIGNED WITH THE ASSOCIATED STREET SEGMENTS IN, IN THE PLAN VIEW, AND PROVIDES A, A SIMILAR, UM, DESCRIPTION OF THE, THE PROJECT ITSELF, ITS BENEFITS AND KEY CONSIDERATIONS, UM, TO KEEP IN MIND THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
OUR SYSTEM STRATEGIES, UM, INCLUDES A MAP OF THE, UH, TRANSIT SYSTEM, BICYCLE SYSTEM AS, AS WELL AS THE TRAIL SYSTEM, AND MAY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMATIC OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPLETE THOSE SYSTEMS. UH, IN, IN FULL SYSTEM STRATEGIES ALSO INCLUDES A HANDFUL OF TOOLS, UM, OR STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN USE, UM, MORE ON A, UH, UH, OPPORTUNISTIC OR PRO PROGRAMMATIC LEVEL, WHETHER IT'S IMPLEMENTING MOBILITY HUBS OR UNDERSTANDING THAT WE NEED TO MANAGE OUR CURB DYNAMICALLY, UM, FOR ON STREET PARKING VERSUS LOADING DELIVERY, ET CETERA.
SO IT GOES THROUGH A FEW STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN OUR TOOLBOX FROM AN IMPLEMENTATION PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE ACT PLAN IS A LONG-TERM VISION PLAN WITH LARGE SCALE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UM, THAT'S WHAT'S BEING SHOWN IS THE FULL BUILD, LONG-TERM VISION, UM, MUCH LIKE THE GREAT STREETS PLAN DID IN 2000.
AND SO THESE, THESE PROJECTS ARE, ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE IMPLEMENTED JUST LIKE THE SECOND STREETS STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WAS IN 2003.
UM, HOWEVER, THE NEXT STEPS AFTER THE ACT PLAN IS ADOPTED IS THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, WHICH, WHICH GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER DEFINE, UM, AND
[00:50:01]
EVALUATE THE EXACT, UH, DESIGN DETAILS, ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS, UM, EVERYTHING THAT'S NEEDED TO, TO DELIVER, UH, A REAL PROJECT.UM, HOWEVER, THE PLAN PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR THE NEXT STEPS.
IT GOES, IT PROVIDES, UH, PROJECT COSTS RANGES, UM, IT EXPLORES OUR DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE MAY HAVE AVAILABLE TO US AND TALKS ABOUT WHAT OUR BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTATION MAY BE.
UM, AND MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL ANTICIPATE INCLUDING THESE PROJECTS ALONG WITH OUR OTHER CAPITAL NEEDS, OUR CITYWIDE NEEDS, UM, IN OUR UPCOMING BOND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
UM, WE'RE ALSO HOPEFUL THAT THESE PROJECTS CAN BE AND WILL BE, UH, COORDINATED WITH PROJECT CONNECT AS WELL AS, UM, I 35 CAPITAL EXPRESS IN ORDER TO, UH, INTEGRATE THESE IMPROVEMENTS INTO THOSE PROJECTS, AS WELL AS JUST COORDINATE THE CONSTRUCTION PHASING THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THESE PROJECTS.
SO SOME, SOME KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR US MOVING FORWARD FOR IMPLEMENTATION IS, IS WE WANNA SEE THE ACT PLAN PROJECTS, UM, INTEGRATED INTO THE GREAT STREETS UPDATE, UM, SO THAT WHEN DEVELOPMENT OCCURS AND, UH, UH, AS PART OF THE DNC BONUS PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS TO IMPLEMENT GREAT STREETS, THE ACT PLAN, UM, CONSIDERATIONS, UH, THE ACT PLAN CROSS SECTIONS ARE PART OF THOSE CONSIDERATIONS.
UM, BUT MOVING FORWARD, WE HOPE TO IDENTIFY SOME QUICK WINS, UH, DEVELOP SOME INTERIM IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS, UH, IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN, THE IMPLEMENTATION CHAPTER, AND GOES INTO, UM, AN EVALUATION OF SOME HYPOTHETICAL IMPLEMENTATION SCENARIOS.
SO IT CAME UP WITH THREE SCENARIOS THAT LOOKED AT HOW WE MAY PACKAGE THESE PROJECTS, HOW THEY MAY BE DELIVERED INDIVIDUALLY OR, UM, AND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS WOULD BE OVER TIME BASED ON, UM, THE VALUE OF THE DOLLAR OVER TIME.
SO THE YEAR OF EXPENDITURE COSTS.
SO WHAT THIS SHOWS US IS KIND OF A, A, A RANGE OF, UM, OF POSSIBILITIES OF WHERE WE'RE STARTING AND THE ACTUAL COST OVER TIME.
UM, BUT ALL OF THIS WILL BE, UM, THE BASIS OF WHAT WE PUT PUT FORWARD AS WE DEVELOP THE 2026 BOND PACKAGE.
SO NEXT STEPS, THE PLAN'S BEEN PUBLISHED ON SPEAK UP AUSTIN, UM, AS WELL AS A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY.
AND, UM, WE'RE MIDWAY THROUGH OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PRESENTATIONS NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL BE AT PLANNING COMMISSION ON MARCH 11TH FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATION AND COUNCIL MOBILITY COMMITTEE ON THE 20TH.
AND THEN, UM, CITY COUNCIL AS EARLY AS, UH, APRIL.
WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, SO I THINK IT MIGHT BEHOOVE US TO, UM, PERHAPS JUST LET THEM SPEAK NOW AND THEN, UM, AND THEN WE WILL DO QUESTIONS, MOTIONS, ALL THAT OTHER GOOD STUFF.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I'LL CALL, UM, ADAM GREENFIELD.
UH, HE HAS, UH, THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON THE PLAN OR ON THE ITEM, I SHOULD SAY.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
ADAM GREENFIELD HERE WITH SAFE SHEETS AUSTIN.
UM, I EMAILED YOU, UH, LAST NIGHT BEFORE BEDTIME, UH, WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE PLAN, UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU HERE AGAIN.
UM, UH, IN SHORT, WE, WE THINK THAT THIS PLAN WOULD BE A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
HOWEVER, WE THINK IT NEEDS TO GO MUCH, MUCH FURTHER TO REALIZE THE, TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF DOWNTOWN.
AND, AND REALLY OUR, OUR, ONE OF OUR MAIN POINTS IS THE, UH, ONE-WAY ROADWAY SYSTEM.
UH, ONE-WAY ROADS ARE A, A, A 20TH CENTURY, UH, LEGACY WHERE MOVING CARS QUICKLY WAS VERY MUCH SEEN AS PRIORITY.
AND WE HAVE INCREASINGLY AS A CITY, UH, AS A COUNTRY HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM THAT.
UH, WE THINK THAT, UH, THE CONSIDERATION OF MOVING VEHICLES QUICKLY COMES AT THE COST OF PRETTY MUCH EVERY OTHER METRIC WE WOULD HAVE FOR DOWNTOWN, WHETHER THAT'S WALKABILITY, BIKEABILITY SAFETY, AIR QUALITY, UH, THE LOCAL ECONOMY, PROPERTY VALUES, CRIME, UH, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A, A PRETTY MUCH UNBROKEN, UH, CONSISTENT RECORD OF SUCCESSFUL ONE WAY TO TWO WAY CONVERSIONS OF DOWNTOWN STREETS, UM, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
OVER 75 CITIES HAVE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, INCLUDING, OF COURSE, AUSTIN.
[00:55:01]
HAVE AN UNSUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE EITHER WITH, WHETHER IT'S CESAR CHAVEZ OR FIFTH OR OTHER STREETS.UM, AND, AND REALLY IT IS JUST NOT APPROPRIATE TO TREAT DOWNTOWN AS A PLACE TO PASS THROUGH.
DOWNTOWN SHOULD EXIST FOR DOWNTOWN.
AND THAT MEANS IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IS GRADED E IN FACT, SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT THAT IS, SHOULD BE THE TARGET LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR DOWNTOWN.
IT SHOULD BE E UH, BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE THRIVES WHEN YOUR TRAFFIC MOVES SLOWLY.
UH, WE'VE DONE SOME CONCEPTUAL MOCKUPS OURSELVES OF, OF THE CROSS SECTIONS, AND WE THINK THERE, THERE IS SPACE FOR, UH, TWO WAY STREETS, UH, ON EVERY ROADWAY, FIFTH, SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH INCLUDED, AS WELL AS, UH, BIKE LANES THAT GO IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
UH, BUT WE REALLY PUT, UH, MORE THAN ONE VEHICLE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE AND CONCLUDE THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY NO DOWNTOWN STREETS WIDE ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE, UH, FOR THERE TO BE MORE THAN ONE GENERAL PURPOSE VEHICLE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION.
UH, SO YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THIS PLAN, UH, COME FORWARD.
WE WANNA SEE IT BEEFED UP AND REALLY KIND OF MAKE DOWNTOWN A DESTINATION AND NOT JUST A PLACE FOR TO SPEED THROUGH, BUT IF WE ARE GONNA PASS THROUGH, THEN MAKING SURE IT IS SAFE FOR, UH, WALKING, BIKING, TRANSIT, UM, AND OF COURSE DRIVING.
UH, OUR OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IN THE DOCUMENTS I SENT YOU.
UM, SO COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE POSTED FOR ACTION.
I'M, I'M, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE, UH, PROBABLY LIKE ME LOOKING AHEAD AT OUR AGENDA, AND IT IS A BIG AGENDA TONIGHT.
I DO THINK WE WANNA, UH, HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF OUR PRESENTER FROM THE, FROM CITY STAFF, OF COURSE, AND THEN ALSO, UM, TAKE ANY MOTIONS.
UM, I WASN'T, UH, THERE WASN'T, I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND JUST SAY THIS NOW.
UM, WE DIDN'T HAVE A, A, A RECOMMENDATION IN THE, IN THE BACKUP THAT WAS POSTED WITH THIS MEETING, BUT WE DID RECEIVE A, A DRAFT RECOMMENDATION TODAY.
SO IF YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT ON PAPER, IF YOU WERE IN PERSON, AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EMAILED OUT TO THE MEMBERS ATTE WELL TO ALL THE MEMBERS, BUT FOR THOSE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EMAILED TO YOU, UM, FROM STAFF.
UM, I ASSUME AFTER WE DO SOME QUESTIONS, WE'RE GONNA GET A MOTION.
I'M REALLY ACTUALLY HAPPY TO GO AHEAD AND HANDLE THIS TODAY.
SO, UM, WHEN THAT MOTION COMES, I WILL READ THAT OUT INTO THE RECORD BECAUSE, UM, AS CHAIR, SINCE THAT WASN'T IN BACKUP AND UH, IS COMING IN A LITTLE BIT LATE HERE.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE US A, A MOMENT.
I MEAN, ANYONE CAN ALWAYS MAKE A MOTION ANYTIME WHEN I RECOGNIZE YOU, BUT USUALLY WE GIVE A FEW TIME FOR A FEW QUESTIONS, BUT LET'S JUST SORT OF DO THAT IN LIGHT OF OUR OVERALL AGENDA AND TIME TODAY.
BUT PLEASE, UH, DO ASK QUESTIONS OF OUR, UM, AMAZING PRESENTER AND I'LL LOOK AROUND FOR THAT.
WELL, UH, FIRST CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING TO THIS POINT.
UH, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS.
UM, I, AGAIN, I DO WANT TO ECHO THAT.
I THINK OVERALL THIS IS A GOOD PLAN.
I HAVE A, A COUPLE OF NITPICKY QUESTIONS.
UM, SO FIRST IS I, I'VE SEEN SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, NOT INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL NORTH SOUTH, UH, UH, BICYCLE LANE ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I WAS HOPING YOU COULD CLEAR UP SOME CONFUSION 'CAUSE THERE'S SOME DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN, UH, THE A CT ALL AGES AND BUILDING NETWORK AND, UH, OUR L MAP.
SO THE CURRENT A CT PLAN, IF I'M READING IT CORRECTLY ON PAGE 87, HAS A PROTECTED BICYCLE LANE GOING FROM CAESAR CHAVEZ TO SEVENTH STREET, A GAP FROM SEVENTH STREET TO 12TH STREET, AND THEN CONTINUING FROM 12TH STREET TO MLK CONNECTING WITH ROBERT DEADMAN.
IS THAT CORRECT? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT RED RIVER? YEAH, RED RIVER.
SO I GUESS MY CONFUSION IS, SO I, I WAS PULLING UP THE, THE ALL AGES AND ABILITIES NETWORK HAS, UH, LIKE OUR ADOPTED BIKE PLAN INCLUDES A BIKE LANE GOING FROM SCISSOR CHAVEZ FOR 12TH STREET, AND THEN EVEN CONTINUING ON THAT OLD PORTION OF RED RIVER, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, NO LONGER ALIGNS WITH RED RIVER STREET AFTER WATERLOO PARK AND THE MOODY CENTER.
AND THEN THE LM MAP ALSO SHOWS AN ACTIVE PROJECT GOING FROM SCISSOR CHAVEZ TO 15TH STREET.
SO IS THE, IS THE A CT PLAN KIND OF SUPERSEDING THOSE, SO WE WOULDN'T BE BUILDING A BIKE LANE ANYMORE FROM SEVENTH STREET TO 12TH STREET.
SO IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COMBINATION OF, OF BOTH.
THERE'S CERTAINLY NEAR TERM OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLOCATE SPACE, UM, TO IMPROVE THE BICYCLE CONDITIONS ALONG RED RIVER.
SO I THINK WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE L MAP, IT'S, IT IS THAT STRATEGY ON HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE IMPROVE, UH, THE BICYCLE, UH, ROUTE.
UM, FROM A LONG-TERM PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, WHAT
[01:00:01]
WE SAW AND HEARD IN OUR FEEDBACK IS THAT THERE'S A, THERE'S A, UH, A HIGHER PRIORITY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE CULTURAL DISTRICT, UM, USES.SO NOT NECESSARILY WHETHER IT'S A, A PARKING SPACE, BUT IT'S A CURB ACCESS USE.
RIGHT? SO, UM, BASED ON THE, ON THE AMOUNT OF SPACE AVAILABLE, WE ARE LIMITED IN BEING ABLE TO HAVE BOTH BI, UH, BICYCLE FACILITY IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, AS WELL AS THOSE CURB ACCESS USES, AS WELL AS PRESERVING THE TRAVEL LANES AND, AND TURNING RIGHT OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT'S THE WIDTH OF ONE OF THOSE FLEX SPACES ANTICIPATED TO BE? SO A, A FLEX SPACE BEING LIKE THE PARKING SPACE.
YEAH, GENERALLY, UM, OUR, OUR MINIMUM PARKING WIDTH IS SEVEN FEET, BUT A, A PARKING, UH, WIDTH IS EIGHT, EIGHT TO SEVEN FEET.
SO WERE THERE CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT POSSIBLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT QUITE THE RECOMMENDED LENGTH OR WIDTH FOR A TWO-WAY PROTECTED BIKE LANE, BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, JERRY RIGGED IN THERE.
UM, WERE THERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PARKING ON ONE SIDE AND A TWO-WAY PROTECTED BIKE LANE ON THE OTHER? SO WHAT, WHAT THE ACT PLAN DOESN'T DO IS PRECLUDE US TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE ALTERNATIVES.
UM, RED RIVER IN PARTICULAR IS CONSIDERED A SUPPORTING STREET, UM, SUPPORTING PROJECT AS OPPOSED TO A PRIORITY PROJECT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T ACCOMPLISH OR CHECK ALL OF THE BOXES THAT WE NEED, UM, FOR, FOR THE MAJOR OUTCOMES OF THE PLAN.
SO, SO RED RIVER AND, AND THAT BEING A, UH, ALTERNATIVE DESIGN WOULD FIT WITHIN THOSE KIND OF SPATIAL CONDITIONS, BUT AS YOU SAID IS, IS IT THE SAME AMOUNT OF SPACE A PARKING SPACE COULD BE CONVERTED OR, OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SPACE BETWEEN THE CURBS COULD BE REALLOCATED ACCORDINGLY.
UM, AND THEN I, I GUESS, SO I, I WANNA DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THE ACT PLAN KIND OF LEVELS OFF WITH THE, THE BIKE PLAN AND, AND WHAT WE HAVE IN THE LM MAP.
SO IT'S A SHORT TERM PRIORITY AND THERE IS, I ASSUME, AN EXISTING PROJECT SINCE IT'S IN THE L MAP, TO HAVE A ONE WAY PROTECTED BIKE LANE, UH, ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO 15TH STREET.
AND THEN THIS WOULD BE THE LONG-TERM PLAN, WHICH WOULD NOT INCLUDE IT.
SO DOES THAT MEAN SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE DO STREET RECONSTRUCTION, THE CITY WOULD NEED TO REMOVE THOSE BIKE LANES? OR ARE WE JUST NOT GOING TO BUILD THOSE BIKE LANES? UM, I WOULD SAY IT WOULD HAVE TO BE PART OF THE, THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS FOR THE ULTIMATE PROJECT TO TAKE IN INTO CONSIDERATION THOSE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD RESULT IN ACTUALLY REMOVING IT OR JUST RECONFIGURING IT, BUT IT WOULD BE DEPENDENT UPON THAT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
SO WOULD, WOULD THIS, I MEAN, IF WE, YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS THE PLAN, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY A MONTH OR TWO FROM NOW, I ASSUME AGAIN, 'CAUSE IT'S IN THE L MAP, THERE'S AN EXISTING PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE FOLKS ARE GOING THROUGH DESIGN ON PUTTING THOSE, UH, UH, ONE-WAY BIKE LANES IN.
DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT WORK WOULD STOP BECAUSE WE'VE ADOPTED THE ACT PLAN, WHICH WANTS A GAP IN THAT OR IT WOULD CONTINUE EVEN THOUGH WE'VE ADOPTED A LONG-TERM PLAN THAT WE DON'T WANT BIKE LANES IN IT, IT WOULD CONTINUE.
UM, ONE THING THAT WE'VE, WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS, THIS KIND OF LONG TERM VERSUS NEAR TERM ISSUE IN THE SYSTEM STRATEGIES MAP FOR THE BICYCLE SYSTEM, IT HIGHLIGHTS RED RIVER AS, AS A NEAR TERM, UM, BICYCLE IMPROVEMENT MM-HMM
SO IT'S, IT SHOULDN'T PRECLUDE OUR ABILITY TO MAKE ANY INTERIM STRATEGIES IN ANY INTERIM INVESTMENTS, UM, IN ADVANCE OF A LARGE SCALE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A RIDE OF WAY LINE, A RIDE OF WAY LINE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ROADWAY.
UM, AND THEN LAST QUESTION, IS IT, IT'S KIND OF ABOUT RED RIVER, BUT YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE APPLIED TO OTHER STREETS, RIGHT? SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE'S, THERE WAS A DESIRE FROM STAKEHOLDERS TO HAVE CURB ACCESS, WHICH MAY NOT NECESSARILY MEAN PARKING, BUT GENERALLY WOULD MEAN PARKING OR SOME SORT OF DELIVERY ZONE, FLEX SPACE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT ON RED RIVER RIGHT NOW, IT'S A LOT OF, UH, ESPECIALLY IN THE SECTION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPEN CONSTRUCTION, THERE'S A COUPLE OF LOTS WHERE THERE'S NO ONE THERE RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THINGS PLANTED FOR THE FUTURE.
SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO THOSE STAKEHOLDERS WERE AND HOW THEY ENVISION NEEDING TO USE THAT CURVE? UM, I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THE EXACT DETAILS, BUT, UM, WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.
UM, SO A LOT OF IT WAS, UH, BASED ON THAT, THE,
[01:05:01]
THAT TYPE OF INDUSTRY.AND SO, SO ARE THEY ENVISIONING, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED SPACES FOR MUSICIANS TO UNLOAD.
RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT'S NOT AS MUCH FOLKS WHO NEED, UM, COMMERCIAL VEHICLE UNLOADING.
WE'RE THINKING THIS IS MORE ABOUT THAT KIND OF THING.
OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, COMMISSIONER KAMAN.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S LIKE A FEW TIDBITS THROWN IN THE PLAN ABOUT PARKING MANAGEMENT, AND I'M WONDERING IF PART OF THIS PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IS GOING TO INCLUDE A MORE ROBUST PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THE, UH, THE AREA WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ACT BECAUSE, UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORT AMONG CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE DAA WITH THE PARKING, UH, DOWNTOWN PARKING STRATEGY TO FIND A WAY TO HOLISTICALLY LOOK AT CURBSIDE MANAGEMENT AND EVEN THROWING IN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CAN HAVE DAA ON BOARD THE PRIVATE GARAGES TO MORE ACCURATELY AND MORE EFFICIENTLY PARK, UH, DOWNTOWN.
BUT IN THIS PLAN, I'M NOT REALLY SEEING, UM, ANYTHING SPECIFIC ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
IS THAT GOING TO BE PART OF THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS? RIGHT.
SO EVERY PROJECT, UM, THAT GOES THROUGH A, A INDIVIDUAL PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WOULD LOOK ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS OR A BLOCK BY BLOCK BASIS, RATHER, WHAT OUR EXACT NEEDS FOR ACCESS ALONG THOSE, THOSE BLOCKS ARE BA BASED ON THE ADJACENT USES.
UM, BUT IN ADDITION, UM, THE, THE ACT PLAN ONLY TALKS ABOUT CURB MANAGEMENT AS PART OF THE SYSTEM STRATEGIES.
SO IT'S, IT'S JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE HAVE THIS TOOLBOX TO MANAGE THE CURB EITHER BY TIME OF DAY BY USE, OR DYNAMICALLY.
UM, SO FLEXIBLE LANE USES VERSUS, UM, YOU KNOW, TO TRAVEL LANE DURING A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD TURNS INTO LOADING, UNLOADING AT ANOTHER TIME.
UM, SO THAT'S HOW THE ACT PLANNING ACKNOWLEDGES IT.
BUT, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE A CURB MANAGEMENT STUDY THAT'S, THAT'S ACTUALLY SHORTLY FOLLOWING.
SO FROM A AN INTERIM IMPLEMENTATION PERSPECTIVE, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL VERY SPECIFICALLY BE LOOKING AT OUR CURB USES DOWNTOWN, UM, HOLISTICALLY TO COME UP WITH, WITH, WITH THAT, THAT, UH, STRATEGY OR THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT THEN FROM THERE IT WOULD BE ALSO PART OF THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION AS WELL THAT, UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT LATELY WITH A FEW FOLKS IS, UM, UH, I GUESS THE WORD WOULD BE LIKE PARKING ENTRANCES OR PARKING RAMPS.
LIKE OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THAT, UM, PARKING, UM, MINIMUMS ARE GONE IN AUSTIN, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, AND, BUT PEOPLE MAY CHOOSE TO, TO BUILD PARKING AND MAYBE WE'LL START TELLING THEM, NO, YOU CAN'T.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN CHOOSE TO BUILD PARKING IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR PROJECT NEEDS IT.
UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT OBVIOUSLY A PARKING RAMP, UH, OR ENTRANCE TO A PARKING GARAGE IS VERY DISRUPTIVE TO THE PUBLIC SPACE AND OFTEN VERY UNSAFE AS WELL FOR THE PEDESTRIAN.
AND SO, UM, THERE'S ALSO BEEN SOME THIS CONCERN ABOUT, UM, THE EGRESS FROM PARKING RAMPS GOING INTO TRANSIT LANES OR, YOU KNOW, AVOIDING THAT.
SO IS THERE, I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS OBVIOUSLY IN VARIOUS OTHER MANUALS AND PLANS AND ORDINANCES ABOUT THAT, BUT WHAT DOES, UH, AS PART OF THAT CURB MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THAT, LIKE FOR NEW PARKING THAT'S GOING TO GET BUILT IF WE DON'T, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IN NEW PROJECTS, HOW DOES THAT SORT OF, WHAT IS THE GUIDANCE THAT THIS GIVES US ON THIS IN THE PLAN? IS, IS THAT COVERED IN THIS PLAN OR IS THAT REALLY JUST SOMETHING THAT LIVES ELSEWHERE? YEAH, GENERALLY IT'S, IT'S GONNA LIVE ELSEWHERE.
UM, OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS, UH, REFERS TO THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL FOR THE, FOR THE CRITERIA THAT THAT, UM, INFLUENCES THE LOCATION OF, OF DRIVEWAY AND ACCESS.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHERE THAT, THAT CONVERSATION WOULD OCCUR.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTER? YEAH, UH, I SEE A COMMENT FROM OUR, UH, OUR, ONE OF OUR LADIES LIAISONS.
UM, JIM DALE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, JUST IN TERMS OF THE CURB MANAGEMENT STUDY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, YOU MAY BE ADDING SOMETHING TO THIS.
UM, BUT WE DID FI WRAP UP A DRAFT SCOPE OF WORK THAT WE'RE GIVING TO A CONSULTANT.
IT WAS EITHER LAST FRIDAY OR THIS MONDAY.
UM, WE REVIEWED THAT AND GOT THAT TURNED OVER TO THEM PROBABLY ABOUT TWO TO THREE MONTHS FOR THE CONTRACTING PIECE.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE 'EM ON BOARD.
AND OUR GOAL IS WITHIN ABOUT A YEAR IS TO HAVE
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THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY DONE AND, AND THEN OUT GET SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT.IT MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A PRESENTATION TO ASK SOME OF THE MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS, UM, BUT A PRESENTATION TO THE UTC IN THE COMING MONTHS, I THINK WE'D LOVE THAT.
I ALSO THINK WE'D LOVE THAT AS PART OF YOUR PARKING MANAGEMENT, UM, OR THE CURB.
I, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE US TOO FAR DOWN, BUT I CARE A LOT ABOUT PARKING.
UM, SO, UM, AS PART OF THAT CURB MANAGEMENT STUDY THAT'S GONNA COME OUT AND THE THINKING BEHIND JUST CURB MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN GENERAL, ARE YOU THINKING AT ALL ABOUT HOW PRIVATE PARKING AND THAT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT IS USUALLY SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EXPENSIVE, IS GOING TO PLAY A PART IN MANAGING THE PARKING DEMAND DOWNTOWN AND HOW EXACTLY THE, UH, CURB AND THE GARAGE WORK TOGETHER TO MANAGE THAT DEMAND? THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN INCLUDE IN THE PRESENTATION TOO.
THE CURB MANAGEMENT STUDY IS NOT LOOKING AT SO MUCH AT THAT PIECE, BUT OUR TEAM IS WORKING WITH THOSE GARAGES WHERE WE SEE A DEMAND FOR PARKING AND WORKING WITH THOSE OFF STREET, UM, PRIVATE GARAGES THAT WOULD, SEEING IF THEY WOULD OPEN UP TO MORE PUBLIC PARKING SO THAT WE CAN, UM, PROVIDE WELL, UM, SO THAT THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY IF FOLKS NEEDED, WE COULD USE THAT PUBLIC SPACE POSSIBLY FOR SOME OTHER USE, BUT HAVING THE ABILITY FOR FOLKS WHO DO WANT TO TRAVEL BY CAR AND PARK TO HAVE TO USE PARKING, THAT'S ALREADY AVAILABLE.
AL BUA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UH, JUST WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE PARKING SIDE.
AS WE WORK WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS AS THEY COME IN, WE ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T ENCOURAGE, UH, DRIVEWAY CUTS, ESPECIALLY ALONG BIKE LANES OR WHERE WE HAVE TRANSIT PRIORITY LANES.
I THINK THAT IS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITY AS WE DO OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.
AND ON THE SAME NOTE, WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE MINIMAL PARKING PROVIDED FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS TO ENCOURAGE OUR TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
AND IF THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE GOING TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF OFFSITE PARKING, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE DECOUPLED AND ALSO THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC SUCH, ESPECIALLY FOR THE OFF PICK HOURS FOR THOSE PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR ANYONE WANNA MAKE A MOTION
UM, IT IS ALL SENT TO YOUR BC EMAILS AND I, IF YOU'RE HERE, I PRINTED IT OUT AND IT GOT HANDED OUT.
UM, SO THEN WE CAN DISCUSS, WOULD I, UM, I'M SUPPOSED TO RESTATE THE MOTION AS CHAIR.
I JUST DID SOME BOARD AND COMMISSION TRAINING AND GOT REFRESHER INFORMATION ON THIS.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ IT INTO THE RECORD? WAS THAT GOOD? YOU WANT ME TO JUST GO, I'M JUST GONNA READ IT ALL OUT LOUD SINCE IT WAS, UM, CIRCULATED SO LATE.
OR DO YOU WANNA READ IT? YOU CAN GO AHEAD.
UH, SO THIS IS BOARD AND COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION, URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DRAFT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, UH, IT WOULD BE 20 25 0 3 0 4.
IT'S GONNA END UP BEING DASH ZERO ZERO, UH, THREE.
UM, AND FOR THE AUSTIN COURT TRANSPORTATION PLAN, SO I'LL JUST READ THIS OUT.
WHEREAS THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN SEEKS TO CREATE A COHESIVE AND ADAPTABLE TRANSPORTATION FRAMEWORK THAT ADDRESSES THE UNI UNIQUE MOBILITY CHALLENGES OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN WHILE BUILDING ON PREVIOUS DOWNTOWN PLANNING EFFORTS AND INTEGRATING UPCOMING MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS LIKE THE I 35 CAPITAL EXPRESS CENTRAL AND PROJECT CONNECT.
AND WHEREAS THE DOWNTOWN STREET NETWORK IS 1% OF AUSTIN'S OVERALL NETWORK, BUT ACCOUNTS FOR 12% OF ALL PEDESTRIAN CRASHES AND 17% OF INTERSECTION RELATED PEDESTRIAN CRASHES.
AND WHEREAS THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN SETS A GOAL OF 50% NONS SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLE MODE SHARE BY 2039, AND WHEREAS TWO-WAY STREETS ARE SAFER AND INCREASE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY WHERE CONVERSIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED, AND WHEREAS STREET TREES AND ADDITIONAL SHADE DOWNTOWN MAKING WALKING MORE FEASIBLE, UH, AND CAN EVEN MAKE WALKING MORE FEASIBLE AND CAN EVEN REDUCE VEHICLE SPEEDS.
AND WHEREAS THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN IS NOT CURRENTLY SLATED TO HAVE A ON STREET HIGH QUALITY NORTH SOUTH BICYCLE FACILITY AND THE CURRENT A CT PLAN.
AND WHEREAS THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY WAS CREATED TO COMPREHENSIVELY AND HOLISTICALLY FIND PARKING MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS TO BETTER SERVE THE RESIDENTS, WORKERS AND VISITORS OF DOWNTOWN AUSTIN.
[01:15:01]
THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE CONVENED A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL FOCUSED ON REDUCING THE GROWTH OF PARKING DOWNTOWN, IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF CURRENT PARKING SUPPLY, IMPROVING THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN, AND IMPROVING OTHER TRANSPORTATION MODES.AND WHEREAS CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 24 0 2 0 1 DASH OH FIVE FOUR AND CORRESPONDING ORDINANCE ORDINANCES SEEK TO REDUCE THE OVER NUM ALL NUMBER OF NEW PARKING SPACES BUILT WITHIN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AND CREATE A MORE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
AND WHEREAS THE FUTURE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL AND EXPANDED METRO RAPID SERVICES ARE PROJECTED TO CARRY TENS OF THOUSANDS ADDITIONAL RIDERS INTO DOWNTOWN, AND WHEREAS THERE ARE LIMITED RESOURCES DEVOTED TO TRANSPORT TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE CITY WITH COMPETING PRIORITIES, INCLUDING INSTALLING TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN WHERE NO CURRENT FACILITIES EXIST AND EXIST, PROBABLY STRIKE THAT END NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT THE AUSTIN CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN PRIORITIZES THE NEED OF PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS, AND NON-CAR MODES OF TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT, UM, DOWNTOWN AREA OVER CAR VOLUME THROUGHPUT.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS THAT THE ACT PLAN INCLUDE A NORTH SOUTH ON STREET SEPARATE AT BIKE FACILITY ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN, AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS ADDITIONAL ONE-WAY TO TWO-WAY CONVERSIONS ON FIFTH STREET, SIXTH STREET, AND OTHER STREETS AS IS FEASIBLE.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS QUICK BUILD OPTIONS AT LOWER COST FOR MORE FACILITIES IN THE SHORT TERM TO IMPROVE CURRENT CONDITIONS UNTIL MORE FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE FOR FULL STREET REBUILDS.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS THAT STREET TREES AND OTHER SHADE STRUCTURES BE EMPHASIZED AS CRUCIAL TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ACT PLAN AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS THAT THE ACT PLAN INCLUDE A ROBUST PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGY THAT ALIGNS WITH THE GOALS OF A SMP AND RECENT COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS THAT SEEK TO LIMIT THE GROWTH OF NEW, ADDITIONAL NEW PARKING DOWNTOWN AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS AN IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE THAT COINCIDES WITH THOSE OF THE I 35 CAP AND STITCH AND AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.
SO THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION BEFORE US, UM, AS, AS THE, UH, ONE WHO MADE THIS MOTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER KAMAN, YOU GET TO SPEAK FIRST.
UM, I FEEL LIKE I HOPE THAT, UH, EXPLAINS ITSELF PRETTY WELL.
UM, I HAD JUST A COUPLE OF CONCERNS ON REALLY WHAT IS A GREAT PLAN, UM, FOR THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES DOWNTOWN.
UM, I, UH, FEEL LIKE I'VE HEARD FROM SOME STAKEHOLDERS IN THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER TRANSPORTATION SAFETY SPACE THAT, UH, SOME MORE ONE WAY TO TWO WAY CONVERSIONS, UM, LIKE SAFE STREETS AUSTIN RECOMMENDATION COMING OUT HERE RECOMMENDS, UH, WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE IN THERE, UH, SAFETY BENEFIT.
I KNOW THAT FIFTH AND SIXTH STREET SERVE AS MAJOR ARTERIALS CONNECTING TO THE, UM, I 35 AND MOPAC HIGHWAYS, UM, PRESENT SOME CHALLENGES.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THE BOUNDARY ON THE WEST SIDE STARTS AS LAMAR, AND I DON'T REALLY SEE A REASON FROM LAMAR EAST FOR THEM TO BE ONE WAY STREETS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT IT COULD REALLY IMPROVE THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT DOWN THERE.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE IS A MAJOR, UH, DEVELOPMENT PLANNED ON WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS DIRTY SIX, UH, BY STREAM REALTY, AND I THINK IT COULD BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THEY WANT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, UM, WITH A TWO-WAY AND SOME VALET, UM, CUTOUTS THERE AS WELL.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS ARE A, JUST EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR SHADE AND STREET TREES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
UM, I REALLY CARE A LOT ABOUT PARKING MANAGEMENT, AND I HOPE THAT THIS CAN LEAD TO SOMETHING THAT CAN, UH, BE EMPHASIZED NOT ONLY IN THE ACT PLAN, BUT IN THE COMING PARKING AND, UH, CURBSIDE MANAGEMENT STUDIES THAT ARE COMING OUTTA THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THE TIMELINE AND THE FUNDING FOR THIS ARE QUITE LONG AND QUITE EXPENSIVE.
UH, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SOME LOWER COST INTERIM PROJECTS HERE, AND I KNOW THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT SOMETIMES WHEN POURING CONCRETE BECOMES VERY EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO WHAT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A TIGHTER BOND CYCLE THAN MOST, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT'S AFTER THAT, THAT MAY BE FLEX POSTS OR LITTLE ARMADILLOS CAN SUFFICE IN THE INTERIM.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT JUST A ACT PLAN, PRIORITIZING THE NEED OF PEDESTRIAN CYCLISTS AND, YOU KNOW, NON-CAR IS A GREAT IDEA.
THIS IS GETTING US MOST OF THE WAY THERE, AND I THINK THAT WE CAN GO AN ADDITIONAL 20% IN THAT DIRECTION.
[01:20:06]
ONE THING I NOTICED ABOUT, UM, AND MAYBE THIS WAS INTENTIONAL, LIKE IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T, UM, THE MOTION IN FRONT OF US DOESN'T ACTUALLY SAY WE RECOMMEND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE, THE, THE ACT PLAN.AND I THINK MAYBE WE WANT TO DO THAT AND SAY LIKE, AS THE FIRST BE IT RESOLVED, AND THEN THEN ADD THE ADDITIONAL, LIKE ALL OF, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANY OF THE POINTS, BUT LIKE, I FEEL LIKE WE DO, AT LEAST I I DO FEEL IT'S A GOOD PLAN AND SHOULD BE ADOPTED WITH SOME POTENTIAL REVISIONS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WAS YOUR INTENT AS WELL.
I WANTED TO JUST GIVE US SOMETHING TO START WITH.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
SO, UM, I THINK I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO JUST ADD A FIRST BE IT RESOLVED.
UM, SO THIS WOULD MOVE ALL THE, BE IT RESOLVED SORT OF DOWN ONE AND THE FIRST BE IT RESOLVED, IT WOULD BE NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THE CORE TRANSPORTATION PLAN WITH SOME POTENTIAL REVISIONS AS AND, AND THEN, THEN GO INTO THE BE IT RESOLVED.
DOES THAT, UM, SO THAT'S MY MOTION.
THANK IS THAT COMMISSIONER WHEELER? THANK YOU.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON, ON THAT? ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A VOTE QUICKLY ON THAT AMENDMENT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF AMENDING IT SO THAT THE FIRST, AND I CAN SEND THAT LANGUAGE TO SAY, WE ARE SUPPORTING THAT CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THIS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, AYE, OR SAY I IS COMMISSIONER BUFFALO THERE? BUFFALO THERE.
SORRY, I WAS TRYING TO GET TO MY MUTE BUTTON.
SO THAT'S UNANIMOUS OF ALL THOSE PRESENT.
UM, ANY, UM, FURTHER AMENDMENTS OR DISCUSSION? I, I HAVE AN AMENDMENT.
UM, I GUESS I'LL, I'LL, I'LL MAKE IT AND THEN DISCUSS IT.
UM, SO THE AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO STRIKE THE ORIGINALLY SECOND, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED NOW THIRD, BE IT RESOLVED THAT STATES THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS THAT THE ACT PLAN INCLUDE A NORTH, SOUTH ON STREET SEPARATED BIKE FACILITY ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND PUT IN ITS PLACE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS THE ACT PLAN, CONTINUE THE PROTECTED BICYCLE LANE ON RED RIVER STREET, UM, FROM SEVENTH STREET TO 12TH STREET, AS CONTEMPLATED BY THE 2023 BICYCLE PLAN AND THE ACTIVE PROJECT LISTED IN THE 2025 LOCAL MOBILITY ANNUAL PLAN TO ENSURE A CONTINUOUS PROTECTED BICYCLE FACILITY THAT CONNECTS WITH THE PROTECTED BIKE LANES ON ROBERT DEADMAN DRIVE.
UM, BUT I DO REALLY LIKE THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED THIS, AND I ALSO LIKE THAT THIS IS GENERALLY BROAD.
UM, UH, I THINK THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR KIND OF THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.
UM, THE ONE THING I'D POINT OUT IS THAT I, I, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT'S NEEDED.
THERE ISN'T REALLY ANOTHER CANDIDATE ON THE EAST SIDE OTHER THAN BRAZOS STREET, WHICH DEAD ENDS AND ALSO DEAD ENDS AT THE, UH, UM, CAPITOL.
UM, AND I ALSO THINK RED RIVER STREET MAKES SENSE FOR A A COUPLE OF REASONS.
UM, FIRST, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, AND, AND I CAN, YOU KNOW, SHOW MY, MY SCREEN HERE, UH, BUT THE LOCAL MOBILITY ANNUAL PLAN, LET'S SEE IF THIS SHOWS UP AT ALL, PROBABLY NOT, BUT THE LOCAL MOBILITY ANNUAL PLAN CURRENTLY HAS A LISTED PROJECT IN SINCE 2024 THAT CONTEMPLATES A ONE-WAY PROTECTED BIKE LANE FROM SCISSOR CHAVEZ TO 12TH STREET.
BUT THE AXE PLAN DOES NOT CONTEMPLATE ONE FROM 12TH STREET TO SEVENTH STREET.
UM, I, I THINK THAT'S A MISTAKE.
I THINK IF WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH WITH THAT PROCESS, WE SHOULD PUT IT INTO OUR LONG-TERM PLANNING.
I ALSO THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS TO POINT OUT.
UH, UT BUILT SOME REALLY BEAUTIFUL, UH, BIKE LANES ON ROBERT DEADMAN, UM, KIND OF THE FIRST ON STREET BIKE LANES THAT WE HAD LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY CONNECT ANYTHING.
UM, AND THERE'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY THERE IF WE CAN CONNECT RED RIVER STREET THERE, UM, TO CREATE THAT CONNECTIVITY.
UH, AND THAT ALSO PROVIDES A CONNECTION, UH, INTO, UM, UH, CAMPUS.
IT CREATES A CONNECTION TO DEAN KEENA CREATES A CONNECTION, UH, TO MAINOR.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE THEM ON SAN JAC GOING TO MLK, THEY DON'T CONTINUE ON CAMPUS AND WE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS REMOVED FROM WHEN, UH, ANTHONY DIAZ, UH, WAS KILLED BY A CAT METRO BUS RIGHT THERE ON SAN JACINTO.
UM, AND THE LAST THING I WOULD NOTE AS WELL IS WE'RE ALSO JUST A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR MENDOZA CAME HERE AND TALKED ABOUT, UM, HOW DANGEROUS IT IS FOR FOLKS.
SCOOTERING ON THAT SEGMENT OF, UH, UM, SEVENTH TO 12TH, WHICH IS THE HEART OF THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.
UH, I DON'T THINK NOT PROVIDING A BIKE LANE IS THE BEST WAY TO CREATE THAT SAFETY.
I THINK CREATING A SAFE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO BIKE AND SCOOTER IS THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE SAFETY THERE.
I DO WANT TO CORRECT THE RECORD.
I SAID EARLIER THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BUNCH OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THERE.
[01:25:01]
I WAS THINKING A LITTLE BIT NORTH.WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE HEART OF THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR FLEX SPACES.
I DO THINK THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO GET THERE.
EITHER HAVING THEM ON ONE SIDE OR ALSO THERE'S NO TURN LANE THERE CURRENTLY.
I DON'T THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A TURN LANE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE ARE TURNING INTO BARBS REALLY MUCH, RIGHT? SO, UM, YOU COULD TAKE OUT THAT TURN LANE AND THEN THAT GIVES YOU THE, THE WIDTH YOU NEED ON BOTH SIDES TO CREATE THAT BIKE LANE.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT WAS A PRETTY LONG DRAWN OUT EXPLANATION OF AN AMENDMENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THERE.
SO COULD YOU, I'M SORRY TO, I, I THINK CAN YOU READ THAT ONE MORE TIME? ABSOLUTELY.
SO I'M STRIKING THE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT READS THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS THAT THE ACT PLAN INCLUDE A NORTH SOUTH ON STREET SEPARATED BIKE FACILITY ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
AND, AND THEN, UH, SUBSTITUTING THAT WITH BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE UTC RECOMMENDS THE AX PLAN CONTINUE WITH THE PROTECTED BIKE LANE ON RED RIVER STREET FROM SEVENTH TO 12TH STREET, AS CONTEMPLATED BY THE 2023 BICYCLE PLAN AND THE ACTIVE PROJECT LISTED IN THE 2025 LOCAL MOBILITY ANNUAL PLAN TO ENSURE A CONTINUOUS PROTECTED BICYCLE FACILITY THAT CONNECTS WITH THE PROTECTED BIKE LANES ON ROBERT DEADMAN DRIVE.
ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THERE'S A GAP RIGHT NOW IN THE PLAN YEAH.
DOES THAT HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT AMENDMENT
UM, I'VE NEVER LED A FACILITY, I MEAN, I'VE NEVER FACILITATED AN A DISCUSSION ON AN RECOMMENDATION.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT MY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WRITING ALL OF THIS DOWN INTO A DOCUMENT AND MAKING SURE IT HAPPENS, BECAUSE IF SO, I WILL NEED TO JUST GO UP AND COPY IT FROM YOU.
YEAH, I THINK SPENCER AND I ARE, UH, HELPING WITH THAT
SO THAT IS ACTUALLY, IT'S STRIKING THAT ONE ABOUT THE NORTH SOUTH, SEPARATE IT BY SICKLE FACILITY ON THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND ACTUALLY GIVING IT, BASICALLY KEEPING THE INTENT OF IT, BUT, BUT MM-HMM
GIVING IT SOME MORE SPECIFICITY, UH, IN LINE WITH WHAT'S ALREADY IN SOME PLANS AND, AND EVEN UNDER POTENTIAL VERY IMMINENT PLANNING MM-HMM
SO, UM, UH, ANY DISCUSSION OF THAT? OKAY.
I GUESS I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE ON THAT AMENDMENT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
UM, FURTHER DISCUSSION OR AMENDMENTS? I'M, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO YOU, COMMISSIONER KAMAN FOR, FOR PREPARING THIS RECOMMENDATION.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO PICK TO COME BACK IN APRIL.
UM, THIS IS GONNA ALLOW US TO GET THE RECOMMENDATION, I THINK, WELL, WE'LL, TAKING A VOTE, BUT, AND TO SEE, BUT, UH, DONE BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION AND SAVING OUR STAFF.
WELL, SOME OF OUR STAFF MAY HAVE TO COME SEE US IN APRIL ANYWAY, ABOUT OTHER TOPICS, BUT NOT THIS TOPIC.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, UM, ANYWAY, UM, HI, THIS IS COMMISSIONER BUFFET ONLINE? YEAH, I'M ECHOING.
CAN I, I WAS, I WAS, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
UM, SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL, UM, THAT YOU PREPARED THIS.
I, UM, OVERALL, UM, HAVE BEEN VERY EXCITED FROM THE BEGINNING, EVEN SORT OF WHEN WE STARTED AND HAD TO PAUSE FROM THE PANDEMIC.
I'VE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT THIS PLAN AND HOW IT REALLY, UM, AS, UH, COLE SPOKE ABOUT, UM, REALLY, UH, INTEGRATES A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLANNING AND DISPARATE THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR 20 OR MORE YEARS.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT HERE.
SO ALTHOUGH WE HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, I THINK PROVIDE A LOT OF, LIKE, FRUITFUL, ESPECIALLY IN, IN THE REALM OF SAFETY, I THINK, UM, I THINK THAT OVERALL THE PLAN IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD AND WE CAN MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.
UM, SO THAT'S THE, THE PART THAT'S SUPER EXCITING.
AND I WILL, UM, I'M SORRY COMMISSIONER BUFFO THAT WE WERE LIKE, I'M KIND OF SPEAKING OVER YOU.
I, I HAVE, UH, I, I FORGET ABOUT MY AUDIO SETUP SOMETIMES, SO SORRY FOR THAT.
UM, AND I APOLOGIZE ALSO FOR BEING OFF CAMERA.
I'M TREATING A SHOULDER INJURY AT HOME, SO I'M, UH, JUST GONNA KEEP THAT TO MYSELF.
UM, UH, AS FAR AS AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES, UM, I'M SORRY, I AM HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES TODAY, BUT ON THE FIRST PAGE WHERE IT SAYS, WHEREAS TWO EAST TWO, EXCUSE ME, TWO WAY STREETS ARE SAFER AND INCREASE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, DO THOSE LINKS REFERENCE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT ADAM JUST BROUGHT TO US FROM SAFE STREETS, OR IS THAT SOMETHING ELSE? UM, THE FIRST ONE COMES FROM A, UH, TRANSPORTATION SAFETY TOOLKIT FROM THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE COMES FROM THE STUDY OF, UH, LEXINGTON, I THINK LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.
THAT I THINK IS THE SAME ONE THAT ADAM WAS REFERENCING IN HIS.
[01:30:01]
AWESOME.UH, WELL, I GUESS I WAS WONDERING IF IT IS APPROPRIATE OR MAKES SENSE TO INCLUDE IN THAT WHEREAS, UM, THAT, UH, THAT THOSE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ALSO BEING PUT FORTH BY SAFE STREETS AUSTIN, JUST TO SORT OF EMPHASIZE IT.
'CAUSE I, UM, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT, NOT JUST THAT TWO, TWO WAY STREETS ARE SAFER, BUT, UM, POINTING MADE ABOUT, UH, TRANSITIONING SPACES FROM BEING, TRYING TO GET THROUGH DOWNTOWN TO ARRIVING AT DOWNTOWN, UM, AND HOW THOSE UPDATES, UM, FACILITATE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TOO IN THE WEEDS, BUT I WANTED TO SUGGEST THAT AS ADDING SOME POSSIBLE, UM, CREDIBILITY OR JUST EMPHASIS TO THAT SPECIFIC POINT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT? UH HA WELL, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS THE, HAS HAS THE SAFE STREETS AUSTIN RECOMMENDATION MADE IT TO CITY COUNCIL? LIKE IF WE REFERENCED IT, WILL THAT MAKE SENSE? I THINK IT WOULD BE CONTEMPORANEOUS.
SO YES, THEY, I'M SURE THAT SAFE STREETS AUSTIN WILL BE FORWARDING THIS TO BOTH MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL AS THE TIME IS APPROPRIATE.
I TRUST, YEAH, I TRUST THEIR JUDGMENT FOR HOW THEY WANT TO LOBBY AND ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CAUSE.
SO THEN I WOULD, UH, YES, PROPOSE A MOVEMENT TO, UM, AMEND THAT, WHEREAS TO INCLUDE, UM, THAT SAFE STREETS AUSTIN, UH, IS MAKING A SIMILAR RECOMMENDATION ON THOSE POINTS.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU GUIDE US THROUGH THE, HOW YOU'D LIKE THAT TO BE WORDED? YEAH, I'M REALIZING NOW I SHOULD PROBABLY LIKE WRITE IT OUT SO I SAYING IT ALOUD IN WRITING AND ARE NOT THE SAME.
SO IF YOU CAN GIVE ME ONE SECOND, I'LL ABSOLUTELY.
I, I HAVE ANOTHER AMENDMENT WHILE IF SHE WANTS TO TAKE A PREPARE OF THAT.
UM, THIS IS PEDANTIC, BUT ON, UH, THE, WHEREAS ABOUT THE, UH, THIS IS THE ONE THAT SAYS THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN IS NOT CURRENTLY SLATED TO HAVE AN ON STREET HIGH QUALITY NORTH SOUTH BICYCLE FACILITY IN THE CURRENT ACT PLAN, I'M WONDERING HOW YOU WOULD FEEL ABOUT INSERTING THE WORD, UH, NEW ON STREET, HIGH QUALITY NORTH SOUTH, JUST 'CAUSE UH, WE DO HAVE TRINITY AND SAND JACK, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE ADDING A NEW ONE ON THE WEST SIDE, BUT WE'RE NOT ADDING A NEW ONE ON THE EAST SIDE.
UH, A QUICK AMENDMENT, THEN I MOVE TO AMEND THE SIXTH, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVES TO ADD THE WORD NEW IN BETWEEN THE WORD, UH, IS THE, WHEREAS NOT THE BE IT RESOLVE, RIGHT? SORRY, I SAID I MEANT, WHEREAS, UH, THE SIXTH, WHEREAS TO ADD THE WORD NEW IN BETWEEN HAVE, AND, AND SO IT SAYS THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN IS NOT CURRENTLY SLATED TO HAVE A, OH NO, SORRY, STRIKE THE WORD.
AND, AND ADD A NEW ON STREET HIGH QUALITY NORTH SOUTH BIKE FACILITY.
I MEAN THAT'S BORDERLINE JUST A
WHILE WE'RE, I'LL SECOND THAT.
SO WE'LL TAKE A QUICK VOTE ON ADDING AN YOU, HE SAID IT TAKE TAKING THE SIXTH, WHEREAS WHERE IT SAYS NOT CURRENTLY SLATED TO HAVE AN ON STREET HIGH QUALITY NORTH SOUTH BICYCLE FACILITY STRIKING ANN AND SAYING A NEW ON STREET HIGH QUALITY NORTH SOUTH BIKE FACILITY.
I'M JUST GONNA CALL FOR A VOTE ON THAT.
COMMISSIONER BUFFET, DO YOU HAVE YOUR, UH, WORDING READY? UH, YEAH, I BELIEVE SO.
I THINK, UM, RATHER THAN INCLUDING AN UPDATE TO THE, WHEREAS CLAUSE, I THINK THIS MAY ACTUALLY BE AN ADDITION OF A BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED CLAUSE, UM, WHICH SAYS, UM, UH, SORRY, BE IT FURTHER UTC.
UM, BE IT FOR THE RESOLVED THESE, THE UTC SUPPORTS SAFE STREETS AUSTIN'S RECOMMENDATION THAT AUSTIN CONVERT ALL ONE WAY ROADWAYS DOWNTOWN TO, UH, TWO WAY STREETS.
CAN I JUST SAY, I'M NOT SURE IF YEAH.
UM, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT WHERE IT SAYS NOW ON FIFTH AND SIXTH STREET, AND I, I THINK MAYBE THIS IS MAYBE A TIME FOR, FOR COLE TO COME BACK IN.
I, ONE THING I WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF IS, UM, I DO NOT WANNA MAKE IT EASIER TO CROSS ACROSS, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN.
UM, I, THAT IS NOT WHAT DOWNTOWN IS FOR.
OUR STREETS SHOULD BE FOR PEOPLE GOING TO AND INTERACTING WITH OUR DOWNTOWN
[01:35:01]
MM-HMMUH, BUT I AM ALSO MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT AGAINST OUR WILL, WE HAVE TWO MASSIVE HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS COMING WITH MOPAC SOUTH.
AND, UH, I GUESS MOPAC SOUTH ISN'T QUITE MASSIVE, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, THE I 35 EXPANSION IS, UH, AND THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S, I DON'T, IT MIGHT BE AGAINST THE UTCS WILL, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AGAINST THE CITY'S WILL.
I'LL JUST POINT THAT OUT, BUT
UH, YEAH, WE'LL LEAVE THAT DISCUSSION WHERE IT IS.
UM, ALL THAT TO SAY, WHERE IN THE GRID IS THERE A NEED TO HAVE CAPACITY JUST TO AVOID ABSOLUTE GRIDLOCK, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS A PROBLEM BEYOND JUST TRAFFIC IN THAT, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY VEHICLES NEED TO GET THROUGH DOWNTOWN.
UM, WE NEED, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S GRIDLOCK, ROAD HABITS ARE NOT GREAT, THAT'S DANGEROUS FOR PEDESTRIANS, THEY HAVE TO WEAVE IN AND OUT.
RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SOME TRAFFIC DOWNTOWN IS OBVIOUSLY EXPECTED AND MAYBE EVEN WANTED 'CAUSE IT SHOWS YOU RIGHT SIZE YOUR STREETS.
UH, WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT COMPLETE GRIDLOCK TO THE POINT WHERE AN AMBULANCE CAN GET THROUGH.
SO I GUESS ARE THERE SECTIONS WHERE THAT CAPACITY IS NEEDED FOR THAT REASON, AND THAT'S WHY YOU CHOSE A ONE-WAY STREET TO KIND OF GUIDE THAT FLOW THROUGH? YEAH, I WOULD SAY WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE ACT PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS IS THE RESULT OF LOOKING AT OUR MULTIPLE, OUR, OUR MODAL NEEDS.
SO, UM, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED IN THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WAS KIND OF INCONCLUSIVE ABOUT HOW, UH, WHETHER ONE-WAY STREETS SHOULD BE CONVERTED TO TWO-WAY THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN.
SO THERE WAS SLIGHTLY IN FAVOR IN SUPPORT OF A FULL TWO-WAY CONVERSION SCENARIO.
HOWEVER, IT ALSO CONCLUDED THAT NOT AT THE JEOPARDY OF PRIORITIZING TRANSIT OR BICYCLE FACILITIES MM-HMM
SO WHAT, SO WHAT YOU SEE IS, UM, A PRIORITIZED TRANSIT NETWORK, A, UH, A COMPLETE BICYCLE NETWORK AT LEAST IN ONE DIRECTION ON EVERY STREET.
UM, BUT ALSO BASED ON THE VEHICLE NETWORK ANALYSIS.
UM, IT IS TRUE THAT LOOKING AT HOW, UM, VEHICLES ACCESS IN EGRESS DOWNTOWN, UM, THERE IS, THERE IS A DEMAND FOR, FOR ONE WAY STREETS TO GO FROM AND INTO MOPAC AND FROM I 35.
SO, UM, IT IS A DIFFERENT, IT IS A DIFFERENT, UM, SCENARIO OR, OR IMAGINED FUTURE.
IF YOU DID CONVERT EVERY STREET TO TWO WAY, UM, IT WOULDN'T SERVE THOSE MAJOR HIGHWAYS AS THEY DO TODAY.
AND SO THAT IS A VERY INTENTIONAL DECISION THAT WOULD BE MADE, UH, TO CONVERT, TO CONVERT EVERY STREET TO TWO WAY.
AND, OH, SORRY, IF I COULD TOO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT WHAT THE, AND THIS IS REFERENCED IN SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE FROM STATE STREET, SAFE STREETS AUSTIN, BUT I MEAN, WHAT THE, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT GRIDS ARE THE MOST RESILIENT FORM OF TRANSPORTATION, ACTUALLY.
SO, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF EVERYTHING'S GREAT AND THE ROAD IS CLEAR, UM, THEN A ONE WAY STREET, YEAH.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION.
YOU CAN DRIVE A LITTLE BIT FASTER, IT'S MORE FREE FLOWING, BUT WHEN THINGS ARE NOT OPTIMAL, THAT ACTUALLY WHAT IS THE MOST, UH, IS HAVING LOTS OF OPTIONS IN A CAR TO GET WHERE YOU WANT.
SO THE GRID NETWORK ACTUALLY IS MORE RESILIENT.
LIKE, IT, IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SERVE SORT OF THE GOAL OF PIPELINING PEOPLE TO MOPAC OR 35 AS QUICKLY.
I'M NOT, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF I AM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A SECOND RIGHT NOW, AND I, UM, I'M NOT, I DON'T, I DON'T, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE TO HEAR THE, HEAR THE WORDING AGAIN FOR THE AMENDMENT, BUT, UM, I THINK THERE'S A WAY, I MEAN, MAYBE TO, I, I FEEL LIKE IT'S A LITTLE MAYBE FOR ME, DUPLICATIVE, AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY TO JUST WANT TO JUST MASSAGE THE ONE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT SAYS FIFTH STREET, SIXTH STREET AND OTHER STREETS AS IS FEASIBLE.
AND, AND ACTUALLY THAT ACTUALLY IS PRETTY BROAD.
UM, YEAH, WELL, GIVEN THE COMMENT COMMENTS FROM STAFF, I APOLOGIZE, I'VE FORGOTTEN YOUR NAME, BUT, UM, I'M SATISFIED WITH THAT EXPLANATION AS TO, UM, WHY CERTAIN STREETS WOULD BE CONVERTED, NOT ALL OF THEM, ESPECIALLY TO ACCOMMODATE A ACCOMMO AN ALL STREETS, UH, BIKE SITUATION.
SO I'M WILLING TO WITHDRAW MY SUGGESTION.
I'M A VERBAL PROCESSOR, SO THIS IS A HELPFUL EXERCISE.
I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M OPPOSED
[01:40:01]
TO DOING ALL THE STREETS, BUT, UM, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING SOME PRETTY BIG MODIFICATIONS, AND I THINK WE DID AS OTHER STREETS AS FEASIBLE IS IS PRETTY, PRETTY BROAD THERE FOR STAFF TO STUDY THAT.UM, AND I DON'T, UM, I'M A LITTLE, I I, I HAVE A LITTLE DISCOMFORT TOO OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, SAYING WE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP EITHER TRANSIT FUNCTION OR PEDESTRIAN FUNCTION OR BIKES LIKE, OR, YOU KNOW.
LIKE, WHAT WE SHOULD GIVE UP IS THE CARS.
LIKE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GIVE UP.
IF WE WANT A FUTURE ON THIS PLANET, WE NEED TO GIVE UP THE CARS.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, SO, SO LIKE THAT, THAT'S ALWAYS WHAT SHOULD BE GIVEN UP.
I, I THINK WE, YOU'VE WITHDRAWN YOUR MOTION
UM, BUT I WILL SAVE THE REST OF THE COMMENTS ON THAT FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
UM, I THINK WE MAY BE READY TO CALL FOR A VOTE ON THIS ITEM.
SO, UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS, UH, UH, MOTION AS AMENDMENT, UH, PROPOSAL, PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION IS AMENDED.
RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY I AND SAY AYE.
UH, LOOKS LIKE I COUNT EVERYBODY AND THOSE OPPOSED, OR ABSTAINING.
COMMISSIONER BROWN, DID YOU VOTE? I'M SORRY.
THAT IS THEN, UH, UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT.
SO THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM FOUR
[4. Discussion and approval of a recommendation to the Bond Election Advisory Taskforce from the UTC working group established November 12, 2024. ]
DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE FROM THE UTC WORKING GROUP ESTABLISHED NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024.UH, THIS ONE'S GONNA BE REAL QUICK.
WE WERE PLANNING ON BRINGING A, A QUICK THING SAYING, UH, IF WE DO A 2025 BOND, HERE'S HOW, UH, WE THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
UH, LIKE TWO DAYS AGO, THE SYSTEMS BOND ADVISORY TASK FORCE DECIDED THEY DIDN'T WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH A 2025 BOND RECOMMENDATION.
UH, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DISCUSS ANYTHING HERE.
SO, SO YOU'RE MOVING TO IN INDEFINITELY POSTPONE THIS ITEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE THIS AGENDA ITEM.
THAT'S UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT.
SO WE HANDLED ITEM FOUR VERY RAPIDLY.
[5. Discussion and approval of a recommendation on I-35 frontage road crossings and pedestrian crossings. ]
WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF A RECOMMENDATION ON THE I 35 FRONTAGE, ROAD CROSSINGS AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS.THIS, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATION WAS PRECIATE IN YOUR, UH, IN THE BACKUP.
SO IT'S ONLINE AND IT'S ALL THE THINGS.
UM, THERE IS A COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS ITEM.
UM, I GUESS, UM, SINCE THIS IS NOT COMING FROM STAFF, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, COMING FROM THE UTC, I GUESS I, I WON'T, UM, READ IT ALL BECAUSE IT WAS AVAILABLE IN ADVANCE, IN BACKUP.
BUT, UM, WHAT I WILL DO IS I WILL GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE IT, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE, UM, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO, UM, ESSENTIALLY, UM, THIS BODY, UH, HAS GIVEN THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OF, UM, UH, STUDYING, UM, THE I 35, UH, CAPITAL EXPRESS EXPANSION.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS.
WE HAD A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO TXDOT THAT WERE INCREASINGLY, UM, EXTREME TO THE POINT AT THE END.
WE JUST SAID, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS.
JUST PLEASE STOP YOUR PLANNING AND START OVER AND JUST STOP.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UM, THAT IS, UH, NOT BEEN HEATED AND, UH, THE PROJECT SEEMS TO BE GOING FORWARD WITH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY DEMOLITION AND DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT GOING FORWARD.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UM, UH, ARE DOING IN THIS, SO THIS, UH, TALKS THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONTEXT AND HISTORY OF THIS PLAN, UM, THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED, UM, PUBLICLY AND SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT THIS, UH, IS BEING SPOKE OF AS A MODEL FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO THAT BEING THE CLYDE WARREN PARK IN, IN DALLAS AND THE ROSE KENNEDY GREENWAY IN BOSTON, THESE ARE PROJECTS WHERE THERE'S BEEN GREENWAYS OR PARKS OR PUBLIC SPACE CAPS BUILT OVER FREEWAYS, DOWNTOWN FREEWAYS.
UM, AND, UM, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE, UM, LOCATIONS, UM, THEY, UM, ON THE PLACES SURROUNDING THE CAP, IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE CITY STREETS, UM, UH, ONE OR TWO TRAVEL LANES, UM,
[01:45:01]
THAT MOVE VERY MUCH LIKE CITY STREETS IN THOSE AREAS.SO THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS MAKING A RECOMMENDATION ON THE, UM, ON THOSE FRONTAGE ROADS.
AND SO THAT THE PRINCIPLES, I WILL READ THIS PART OUT.
SO IT SAYS, UM, AND I'M MAKING THIS MOTION THAT THE DESIGN SHOULD RESULT IN AVERAGE SPEEDS AT OR BELOW SAFE URBAN SPEED LIMITS NO HIGHER THAN 30 MILES PER HOUR.
FRONTAGE ROAD SHOULD BE NO MORE, CONTAIN MORE THAN TWO TRAVEL LANES IN EACH DIRECTION THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE PROJECT.
LANE WIDTHS SHOULD GENERALLY BE 10 FEET, NO WIDER THAN 11 FEET.
DESIGN SHOULD INCLUDE STREET TREES ALONG THE ENTIRE CORRIDOR, GENERALLY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROADWAY.
AND WHEREVER MEDIANS EXIST, THERE SHOULD BE VEHICLE PARKING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD AT A MINIMUM.
AND IF CITY OF O AUSTIN, IF CITY OF AUSTIN R FUTURE 35, THAT ONE ALWAYS TRIPS ME UP, STAFF STATES THAT THERE IS A NEED, ANY CAP SHOULD BE ALLOWED.
ENTRY ACCESS FOR THE SERVICE VEHICLES AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES AND RAISED CROSSWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN BULB OUT SHOULD EXIST AT EVERY ROADWAY INTERSECTION WITHIN THE PROPOSED EAST AVENUE TRAIL.
AND THERE SHOULD BE CROSSWALKS ON ALL EAST WEST STREETS THAT HAVE MORE THAN ONE STRAIGHT LANE IN EACH DIRECTION.
SO THIS IS BASICALLY SAYING, UM, THIS IS THE DESIGN WE WANNA SEE ON THOSE FRONTAGE ROADS.
AND I ACTUALLY HAVE A COUPLE TEXT REVISIONS THAT I'M GONNA BRING MYSELF AS I WORKED ON THIS DRAFT, UH, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT IT.
BUT, UM, I GUESS I'M MAKING THAT MOTION.
AND THEN IF WE HAVE A SECOND, THEN I'LL SECOND.
UM, I WILL CALL UP OUR COMMUNITY SPEAKER, WHICH IS, UM, ADAM GREENFIELD, UM, ON THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU AGAIN, COMMISSIONER ADAM GREENFIELD, SAFE SHEETS.
AUSTIN, UH, WE'RE JUST VERY BRIEFLY WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
UM, THIS ITEM, UH, IT'S, IT'S WELL WRITTEN.
UH, WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE INSISTING ON CITY STREETS NEXT TO THIS HIGHWAY, NOT ANOTHER HIGHWAY NEXT TO THE HIGHWAY.
UM, UH, THE FRONTAGE ROADS AS ARE CURRENTLY PROPOSED WOULD BE SEVEN UP TO EIGHT LANES IN SOME CASES.
AND THAT JUST IS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE, WE, WE WANT THE CITY TO BE, WHICH IS A PLACE THAT'S SAFE, THAT'S PLEASANT, WHERE BUSINESSES THRIVE, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE OPTIONS, HOW THEY WANT TO GET AROUND IF WE DO PROCEED WITH CAPS OF ANY KIND.
UH, ONE OF THE BASIC, UH, TENETS OF GOOD PUBLIC SPACE DESIGN IS THAT THEIR EDGES BE ACTIVATED, THAT THEY BE, UH, EASY TO CROSS.
UM, AND A SEVEN EIGHT LANE ROADWAY TO CROSS TO GET TO THE CAPS FROM, FROM THE WEST IS, UM, IS, WOULD BE, SHOULD CONCERN ANYBODY WHO, WHO REALLY WANTS THESE PUBLIC SPACES TO THRIVE.
UM, SO, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS INCREDIBLY REASONABLE.
IF WE ARE GONNA, IF WE ARE GONNA ASPIRE TO A CLYDE WARREN AS THIS RECOMMENDATION WISELY, UH, DRAWS, PARALLELS WITH, THEN UH, WE HAVE TO INSIST ON CITY STREETS.
AND IF WE DON'T, WE ARE, WE ARE REALLY NOT AIMING FOR A CLYDE WARREN, WE'RE AIMING FOR SOMETHING WITH, UH, POTENTIALLY LOWER PROSPECTS THAN THAT.
SO, UM, YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS A GREAT, UH, RECOMMENDATION AND, AND WE'RE IN SUPPORT.
UM, SO, UM, I'M ACTUALLY HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT BASICALLY I WANT TO, UM, WHAT I WANNA DO IS, SOME FOLKS READ THIS FOR ME AND THEY POINTED OUT THAT, UM, IT COULD LEAVE THE IMPRESSION, SO THE CITY HAS NOT, AND OTHER, OTHER ENTITIES, UT AUSTIN, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO, UM, CONSTRUCT CAPS OVER SOME OR ALL OF THE I 35.
UM, AND WE KNOW THERE'S A POTENTIAL THAT NOT ALL OF WE, THIS BODY HAS HEARD, NOT ALL OF THOSE MAY GET CONSTRUCTED.
IT'S POSSIBLE ONLY A PORTION OF THEM DO.
UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED ME TO CHECK THROUGH THE LANGUAGE, OR SOME PEOPLE GAVE ME SOME COMMENTS AND WAS TO KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THIS IS CLEAR THAT THIS, THESE, THE COMMENTS IN THIS RECOMMENDATION ARE VALID, WHETHER WE BUILD CAPS OR NOT.
SO LIKE, OBVIOUSLY IF WE'RE BUILDING A PUBLIC SPACE ON A CAP, IT'S RIDICULOUS TO HAVE EIGHT LANES OF TRAFFIC THAT SOMEONE WOULD CROSS, LIKE WHO WOULD GO ACCESS THAT PARK, WHO WOULD TAKE THEIR KIDS THERE, LIKE, WHO WOULD PUSH A STROLLER? LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE NO ONE WOULD DO THOSE THINGS.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY IF WE BUILD CAPS TO, TO MAKE THE CAPS REMOTELY USEFUL, YOU WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE, HAVE THE, THESE, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT EVEN IF IN AREAS WHERE WE CHOOSE NOT TO BUILD CAPS, OR EVEN IF WE BUILD NO CAPS AT ALL, I THINK THESE PRINCIPLES ARE GOOD FOR FRONTAGE ROADS BECAUSE PEOPLE STILL KNOW TO TRANSIT BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, EACH SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S GOING TO BE A HIGHWAY.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I AM GOING TO TRY TO PULL UP MY EDITS.
I HAD TO, I JUST RESTARTED CHROME, SO LET ME SEE IF THAT PLAYS WELL WITH ME HERE.
AND I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO DUAL FACTOR IN BECAUSE THAT'S, WE'RE, WE'RE KEEPING EVERYBODY SAFE WITH OUR DUING
THEY'RE IN MY, THEY'RE IN MY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS EMAIL.
Y'ALL CAN DISCUSS WHILE I DO THIS IF YOU NEED TO.
[01:50:01]
IS GREAT.I WAS JUST AT CLYDE WARREN PARK LAST WEEK.
IT'S REALLY, WHEN YOU'RE NEXT TO IT ON THOSE, UH, STREETS, THEY ARE SLOW.
AND I THINK THE PARKING IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE ON THE SIDES OF THERE AS IT ENCOURAGES, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF SLOWER DRIVING AS PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR PARKING SPOTS.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF FOOD TRUCKS.
THE CURRENT FRONTAGE ROADS THAT ARE PROPOSED IN THE, UM, I 35 PROJECT ARE HORRIBLE.
AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A SIG UM, MASSIVE AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENT THAT IS NEEDS TO BE MADE FOR THEM TO BE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO ACCEPTABLE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE PUSHING A STROLLER ACROSS EIGHT LANES OF 45 MILE AN HOUR ROAD.
I WOULD JUST ADD DITTO TO THE BOSTON, UM, ROSE KENNEDY GREENWAY, I MOVED HERE FROM BOSTON, AND, UM, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH BOSTON, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF, UM, LARGE AVAILABLE PUBLIC SPACES TO USE OUTSIDE OF THE BOSTON COMMONS IN THE PUBLIC GARDENS AND THE WATERFRONT AREA.
AND THE ROSE KENNEDY GREENWAY STRETCHES ACROSS A FEW SECTIONS OF DOWNTOWN AND, UM, IN, IN FRONT OF THE NORTH END, THE LITTLE ITALY, AND PEOPLE USE IT ALL THE TIME, AND IT GETS ACTIVATED A LOT FOR ART INSTALLATIONS AND POP UP BEER GARDENS AND, UM, FARMERS' MARKETS.
AND IT'S, UH, AFTER, YOU KNOW WHAT BOSTONIAN'S, UM, COMPLAINT OF HAVING LIVED THROUGH WITH THE, UM, THE BIG DIG TAKING AS LONG AS IT DID, WHICH I CAN ONLY SUSPECT THAT THIS I 35 EXPANSION WILL BE, UM, AN AWFUL REPEAT OF HISTORY IN THAT WAY.
UM, CREATING A, A SAFE AND USABLE PUBLIC SPACE, UH, ON TOP OF IT WOULD BE THE, THE SILVER LINING TO THE WHOLE SITUATION.
SO ALSO AGREE WITH THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
YEAH, SO BASICALLY, AND IT'S KIND OF HARD 'CAUSE IT'S BAKED IN.
SO BASICALLY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO TO, TO, AND IT'S KIND OF A TEXT EDIT.
I THINK I, I MEAN WE MAY NEED TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS, BUT BASICALLY IS EVERY PLACE WHERE I MENTION CAPS KIND OF MAKE IT CLEAR LIKE THIS IS STILL VALID, EVEN IF WE DON'T BUILD ANY CAPS AT ALL, LIKE WE SHOULD STILL HAVE SAFE TRANSITS.
SO, UM, I THINK, UM, SO THAT WOULD BE ON, UM, THE FIRST, WHEREAS JUST IN ASSERT PROPOSED BEFORE CAPS, UM, UH, AND THEN, UH, I THINK FOR THE THIRD, WHEREAS PROBABLY ANOTHER PROPOSED BEFORE CAPS, LIKE BASICALLY THAT I THINK THAT ONE DOES ADEQUATELY SAY CROSS THE FREEWAY.
RIGHT? UM, THE NEXT ONE'S GOOD.
UM, AND LET'S SEE, UM, I THINK CAP AND STITCH PROJECT PROPOSAL FOR THIS, WHEREAS WHERE IT SAYS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S CAP ANDIT PROJECT PROPOSAL PROJECT IS MODELED AFTER SUCCESSFUL HIGHWAY CAPS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
UH, AND LET'S SEE, THAT'S REALLY IT.
SO IT'S BASICALLY INSERTING PROPOSED IN TWO PLACES AND PROPOSAL IN ANOTHER PLACE.
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF, I MEAN, WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE A MOTION ON THAT, I GUESS I'LL MAKE A MO WE DID IT FOR A NEW, SO I'LL DO IT
SO I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO INSERT THOSE PROPOSED IN TWO PLACES AND PROPOSAL IN ANOTHER PLACE TO KIND OF TRY TO CLARIFY THAT YOU WANNA WAIT A MINUTE, YOU HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR, WE CAN KIND OF COMBINE IT INTO ONE.
WELL, TO WHOM IS THIS RECOMMENDATION DIRECTED? IT SAYS UTC RECOMMENDS PERIOD.
I THINK THE, THE GOAL OF IT IS REALLY TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FOLKS, WHICH IS WHY IT DOESN'T SAY ANYONE, WHETHER THAT BE OUR FUTURE 35 CITY COUNCIL OR TDOT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS HAPPENING.
THERE HASN'T BEEN KIND OF A, UH, ANY FORMAL PROPOSAL ABOUT, UH, APPROACHING TDOT WITH THESE CHANGES.
SO I THINK IT KIND OF MAKES SENSE TO KEEP IT VAGUE AS TO WHO WE'RE TALKING TO RATHER THAN ENUMERATE ALL THE VARIOUS DECISION MAKERS IN THIS.
YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN, OBVIOUSLY THIS GETS TO CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE I GO TO MOBILITY, COUN, MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND SO ON, BUT WE COULD ALSO SUBMIT IT IN ANY, LIKE, WE COULD GO ONLINE AND UPLOAD IT TO THE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN, UTC CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO WHOMEVER WE WISH, AND THEN THEY CAN IGNORE US, YOU KNOW? BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, YEAH.
THE ONLY, ONLY PEOPLE THAT WE CAN OFFICIALLY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO AND THEY HAVE TO LISTEN IS CITY COUNCIL.
I WOULD SAY, I WOULD SAY HERE, UM, I MEAN IF YOU WANTED TO PUT SOMETHING IN, WE COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
[01:55:01]
OF FINE LEAVING IT VAGUE, BUT I DO THINK THAT TAKING THIS TO CITY COUNCIL, THEN THEY CAN GIVE STAFF DIRECTION.IF STAFF ARE WORKING ON THE URBAN DESIGN ELEMENTS OR LIAISING WITH TXDOT, IF THEY HAD THAT GUIDANCE, THAT WOULD HELP STAFF IN, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR WORK WITH OTHER ENTITIES, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
DID THAT MAKE SENSE? BUT IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION PRIMARILY TO COUNCIL.
THEY, WE ARE NOT OFFICIALLY THEIR ADVISORY BODY AND THEY CAN ALSO IGNORE US, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DO CARE.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT T AND OTHER ENTITIES DO CARE, DO CARE ABOUT INPUT, YOU KNOW, SO YES.
WHI WHICH THEY RECORD AND THEY DO RECORD AND IGNORE.
WELL, YES, SOMETIMES, BUT ANYWAY, I, I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE.
AND AGAIN, YES, I DO THINK IT'S OKAY.
I MEAN, MAYBE WE WANNA CALL OUT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF, UM, A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
WE COULD, WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT I, I DO THINK I, I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST KEEP IT A LITTLE BIT BROAD.
I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER DISCUSSION.
DID YOU MAKE YOUR, UH, AMENDMENT WITH THE SECOND AND THE VOTE? I OH, FOR THE, UH, FOR THE PROPOSAL? YES.
SO, AGAIN, I'LL DO THAT QUICKLY.
THIS IS TO INSERT PROPOSED IN FRONT OF CAPS IN THE SECOND, WHEREAS PROPOSED IN FRONT OF CAPS AND THE THIRD, WHEREAS, AND THE AUSTIN AND THE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, SEVENTH, WHEREAS TO SAY THE CAP ANDIT PROJECT PROPOSAL.
AND THEN I ALSO JUST NOTICED THAT THE FIRST, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, SAYS THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDS.
SO I'M GONNA ADD THE WORD COMMISSION IN THERE,
SO THAT'S MY MOTION AND I'LL SECOND.
I'LL TAKE A VOTE ON THAT REAL QUICKLY.
AYE, THAT IS COMMISSIONER BROWN, DID I SEE YOU? THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR AMENDMENTS? OKAY, AWESOME.
SO ALL THOSE IN, UH, IN FAVOR, UM, WILL, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, SAY AYE.
THAT IS UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT.
UM, CHAIR SUMMERS, JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW I HAVE TO DROP OFF THE CALL NOW AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.
YEAH, WE FINISHED THAT RIGHT AT SEVEN.
YEAH, THAT, I WAS HOPING THAT WE WOULD MAKE IT.
SO I, AND WE ARE STILL AT, UM, QUORUM, SO, UM, DID YOU, SORRY.
[6. Discussion and approval of a recommendation on the Austin Light Rail Draft Environmental Impact Statement. ]
UM, ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL.UH, ARE WE OKAY? UM, UH, IF ANYONE ELSE NEEDS TO LEAVE, WAIT TILL DANIEL COMES BACK IN THE ROOM HERE.
UM, SO, UM, UH, DIS THIS IS ITEM SIX, DISCUSSION, APPROVAL OF A RECOMMENDATION ON THE ICE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
SO, UM, THERE WAS, FOR THIS ONE, UM, UH, WE HEARD A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF LAST LAST MONTH, UM, AND WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO GET, I BELIEVE THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS CLOSES MARCH 11TH, UM, FOR THE AUSTIN, UH, UH, LIGHT RAIL DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
SO, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK RECOMMENDATION, UM, ON THAT.
WE DO HAVE, UH, A MOTION, UM, UH, FROM, UH, THE, THE COMMISSIONERS HERE.
I THINK LIKE WE DID WITH THE LAST ONE, WE'LL PROBABLY, UM, THIS WAS PRECIATE IT MM-HMM
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE THE MOTION INTRODUCE IT, AND, BUT THEN BEFORE DISCUSSION, WE'LL TAKE OUR SPEAKER ON THAT.
UM, WITH THAT, THEN I'LL, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DRAFT DRAFT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, DO YOU WANNA TAKE A QUICK SECOND AND INTRODUCE IT OR I MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO JUST TAKE THE SPEAKERS.
SO THE FIRST SPEAKER THAT I HAVE IS, UM, MARAD REB.
UM, AND THIS IS ON, UM, ITEM NUMBER SIX THAT YOU WANT IT TO SPEAK.
UM, AM I COMING THROUGH, UH, AM I COMING THROUGH NOW? MM-HMM
UM, I FEEL OUT A PLACE BEING HERE, HOWEVER, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY CHARTS.
UH, THERE ARE GOOD REASONS FOR THAT.
THERE ARE, UH, ISSUES WITH REGARDS
[02:00:01]
TO THIS.EISI AM ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO IS IMPACTED BY IT AND HAVE BEEN ASKING TO FOR, UH, FEEDBACK TO MY OBJECTIONS, UH, TO A TP IN WRITING AND HAVE BEEN IGNORED.
THE, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, THE TIMING HISTORICAL TRAVIS HEIGHTS HAS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD DISSOCIATION HAS VOTED, AND, UH, YOU MIGHT ALREADY HAVE HEARD IT OR YOU WILL RECEIVE OBJECTIONS TO THE CIS.
UH, I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, JUST A REGULAR LAYPERSON.
UH, BUT THERE ARE SERIOUS ISSUES IN HERE THAT AT LEAST YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF BEFORE YOU RENDER AN OPINION, UH, ON THIS EIS UM, IN PREPARATION FOR THIS, I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THIS MEETING WAS BEING HELD TODAY, IRONICALLY ENOUGH, UH, EARLIER TODAY, DESPITE THE FACT OF HAVING ASKED FOR A YEAR ON FEEDBACK RESPONSES FROM A TP REGARDING THE RIGHT, RIGHT LIGHT RAIL, WE RECEIVED AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF A COMMUNICATION TO THE CITY.
AND, UH, THAT DEALS WITH THIS TOPIC AND, AND, UH, INDICATES AND SUPPORTS OUR OPINIONS THAT THIS EIS IS NOT ADDRESSED IN PUBLIC'S INTEREST, AND, UM, HAS NEGLECTED WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS.
IT HAS ISSUES WITH THE DEFICIENCIES, UH, WITH LEGALITY, ECOLOGICAL IMPACT, HISTORICAL IMPACT, AND ECONOMIC IMPACT, AS WELL AS OTHERS.
THESE ARE ALL, WE ARE DOCUMENTING THESE AS, UH, PREPARING THEM.
AND CONSEQUENTLY, THE EIS AS IT STANDS TODAY WITHOUT, UH, WITHOUT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO YOU, IS CONTRARY TO BOTH THE LETTER AND THE SPIRIT OF THE MISSION OF THIS COMMISSION.
UM, WE ARE PREPARING, I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT WE WILL BE, UH, WE ARE LOOKING INTO HIRING AN ATTORNEY TO ADDRESS THE LEGAL ISSUES, WHICH MAY NOT BE LIMITED TO CIVIL ISSUES IN THIS REGARD.
UH, WE HAD NO IDEA WHY WE WERE RECEIVING MISLEADING, UH, RESPONSES OR NO RESPONSES AT ALL UNTIL WE RECEIVED A COPY OF A COMMUNICATION THAT, UH, WAS SENT TO THEM THIS MORNING.
I HAVE IT, I HAVE A COPY OF IT ON MY CELL PHONE.
UM, I AM NOT HERE OPPOSING, I AM NOT HERE OPPOSING THE RAIL.
UH, WE HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THE RAIL PROJECT.
WE HAVE SERIOUS ISSUES WITH LEGALITY OF AN ELEVATED RAIL PROJECT ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
SO IF, YEAH, MY REQUEST TO YOU, IF, HOW, HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU HAVE? HOW MUCH MORE TIME DO I HAVE? THAT WAS YOUR THREE MINUTES.
CAN I HAVE ANOTHER 30 SECONDS SUMMARIZED? YOU REALLY WE'RE REALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE, WE, OKAY.
ALLOW YOU, UH, FOR YOURSELVES TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY MEMBER, UH, UH, UH, UH, CITY RESIDENTS, AND, UH, AVOID A CONFLICT OF INTEREST THAT MAY RESULT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SUPPORTING THIS.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS, I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER SIGNED UP HERE, BUT I BELIEVE THERE WAS A SECOND SPEAKER THAT INDICATED WHEN HE SPOKE ORIGINALLY, SO THEN HE CAN COME AND, UM, ALSO HAVE HIS THREE MINUTES.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I'M STILL LARRY AKERS.
THE, UH, DEIS GIVES AMPLE EVIDENCE FOR WHY THE RAIL PROJECT SHOULD NOT PROCEED.
UH, IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY, UH, IN, IN IT'S AN EXAMINATION, THE COMPARISON BETWEEN A BUILD VERSUS A NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE.
AND, UH, THEY, IN THEIR, IN THEIR ANALYSIS, FOR INSTANCE, OF VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED, SHOW THAT THE IMPACT OF THE RAIL PROJECT WOULD BE A FACTOR OF 0.00044, UH, THAT WOULD AMOUNTS TO A REDUCTION OF ONE VEHICLE OUT OF EVERY 2,278, NOT NOTICEABLE, LIKEWISE, ABOUT THE SAME, UH, REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS.
[02:05:01]
THEY, UH, THEY INDICATE THAT, THAT THEY'VE, THEY, THEY'VE DISCOUNTED THE OPTION OF, OF BUS RAPID TRANSIT BY UNDERSTATING ITS CAPACITY.AND I PROVIDED YOU SOME DOCUMENTATION OF THAT.
UH, IN PARTICULAR ITS CAPACITY COM COMPARED WITH RAIL.
THEY, UH, THEY FAILED THEIR ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS SEVERELY BY OMITTING TWO THAT ARE, UH, FAIRLY OBVIOUS.
ONE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING BUS RAPID TRANSIT IN THE RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR.
UH, THE OMISSION OF THAT, UM, WAS SORT OF DUE TO, UH, THE WAY THE ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS ANALYSIS WAS STRUCTURED, BUT IT'S AN OBVIOUS, OBVIOUS, UH, POSSIBILITY.
IT SHOULD BE, UH, UH, IT, IT CONSIDERED BASICALLY THE, UH, NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE WITH ADDED BUS RAPID TRANSIT ON THE RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR.
THEY ALSO FAILED TO, UH, CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVE THAT I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WHICH WOULD BE A, A HYBRID SYSTEM, A BUS, RAPID TRANSIT, AND, UH, ON DEMAND BAND SERVICE AND HOW THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE OPERATION WITHIN THE PROJECT.
THERE'S, UH, THERE'S A VERY SEVERE PROBLEM WITH EQUITY AND, AND THE WHOLE SCHEME AND THE, THE, IT, THE, THE RAIL PROJECT IS ONLY GOING TO SERVE A VERY, VERY LIMITED POPULATION OF PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD AND WISH TO LIVE.
IN HIGH CONCENTRATED HOUSING ADJACENT TO ITS STATIONS, BUT EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN TOWN, INCLUDING THE TENS OF THOUSANDS, MAYBE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, THAT ARE LIVING ON THE EDGE OF FINANCIAL VIABILITY OR HAVING TO PAY HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND OFTEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
AND IF THAT'S NOT AN EQUITY PROBLEM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT EQUITY IS.
THE OVERALL COST OF THE PROJECT IS, IS JUST PREPOSTEROUS $724 MILLION A, A, A LINEAR MILE TO BUILD THIS.
AND THAT IS FOUR TO FIVE TIMES THE HIGHEST COST EVER, UH, INCURRED BY A LIGHT RAIL PROJECT IN THE UNITED STATES.
THIS IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND LEAST BENEFICIAL PROJECT EVER PROPOSED AS A CAPITAL PROJECT IN THE CITY.
ALL RIGHT, SO, UM, WE HAVE THE REC, WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION YET, DO WE? I DID MAKE A MOTION.
IF YOU WANNA EXPLAIN THE MOTION.
SO FIRST I'LL MAKE AN APOLOGY FOR, UH, NOT GETTING THIS OUT TO EVERYONE SOONER.
I THINK, UH, EVERYONE KNOWS MY DAY JOB GETS BUSY, UH, FOR A COUPLE MONTHS EVERY OTHER YEAR, AND WE ARE IN THAT PERIOD.
UM, NONETHELESS, I, I WANTED TO KEEP THIS, UH, FAIRLY SIMPLE AND I REALLY WANTED TO REFLECT WHAT THE COMMISSION WAS TALKING ABOUT LAST MONTH.
UM, SO THE WHEREAS IS ARE, ARE, ARE PRETTY BASIC.
IT KIND OF GOES OVER WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, UH, WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS AND WHAT WAS IN THE PROPOSITION A 2020, UH, BALLOT LANGUAGE.
UM, MY TAKEAWAY FROM OUR, OUR CONVERSATION LAST MONTH, AND ANYONE IS WELCOME TO CORRECT ME, I JUST REALLY WANT THIS TO BE A JUMPING OFF POINT FOR DISCUSSION, UH, IS WE REALLY SUPPORTED THE LIGHT RAIL ELEMENTS.
WE THOUGHT A TB DID A REALLY GOOD JOB DESIGNING THOSE ELEMENTS, INCORPORATING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, AND, UH, REALLY MAKING GOOD DATABASE ASSUMPTIONS.
SO THE FIRST BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED RECOMMENDS THAT A TP MOVE FORWARD WITH ALL LIGHT RAIL DESIGN ELEMENTS AND OPTIONS.
NOW, THOSE DESIGN OPTIONS ARE, UH, THAT THEY SUGGESTED ARE ADDING THE WOODRIDGE SQUARE DESIGN OPTION.
UH, NOT DOING THE DIAGONAL STATION ON SCISSOR CHAVEZ, UH, THE LADY BIRD LAKE BRIDGE EXTENSION, THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS STATE, NOT HAVING A TRAVIS HEIGHTS STATION, UH, A CENTER RUNNING BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SHADE FACILITY ON EAST RIVERSIDE.
AND, UH, HAVING THE GROVE STATION, WHICH COMBINED, UM, TWO STATIONS ON RIVERSIDE TO, UH, COALESCE AROUND, UH, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEX THAT'S GOING THERE.
AND ALSO, UH, AN A CC, UH, CAMPUS THAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, SO THAT'S THE FIRST BE OF FURTHER RESOLVED.
THE SECOND BE OF FURTHER RESOLVED.
WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT VERY SPECIFIC SEGMENTS, UM, AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARILY THE BEST IDEA FOR US TO GO DOWN, YOU KNOW, EACH SPECIFIC STREET AND SAY, UH, WELL, LET'S TAKE OUT THIS LANE, PUT IN THAT LANE.
RIGHT? SO INSTEAD THE, THE BE IT FOR THE RESOLVE STATES THAT, UH, THE UTC RECOMMENDS THAT IN KEEPING WITH THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, A TP SHOULD PRIORITIZE RIGHT OF WAY FOR PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, MICRO MOBILITY USERS, AND OTHER TRANSIT OPTIONS IN FUTURE DESIGN ITERATIONS OVER PRESERVING ACCESS FOR PRIVATE AUTO TRAFFIC.
UM, I, I MEANT THIS ALSO TO, TO KIND OF ADDRESS THE, THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING IN ABOUT, UH, SOUTH CONGRESS NOT BEING, UH, THE BEST PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT, UH, WITH THE REMOVAL OF PARKING.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S, IT,
[02:10:01]
IT GETS THERE, BUT I'M, I'M TRYING TO GET THERE WITHOUT ALSO SAYING, UH, PRIORITIZE PARKING, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY, NOT NECESSARILY WHAT I'M SAYING, RIGHT? BUT IT'S MORE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT WE WANNA CREATE ALONG THE CORRIDOR THAT'S TRANSIT SUPPORT, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY.UM, SO YEAH, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION AGAIN, IF WE, UH, HAVE ANY, UH, THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, RAPID TO DISCUSS.
SO THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY SUPER, SUPER HAPPY WITH IN THE DIFFERENT CROSS SECTIONS.
I CARE A LOT ABOUT SOUTH CONGRESS JUST 'CAUSE I THINK TODAY I AM THE ONLY SOUTH AUSTIN, WAIT.
UM, WE HAVE THE DISTRICT EIGHT REPRESENTATIVE, BUT, UM, PERSON HERE.
SO I CARE A LOT ABOUT SOUTH CONGRESS, OBVIOUSLY, AND I I'M NOT HAPPY WITH THOSE CROSS SECTIONS.
SO IN THE VERY FIRST BE IT RESOLVED, A TP MOVED FORWARD WITH ALL LIGHT RAIL DESIGN ELEMENTS AND OB OPTIONS SUGGESTED, SUGGESTED IN THE DRAFT EIS UM, SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE CROSS SECTIONS THERE, LIKE ARE RECOVERING OUR BASES THERE AND NOT JUST LIKE PUTTING A STAMP ON WHATEVER IS PROPOSED IN IT.
AND STAFF MAY WANNA COME AND SPEAK, BUT LIKE THE, THE DESIGN ELEMENTS AND OPTIONS ARE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS OF THE, OF THE DEIS MM-HMM
SO THAT DOESN'T GET INTO LIKE THE CROSS SECTION STREET DESIGN.
SO THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE SPECIFIC SORT OF SECTIONS OF THE PLAN.
WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND BEING WITH US LATE.
AND SO I'LL JUST QUICKLY SAY MY INTENT WITH THAT, WITH LIGHT RAIL DESIGN ELEMENTS, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL DESIGN OF THE LIGHT RAIL AND THEN THE OPTIONS.
I'M REFERRING TO THOSE SIX OPTIONS THAT ARE CONTEMPLATED IN THE, UM, EIS, NONE OF WHICH ARE, ARE THE SOUTH CONGRESS ONE.
Y GIANNIS, COULD YOU TAKE A SECOND AND JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, UH, I REALLY, I JUST WANNA SAY I APPRECIATE, UH, FOLKS REACH OUT TO ME LIKE LATE IN THE DAY AND WE'RE LIKE, DO YOU WANT SOMEONE FROM A TP HERE? AND I'M LIKE, WELL, THAT'S A BIG ASK, BUT IF SOMEONE CAN COME SURE.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF, UM, AND YOU'RE HERE AS A RESOURCE FOR US.
JOHANNES BANKS PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT MANAGER, UM, AT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
WE ROCK PAPER SCISSORS TO SEE WHO WOULD
RUBEN, I LIKE HANGING OUT WITH Y'ALL, SO IT'S FINE.
UM, YEAH, BASICALLY WHAT, WHAT SPENCER WAS SAYING IS THAT THOSE WERE THE OPTIONS.
THAT IS WHAT HE WAS TALKING MOSTLY THERE, THERE WASN'T AN OPTION, UH, THAT WAS IN THAT DOCUMENT FOR SOUTH CONGRESS.
SO THERE'LL STILL BE MORE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
AND I'LL SAY, DANIEL, I, I HAD SOMEONE CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK OUR BE OF FURTHER RESULTS REALLY ADDRESSED CONGRESS.
AND I, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM.
SO IF YOU WANT TO AMEND SOMETHING THAT SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT CREATING A MORE PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT ON SOUTH CONGRESS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ADD THAT IN THERE AS A BE OF FURTHER RESULT.
UM, I THINK, I THINK I'M OKAY WITH THIS.
I, I, I STRUGGLE WITH THE DIS AND WHAT'S APPROPRIATE AND NOT BECAUSE IT IS SO MASSIVE AND I'M, AND I HAVE NOT READ THE ALL 16,000 PAGES OF IT.
UM, I, SO I'M OKAY WITH THIS RIGHT NOW.
'CAUSE I THINK FOR US TO SAY THAT PLEASE CONTINUE IN THIS NEPO PROCESS, LIKE, LET'S GET THROUGH THIS BECAUSE, UM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS MOVING FORWARD, EVEN AS THE DRAFT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT GOES FORWARD FOR, UH, THE STREETSCAPE DESIGN.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M KIND OF, I JUST WANNA ECHO WHAT YOU SAID.
LIKE I, THE, THE TRANSPORTATION TRANSIT NERD, CRAZY WONK IN ME KIND OF WANTS TO LIKE, MAKE A BUNCH MORE RECOMMENDATIONS OR TWEAK, BUT I FEEL LIKE FOR THE UTC FOR THIS PROJECT, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS PRETTY GOOD AT KEEPING IT KIND OF BROAD AND HIGH LEVEL.
AND WE'LL OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE TO ENGAGE AS THE PROCESS GOES FORWARD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH, UM, WHO WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? I DID ALSO NOTICE, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE SAID THIS, THAT IMPLEMENTATION IN THE THIRD, WHEREAS IS MISSPELLED.
SO WE'LL CORRECT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THAT, BUT JUST, IT COULD BE A FUN AMENDMENT, BUT YES.
I I WANT TO JUST SAY SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR A LOT FROM OUR, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE VARIOUS PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE DISTRICTS THAT WE REPRESENT ON THIS COMMISSION.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, UM, ALL ABOUT MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT REFLECT THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AND OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.
UM, AND I DO THINK THAT THE 60% OF VOTERS AND THAT THIS BOARD AND COMMISSION IS STILL REFLECTIVE OF THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF THE CITY AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND I'M EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT AND THROUGH THE NEVA PROCESS.
AND I WOULD SAY TOO, FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, I, I DON'T, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY EVERYTHING, WHAT YOU'VE SHARED, BUT I KNOW THAT, UH, JANICE AND THE ENGAGEMENT TEAM FOR A TP ARE REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL.
[02:15:01]
COME OUT TO MEETINGS LAST, SNOW, LAST MINUTE.UM, AND SO, UM, I, I'M, I FEEL THAT, UM, IF YOU REACH OUT TO THEM, THEY, THEY CAN HELP.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, I'M GONNA CALL FOR A VOTE ON THIS ITEM.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, THAT IS UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT.
[7. Discussion and approval to amend the 2025 Urban Transportation Commission calendar with an alternate date and meeting venue in November 2025. ]
TO ITEM SEVEN, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL TO AMEND THE, UH, 2025 URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION CALENDAR WITH AN ALTERNATE DATE AND MEETING VENUE IN NOVEMBER, 2025.UM, SO LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS.
UM, SO, UM, AND THERE'S A CALENDAR, UH, IN YOUR BACKUP AS WELL.
SO, UH, NORMALLY WE MEET THE FIRST TUESDAY, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MEET THE FIRST TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH 'CAUSE IT'S ELECTION DAY.
WE THEN SAID THAT, SO IN OUR CALENDAR THAT WE HAD PASSED PRIOR, WE HAD SAID THAT WE WOULD MEET ON, UH, TUESDAY THE 11TH, BUT WE WEREN'T TRACKING THAT.
THAT'S VETERAN'S DAY AND A HOLIDAY, SO WE ALSO CAN'T MEET THEN.
SO, UM, I TALKED TO OUR STAFF LIAISONS AND THEY HAVE, THERE'S MULTIPLE POSSIBILITIES THAT WE COULD PURSUE.
ONE WOULD BE AS IF PEOPLE REALLY PREFER TUESDAY TO GO FOR LIKE TUESDAY THE 18TH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT WE ALSO LOOKED AT WEDNESDAY THE FIFTH, WHICH IS A POSSIBLE DATE.
AND WE DID BOOK THE AUSTIN, UM, ENERGY, UH, THE AS IS BOOKED.
OTHER THINGS WE MAY HAVE TO LIKE LOOK INTO GETTING, UM, IN TIME.
BUT FOR WEDNESDAY THE FIFTH, WE HAVE A RESERVATION AS OF NOW AT THE AUSTIN ENERGY SITE, WHICH IS WHERE WE WERE LAST MONTH.
UM, SO, UM, I'M ACTUALLY JUST CURIOUS WHAT Y'ALL THINK.
IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO MOVE TO WEDNESDAY THE FIFTH OR PUSH IT TO A TUESDAY AND NOVEMBER, THAT WAS LATER IN THE MONTH, THAT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE 18TH WOULD ONLY GIVE US POTENTIALLY LIKE TWO WEEKS BETWEEN THE NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER MEETING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK WEDNESDAY COULD BE FINE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? I KNOW SOME OF YOU'RE ROLLING OFF SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE SCOT FREE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS MEETING.
BUT IF WE HAVE A WEDNESDAY, UM, CANARY LIAISONS REALLY HELP US REMEMBER THAT IT'S ON A WEDNESDAY
AND AND ONE OF THE THINGS TOO, YEAH, I JUST WANNA SAY I, I REALLY THINK OUR STAFF LIAISONS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB OF GETTING US.
I KNOW A LOT OF US ARE TRANSIT USERS AND BIKERS, AND THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE, FOR ALL THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING TODAY, LIKE THE BEST LOCATION FOR A LOT OF US.
BUT, UM, SOMETIMES WE WERE LEARNING WE'RE JUST NOT NUMBER ONE PRIORITY TO GET THIS ROOM, UNFORTUNATELY
SO WE TRIED THE AUSTIN ENERGY BUILDING.
DID PEOPLE, LIKE IF WE, IF, IF OUR STAFF HAS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE PDC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER OVER IN HIGHLAND CAMPUS VERSUS AUSTIN ENERGY, DO Y'ALL HAVE A PREFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO? I MEAN, I, I DO LIVE LITERALLY RIGHT NEXT TO THE AUSTIN ENERGY MEETING, BUT IT'S ALSO SAD WHEN I CAN'T BIKE WHEN I HAVE TO WALK TOO.
UM, I THINK I LIKE THE AUSTIN ENERGY BUILDING JUST A LOT EASIER COMING FROM, UM, THE DOMAIN AREA.
UM, THAT JUST INVOLVES A, BOTH AN EAST, UH, NORTH SOUTH AND AN EAST WEST JOURNEY FOR ME.
WHEREAS THE, UH, PDC IS, AND I CAN WALK FROM, I MEAN, IT'S A HIKE, BUT FROM THE 8 0 1 RATHER THAN TRANSFERRING TO THE 20 OR THE 10 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I AM, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S AT EASIER FOR PEOPLE A MUELLER, IT'S, THEY'RE BOTH A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE WAY FOR ME.
AND I DON'T, IT'S A, NOT A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS RAISED AS WELL IS THAT THE PDC IS NOT THE MOST ACCESSIBLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TO THE MEETING ROOM OR EVEN HOW TO ENTER THE MEETING ROOM.
AND THE AUSTIN ENERGY BUILDING IS SORT OF LIKE, THEY HAVE A, UM, FRONT DESK PERSON THAT'S SORT OF MONITORING AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER IN AND OUT FOR THE PUBLIC TO LIKE NOT BE PULLING ON A LOCKED DOOR OR SOMETHING, WHICH I KIND OF LIKED AS WELL.
'CAUSE WE DO APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC JOINING US.
SO, UM, AND THERE'S MORE STUFF AROUND THERE TO BE DOING IN THE MEANTIME IF LIKE TRIPS, UM, ARE DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE OKAY.
WITH THE BUS SCHEDULE AND BIKING AND EVERYTHING THERE.
SO I THINK I LIKE MUELLER BETTER.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA MOVE AND WE'LL SEE IF I GET A SECOND THAT WE, UM, MOVE THE NOVEMBER 20, 25 UTC MEETING.
CURRENTLY IT'S LISTED FOR NOVEMBER 11TH AND WE CAN'T DO THAT, THAT WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE IT TO WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT THIS IN THE MOTION, BUT THAT WOULD BE AT THE AUSTIN ENERGY CENTER.
[02:20:02]
ALL RIGHT.WELL, I'LL TAKE A VOTE ON THAT IF WE WANNA AMEND OUR CALENDAR AS PROPOSED.
UM, LOOKS LIKE THAT IS U UNANIMOUS OF THOSE PRESENT.
SO THAT PASSES AND THAT ALSO IS JUST HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR ME AND THE MEETING VENUES.
SO WE ARE NOW AT SEVEN, ACTUALLY, WE'VE MOVED THROUGH THIS MEETING A LITTLE FASTER THAN I WOULD'VE THOUGHT.
SO, UM, I'M LIKE, WOW, THAT'S EARLY.
[8. Update from Commissioner Schumacher from the Downtown Commission regarding actions taken at the February 19, 2025, meeting. ]
THROUGH OUR, UH, COMMITTEE UPDATES.SO, UM, COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION ACTIONS FROM THE FEBRUARY 19TH, 2025 MEETING.
DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, HAD A VERY INTERESTING BRIEFING, UH, ABOUT THE C HOME MULTI-MODAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THERE'S A, UH, ACTIVE, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR THAT.
UM, ALSO AN UPDATE FROM A TP, UH, AND THEN WE PASSED A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL REGARDING, UH, HIGH LEVEL GOALS FOR THE AUSTIN DOWNTOWN, UH, PLAN UPDATE.
[9. Update from Commissioner Wheeler from the Joint Sustainability Commission regarding actions taken at the February 26, 2025, meeting. ]
UPDATE FROM COMMISSIONER WHEELER FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE FEBRUARY 26TH, 2025 MEETING.SO WE HAD, UM, A FEW PEOPLE COME TO SPEAK FROM THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS THAT THE CITY FUNDS, AND ONE OF ONES A RECIPIENT OF A CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS.
UM, AND HE JUST SPOKE ON HOW LIFE CHANGING IT WAS.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S LIKE A YEAR, MAYBE A TWO YEAR ROTATION.
AND, UH, THEY WERE ALSO ASKING TO, UM, THE, THE JSC WAS DOING ITS BUDGET, AND SO THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS TO PUT IN A GOOD WORD FOR THEIR CONTINUED BUDGET.
AND WE HAD AN UPDATE FROM PROJECT CONNECT.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, WE'RE MOVING ALONG, MOVING ALONG EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T YET BROKEN GROUND, JUST TRYING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, GET THE PLANS IN PLACE AND, UM, AND APPROVED SO WE CAN AFFORD SOMETHING, SO WE CAN PUT SOMETHING IN.
AND, UH, WE ALSO, WE, THERE WAS A, A MOTION TO APPROVE.
UM, WE SUPPORTED AGRICULTURAL LAND ACQUISITION IN AUSTIN BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING SOMETHING LIKE 17 ACRES A DAY A WEEK.
WE'RE LOSING A LOT OF FARMLAND ACREAGE AROUND AUSTIN, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
AND SO THE JSC, UM, UM, MADE A, MADE A, A MOVEMENT, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO, UH, PROPOSE TO CITY COUNCIL TO FUND, UM, AGRICULTURAL LAND, UM, ACQUISITION, CENTRAL TEXAS ARE OFTEN AREA.
[10. Update from Commissioner Schumacher from the Bicycle Advisory Council regarding actions taken at the February 18, 2025, meeting. ]
FROM COMMISSIONER SCHUMACHER FROM THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THEIR FEBRUARY 18TH, 2025 MEETING.YEAH, SO THE BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL, UM, UH, PASSED, UH, TWO, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, FIRST WAS, UH, UH, THE BACS RESPONSE TO THE DRAFT.
EIS UM, HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT, UH, GOES ALONG WITH IT.
UM, THAT I THINK THIS COMMISSION WOULD BE INTERESTED IN AT LEAST, UH, KNOWING FOR FUTURE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I'LL TRY TO, UH, CIRCULATE THAT WHEN IT'S POSTED ONLINE.
UH, AND THEN ALSO A RECOMMENDATION THAT DEALT WITH THE PRIORITIZATION OF DIFFERENT SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS, UH, UH, PROJECTS.
[11. Update from Commissioner Kavelman from the Pedestrian Advisory Council regarding actions taken at the March 3, 2025, meeting. ]
FROM COMMISSIONER KAMAN FROM THE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN FROM THEIR MARCH 3RD, 2025 MEETING.UM, A COUPLE OF, UH, PRESENTATIONS ON TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING PROGRAM.
UM, NO ACTION TAKEN ON THOSE, UM, JUST DISCUSSION.
AND THEN AN ACTUAL ITEM PASSED TO ASSIGN LIAISONS TO THE VARIOUS TRANSPORTATION BODIES, UH, INCLUDING US CAMPO, UH, MOBILITY COMMITTEE, A TP AND CAP METRO.
[12. Update from Chair Somers from the City Council Mobility Committee regarding actions taken at the February 20, 2025, meeting. ]
UPDATE FROM CHAIR SUMMERS MYSELF FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MOBILITY COMMITTEE REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE FEBRUARY 20TH, 2025 MEETING.SO I DID ATTEND THAT MEETING AND I PRESENTED ON THE TWO ITEMS THAT WE TOOK ACTION ON IN FEBRUARY, WHICH WAS OBJECTING, I THINK IS THE RIGHT WORD, TO A RIGHT OF WAY VACATION.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION AROUND, UM, THE PROPOSAL TO MERGE THE UTC WITH BAC AND PAC AND, UM, SORT OF, WE ACTUALLY, I THINK THE COMMISSIONERS ARE ACTUALLY, ARE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WERE VERY INTERESTED TO LIKE, HEAR MORE ABOUT OUR DISCUSSION AND LIKE LEARN, LIKE I DID ACTUALLY TALK PRETTY SUBSTANTIVELY ABOUT SOME OF THE HISTORY AND THE WHY AND WHAT WOULD CHANGE, HOW WE WOULD CHANGE, WHAT WE COULD CHANGE, WHAT WE COULDN'T DO, WHAT MOTHER MIGHT BE THE LOSS OF WHAT THERE MIGHT BE THE OPPORTUNITIES.
[02:25:01]
A PRETTY ROBUST DISCUSSION.I THINK THEY'RE PRETTY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY WERE INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM ME ON THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT BACK.
I KNOW THAT WAS A, A COMPLICATED ONE FOR US.
UM, AND THEN, UM, THEY ALSO HEARD PRESENTATION ON MOBILITY GRANTS OUTLOOK, I THINK THAT WAS MOVING ON THE GROUND.
UM, THEY ALSO HEARD A PRESENTATION ON LIGHT RAIL STATUS UPDATE, DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, JUST AS WE HAVE, UM, ON THE MOBILITY PROJECT PLANNING PROCESS.
I THINK THEY HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS, SO THEY'RE LEARNING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ALL THE PROCESSES AND THEN ONGOING MOBILITY PRO PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS IN THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGION.
[13. Update from Chair Somers from the Community Advisory Committee for Austin Transit Partnership Board regarding actions taken at the February 13, 2025, meeting.]
13, WHICH IS UPDATE FROM CHAIR SUMMERS, UM, FROM THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE FEBRUARY 3RD, 20 13TH, 2025 MEETING.AND THAT MEETING WAS COMPLETELY DEVOTED BASICALLY TO THE, UH, DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A PUBLIC MEETING.
WE HAD LIKE A, WE HAD A PRESENTATION, BUT THEN WE MOVED AROUND THE ROOM AND LOOKED AT THE BOARDS AND HAD DISCUSSION THAT WAY.
SO THAT WAS WHAT THAT MEETING WAS.
AND, UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY MEETING AGAIN THIS WEEK TO GIVE A, A RECOMMENDATION ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. AND UM, SO I'LL TELL YOU, UM, I DON'T, DOES EVERYBODY HAVE THIS OR JUST ME? MAYBE JUST ME.SO, UM, I'LL, LET ME READ THIS OUT TO YOU.
SO FOR APRIL, WE ACTUALLY, UM, WE HAVE A, UH, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, 2050 BRIEFING FROM COLE KITTEN.
SO THIS IS FOLLOWING UP ON THAT CAMPO.
SO THAT ONE COMMENT PERIOD CLOSED, UM, IN DECEMBER, AND NOW THEY'RE IN THEIR SECOND COMMENT PERIOD, BUT THE DEADLINE FOR THAT IS COMING UP IN APRIL.
SO IF WE WANNA GIVE, UM, SOME COMMENT, UM, WE MAY NEED TO DO THAT AT THAT MEETING.
SO, UM, WE'LL BE TRYING TO COME WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT AND ALSO GET A BRIEFING.
THE LAST BRIEFING WE HAD FROM CITY STAFF WAS MORE OF LIKE, HERE'S WHAT THE PROCESS IS, HERE'S HOW TO GET ENGAGED.
I'VE ASKED FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE MEATY PRESENTATION.
IT SEEMS LIKE CAMPO IS JUST NOT GONNA, THEIR POSITION, THEIR CURRENT POSITION IS THAT THEIR, UH, PARTNER ENTITIES IN THE CITIES WILL PRESENT TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THOSE CITIES AND THAT CAMPO STAFF WOULD NOT COME OUT.
THAT'S, THEY'RE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
THEY'RE, THAT'S WHAT THE GUIDELINE THEY'RE OPERATING UNDER.
SO WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM C CITY STAFF, BUT I DO THINK I'VE ASKED FOR SOMETHING TO BE REALLY MEATY THAT WILL LET US GET INTO POLICY.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE 2016 BOND CORRIDOR QUARTERLY UPDATE FROM ERIC BAILEY.
WE'LL HAVE OUR OFFICER ELECTIONS AND I'M ALSO GONNA FLAG THERE THAT THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY APPOINTMENT POTENTIALLY.
UM, OR IF WE DON'T DO THAT IN APRIL, WE HAVE TO DO THAT PRETTY IMMINENTLY WITH COMMISSIONER WHEELER ROLLING OFF.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION IS A COMMISSION COMPOSED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER COMMISSIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 20 26, POTENTIALLY ANOTHER RIGHT OF WAY VACATION.
AND THEN, UM, WE HAD ON THERE IF WE NEED IT, THE AUSTIN COURT TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATION.
BUT WE HANDLE THAT TODAY, SO WE WON'T HAVE TO DO THAT FOR MAY.
WE HAVE THE ETOD UPDATE FROM PLANNING DEPARTMENT, A LIVING STREETS PROGRAM UPDATE.
AND THEN JUNE, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYTHING NOW.
SO I THINK WE'RE, I DON'T WANNA SAY WE'RE FULL FOR APRIL, BUT WE'RE PRETTY MUCH FULL FOR APRIL.
UM, SO IF Y'ALL HAVE STUFF, IT WOULD BE IN THE RANGE OF MAY OR JUNE.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
UM, ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS, PARTICULARLY IN THE RANGE OF MAY OR JUNE? I, I BROUGHT THIS UP LAST TIME AND I CAN'T FOR THE LIFE FOR ME EVEN REMEMBER WHEN THIS IS GONNA BE APPROPRIATE OR WHAT RUBEN, YOU MIGHT KNOW WHEN WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO HEAR ABOUT THE 10 YEAR PLAN FROM CAP METRO, THE 2035 DONE.
SO PROBABLY WHEN THEY RELEASE A DRAFT AND OR AT SOME POINT THEY'RE GONNA IT OUT TO THE WORLD, BUT THEY'RE HAVE EXPOSE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SO CAP METRO IS THAT, THAT'S THE 2035 PLAN.
ANYTHING ELSE? I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING I'M FORGETTING.
CAN I JUST ASK, UH OH, NEVERMIND.
[02:30:01]
ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL GET THOSE TWO ADDED AND LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A VERY FULL AGENDA COMING FOR APRIL.UM, WITH THAT, WE'RE AT THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
UM, AND UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OBJECTIONS, I WILL, UH, AURN ONE QUICK THING.
JUST WANNA SAY ONE LAST THING.
THANK YOU DIANA AND RUBEN FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.
MIGHT STILL BE AROUND FOR WHILE
OR MAYBE, MAYBE EVEN DIANA, MAYBE HER NEW PERSON WON'T GET THEIR TRAINING DONE.
WHO KNOWS? I SAW SOMEBODY THAT NEVER GOT THEIR TRAINING DONE ONCE, SO, YOU KNOW, IT HAPPENS.
SO, UH, WE WON'T WISH THAT FOR, FOR YOU HANG OUT HERE, BUT MAYBE I WILL BE.
SO WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OTHER OH YES.
JUST, UM, ONE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT THAT MEREDITH RUSSON RUSSON RUSSON.
I WAS TRYING TO LOOK AT IT, YOU KNOW, MY GLASSES.
UM, BUT MEREDITH RUSSON IS NOW FILLING IN FOR WHAT USED TO BE NATALIE'S ROLE.
ANDRE HAS SERVED IN THAT ROLE, BUT WILL BE THE LIAISON FOR THE UTC.
JUST WANTED YOU TO INTRODUCE HER SO THAT Y'ALL KNOW HER.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE THIS, SOMEONE JUST SHOWS UP AND MAKE SURE TO TAKE THE TIME TO LET YOU KNOW.
UH, WITH THAT, UNLESS I SEE ANY OBJECTIONS, I'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:33 PM I.