Feb 12, 2026 Mobility Committee

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:05]

AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

WELCOME TO THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE.

IT IS 1:02 PM AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE, PAIGE ELLIS.

I AM JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS NATASHA HARPER MADISON, OUR VICE CHAIR ZOE CADRE, AND MAYOR PRO TEM CHITO VELA.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER LANE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY.

SO WE WILL JUST HAVE THE FOUR OF US WORKING THROUGH THIS AGENDA TODAY.

WE'VE GOT

[Public Communication: General]

I JUST HAD ONE MORE SIGN UP.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE THREE, ALL RIGHT, THREE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION SPEAKERS.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THOSE.

IF I CAN HAVE PHILLIP WILEY.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

UM, MY NAME'S PHILLIP WILEY, DOWNTOWN RESIDENT AND I WILL BE YOUR HOST OF MOBILE JEOPARDY.

TODAY, UH, WE HAVE THREE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO GO THROUGH.

UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SPEAK, SO I'M GONNA DO IT ALL FOR YOU.

UH, THE FIRST ONE IS, THIS WAS THE BUSIEST CENTRAL CITY TRANSIT AREA AND MODE DURING THE RECENT FREEZE SHUTDOWN.

TICK, TICK, TICK, TICK.

THE ANSWER IS, WHY ARE ALL THOSE PEDESTRIANS USING THE RIO GRANDE BIKE LANE FROM 21ST TO 24TH? WELL, THE REASON IS BECAUSE THE ICE MELTED THERE FIRST, IT HAD A LOT OF TRAFFIC.

UM, AND THERE'S ONLY ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC.

IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY THE TEMPLATE FOR WHAT WE SHOULD TRY TO BE DOING, WHICH IS USING MOBILITY AND MOBILITY RESTRICT RESTRICTIONS TO CREATE, UH, MAIN STREET TYPE OF ATMOSPHERES.

SECOND QUESTION, PLEASE.

THIS AIRPORT HAS THE US LONGEST AVERAGE WALKING DISTANCE FROM ENTRANCE TO GATE.

NOW, IF YOU WANNA GET THE ANSWER TO THIS, YOU CAN ASK A LOT OF SIMILAR TYPE OF QUESTIONS OF WHATEVER AI YOU'RE USING, BUT IT, THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONSENSUS THAT IT'S DALLAS FORT WORTH, AND I USED TO GO THROUGH THERE ALL THE TIME.

THE AVERAGE DISTANCE IS A MILE AND A HALF TO OVER TWO MILES, AND THESE OTHER STATEMENTS ARE GENERIC FOR AIRPORTS IN THE US.

68% OF TRAVELERS SPEND AT LEAST AN HOUR WALKING.

SO WHY ARE PEOPLE TELLING YOU THAT 10 MINUTES IS ALL THAT PEOPLE WILL WALK TO A TRANSIT STATION? THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SOLVE.

UH, UM, SOLVE 40% OF PASSENGERS REPORT REPORT ANNOYANCE AT THE WALK LINK.

SO IF WE TALK ABOUT STATISTICS, SOMETIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AVERAGES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT, UH, CATEGORIES.

LAST, UH, QUESTION PLEASE.

THIS RESIDENTIAL SITE, THE SPEAKER WHO IS ME, CONSIDERS THE EPICENTER OF COMPACT AND CONNECTED.

IF YOU COULD ADD 10,000 RESIDENTS TO ONE SITE IN AUSTIN TO SUPPORT THAT VISION, WHERE WOULD IT BE? THIS IS UNDENIABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF THE THREE.

SO IF WE LOOK AT IT, IT'S, THERE'S A SITE DIRECTLY LOCATED NEXT TO THE TWO MAJOR JOB CENTERS IN THE CITY.

THAT IS, UH, YOU CAN GO BACK.

WELL, YOU CAN STAY THERE, UH, THAT'S FINE.

YOU, SO IN, UH, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS JUST NORTH OF THE ANA SITE AND THE CAPITOL COMPLEX THAT EXTENDS FROM 15TH TO 19TH, WHERE THE STATE IS PUTTING UP ALL OF THOSE BEAUTIFUL NEW BUILDINGS.

THIS IS ALSO THE ONLY RESIDENTIAL SITE THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE CAPITOL COMPLEX.

IT'S ALSO THE SINGLE CLOSEST SITE TO TWO OF AUSTIN'S THREE MOST HEAVILY TRAFFICKED, TRAFFICKED MUSEUMS. UH, AND IT'S THE ONLY PRIVATE PROPERTY.

THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING WITH US, AND I APPRECIATE GETTING TO ATTEND THE MOBILITY JEOPARDY IN PERSON AT SOME POINT AT A LOCAL ESTABLISHMENT .

UP NEXT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE O'BRIEN JAMES, OR SORRY, JAMES O'BRIEN.

GREETINGS.

UM, JAMES, MY FRIENDS CALL ME SANTIAGO.

I, UM, AM HERE TODAY.

UH, CAN THAT PRESENTATION UP? UM, THEORETICALLY THIS IS, UH, IN YOUR EMAIL AS WELL.

UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES, WHICH IS PART OF, UH, CHAPTER 26, UM, TEXAS STATE CODE.

UM, AND IT IS WITH REGARD TO FESTIVAL BEACH FOOD FOREST, WHICH MOST OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT.

UH, LAST COUNCIL, UM, THERE WAS AN APPROVAL OF $17 MILLION

[00:05:02]

UM, MY CONCERN TODAY IS THE DISRUPTION OF, UH, A CURRENT USE OF PARKLAND, UH, WHICH IS, UH, OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, DEVELOPMENT OF A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS DEPARTMENT TO, UH, HAVE A COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER LED ORGANIZATION STEWARD THIS PARKLAND.

AND PART OF THE PHASE TWO EXPANSION WAS TO IMPLEMENT URBAN FORESTRY GRANT FUNDS AND DEVELOP THIS PARKLAND.

UH, THE GREEN LINE THAT IS GOING THROUGH THAT PARKLAND IS A FOUR FOOT, UH, DIAMETER WASTEWATER PIPELINE THAT WILL BE ABANDONED AT THE END OF THIS PROJECT.

UM, THE PURPLE LINE THAT'S AT THE TOP IS MY, UH, PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE AND THE COMMUNITY'S PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE TO, UH, YOU CAN SEE THIS SORT OF LIKE DASHED LINE THAT IS INTERCEPTING BOTH OF THOSE ENG ANGLES TO THE TOP RIGHT CORNER.

THAT'S THE FOUR FOOT WASTEWATER PIPELINE.

IF, UH, IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UM, MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO USE, UH, PART OF THAT, UH, MITIGATION FUNDS TO, UH, DO A PROCESS CALLED A ROAD VACATION.

AND SPEAKING WITH CITY STAFF, UM, IT'S POSSIBLE TO GO THROUGH THE REAL ESTATE OFFICE AND TO GO THROUGH A COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO ABANDON THESE TWO ROADS, WHICH HAVE BEEN CLOSED SINCE SEPTEMBER, UH, AND WILL BE CONTINUED TO BE CLOSED FOR AN AUSTIN ENERGY TRANSMISSION TOWER THAT'S GOING IN AND CONTINUED, UH, CONSTRUCTION.

ALL OF THIS MARON LINES ARE ROADS THAT ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED.

IF, UH, THOSE TWO BLOCKS WERE PARKLAND, THEN A EASEMENT, UTILITY EASEMENT COULD BE DONE.

AND IF WE WENT BACK TO THAT PREVIOUS SLIDE, UM, THAT PURPLE LINE COULD THEN BE A VIABLE, FEASIBLE OPTION.

AND, UH, SO I'M HERE TO, UH, REQUEST A MOBILITY STUDY, ESSENTIALLY TO SEE WHAT THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS FOR MULTIMODAL, UH, LOCAL TRAFFIC AND ULTIMATELY KEEPING INTERSTATE TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT IN OUR PARKLANDS TO, TO DEFER LATENT LATENT, UH, COSTS FOR THE CITY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK WITH US.

I'LL, I'LL LOOK FURTHER INTO THE COMMUNICATION THAT YOU SENT US, BUT WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH A COUPLE OF FOLKS WITH THE, WITH THE FOOD FOREST AND REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THESE IMPACTS AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S A HIGH PROFILE TOPIC RIGHT NOW, SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.

THANK YOU.

UP NEXT WE HAVE ANGELINA LANIS.

UM, HELLO, I'M ANGELINA LANIS.

I'M ALSO HERE WITH THE FOOD FOREST PROJECT.

UM, WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT, BECAUSE THIS HAS ALREADY PASSED THROUGH THE BOARD AND THE COUNCIL APPROVAL THAT IT NEEDED TO DO, IT'S KIND OF IN TEXT DOT HANDS, AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT THE CITY CAN DO AT THIS POINT.

UM, AND I'VE HEARD THAT, AND I THINK SANTIAGO AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUSHING AS HARD AS WE CAN, AND THAT'S REALLY THE TRUTH.

BEFORE WE LET THIS PIECE OF PARKLAND GET DESTROYED.

UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS AUSTIN WATER PIPELINE, UH, PROPOSAL WAS DRAFTED IN ORDER TO SAVE SEVERAL HISTORIC OLD GROWTH TREES.

THOSE TREES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REMOVED AND KILLED BY TXDOT.

I AM UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS PIPELINE WAS PROPOSED TO PROTECT SOME LIKE CITY UTILITY, LIKE LIGHTING FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY REASONS THAT LIGHTING HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN DOWN AS A RESULT OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THIS PROJECT.

AND SO IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT TDOT WASN'T TOTALLY FORTHCOMING WITH ALL THE IMPACTS WE WOULD FEEL FROM THEIR CONSTRUCTION.

AND SO WE'RE CURIOUS, GIVEN THESE UNFORESEEN IMPACTS, IF THERE'S ANOTHER ROUTE THAT WASN'T EXPLORED.

IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE FROM THE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE SEEN, THAT TRULY NOT ALL POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES WERE CONSIDERED WHEN LOOKING AT THIS PIPELINE BECAUSE THE ENGINEERS WERE OPERATING FROM THE FRAMEWORK THAT THIS WASN'T USED PARKLAND.

WHEN THAT WASN'T THE CASE, THE ENGINEER DIRECTLY LIED TO A BOARD MEMBER AND TOLD NICOLE MERRITT ON PARKS AND REC'S BOARD THAT FOOD FOREST WOULD NOT BE IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT.

EITHER THAT WAS A LI A LIE OR JUST LIKE AN EGREGIOUS ERROR, BUT WE HAD ALREADY BEEN PLANTING AND STEWARDING AND CARING FOR THE SOIL IN THAT LAND.

AND SO I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT A BOARD MEMBER, UM, ADVOCATED FOR THIS PROJECT AND LIKE SENT THE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL WITH FALSE INFORMATION.

AND SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE ARE OTHER ALTERNATIVES, THEY ARE EXPLORED, EVEN IF THAT MEANS DELAYING A MONTH OR TWO TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE, UM, ADDRESSED.

SO YEAH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S EVERYONE.

THANKS DANIELLE.

WE'LL MOVE INTO

[1. Approve the minutes of the January 15, 2026, Mobility Committee Meeting.]

MOTION IS MADE BY VICE CHAIR CADRE, SECONDED BY MAYOR

[00:10:01]

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ALL RIGHT, THAT IS ALL OF US, ALL FOUR OF US IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.

ITEM NUMBER TWO

[2. Briefing from the Urban Transportation Commission regarding actions from the February 3, 2026, meeting.]

HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UM, I'M NATALIE LEONE.

I'M A BUSINESS PROCESS CONSULTANT FOR AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.

I ALSO SERVE AS THE STAFF LIAISON TO THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

UM, ON FEBRUARY 3RD, WE HAD THREE ACTION ITEMS MOVED THROUGH.

UM, FIRST WAS A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING SIX STREET DESIGN OPTIONS, UM, INCLUDING SUGGESTIONS FOR OTHER DOWNTOWN STREETS BASED ON THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.

THE SECOND WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO C-T-R-M-A OR FOR C-T-M-R-C-T-R-M-A, UH, MPAC SOUTH PROJECT, WHICH SUPPORTED PREVIOUS RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL AS WELL AS LETTERS SENT TO C-T-R-M-A BY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UM, AND THE THIRD WAS ESTABLISHMENT OF A WORKING GROUP TO CREATE A FISCAL YEAR 27, UH, RECOMMENDATION ON THE BUDGET.

AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT THAT RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MARCH 3RD MEETING.

OKAY, WE APPRECIATE THAT.

MY OFFICE ALSO WAS ABLE TO RECENTLY HAVE A, A, A CIRCLE UP MEETING WITH C-T-R-M-A ABOUT MOPAC SOUTH AND TRYING TO LOOK AT KIND OF WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR PLANNING STAGES, WHAT DATES CAN PEOPLE EXPECT TO SEE MORE INFORMATION, AND HOW TO BEST ENGAGE WITH THAT PROCESS.

AND SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE UTC HAS BEEN TAKING THIS UP AS WELL.

I THINK VICE CHAIR CADRE MAY HAVE A QUESTION.

YOU HAD A QUICK QUESTION ON THAT LAST RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU, YOU LISTED OUT.

IS THAT A RECOMMENDATION ONLY FOR BOND RECOMMENDED PROJECTS? SO THIS WOULD BE A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY EXPECT TO PASS IN MARCH.

THANK YOU.

NO PROBLEM.

ALL RIGHT.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR NATALIE? IF NOT, WE WILL MOVE ON

[3. Briefing on urban trails and sidewalks program updates, gaps, and funding needs.]

WE HAVE JOHN EASTMAN JOINING US.

I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.

I THINK WE HAD THIS ON DECEMBER AND THEN HAD TO POSTPONE IT BECAUSE OUR DISCUSSION GOT SO BEEFY AND, UM, SO INFORMATIVE THAT WE ENDED UP RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING ABLE TO REVISIT THIS WITH US TODAY.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND, UH, PLEASURE TO BE HERE.

PLEASURE TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK OF SIDEWALKS AND URBAN TRAILS DIVISION.

UM, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO WE'RE GONNA GO PRETTY HIGH LEVEL.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK GOING ON.

UM, SO MY NAME'S JOHN EASTMAN.

I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR SIDEWALKS AND URBAN TRAILS WITHIN THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.

UM, I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET TO WORK WITH THIS GREAT TEAM.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AT THE WISHBONE BRIDGE OPENING TO HEAR ALL THE APPRECIATION FOR STAFF.

THERE'S A, A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING ON WISHBONE BRIDGE IN THAT PICTURE.

UM, AND WE'RE GONNA FOCUS MAINLY ON THE WORK OF THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM, URGENT TRAILS, THE THINGS THAT ARE GETTING BUILT.

BUT I, I DID WANNA INCLUDE A SLIDE THAT KIND OF PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE SCOPE OF THE WORK, UM, THAT THAT TEAM DOES.

SO, STARTING IN ON THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S JUST MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS IN, IN BUILDING OUT ITS SIDEWALK NETWORK.

WE'VE GONE FROM LESS THAN 50% OF THE SIDEWALK NETWORK TO JUST SLIGHTLY OVER 80% NOW.

CHECKED THE NUMBERS THIS MORNING, WE'RE ACTUALLY UP TO 2,909 MILES OF SIDEWALK IN THE CITY.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF, A LOT OF GREAT WORK DONE, BUT STILL ALMOST JUST OVER SEVEN ACTUATES DOWN TO 690 SOMETHING MILES OF PLANNED SIDEWALKS.

SO WE'VE GOT ALMOST 700 MILES OF GAPS IN THE SYSTEM STILL.

UM, THE NETWORK ITSELF, UM, THE QUALITY OF THAT NETWORK HAS, HAS IMPROVED TREMENDOUSLY.

UH, WE'VE GONE, WE'RE NOW AT ABOUT 40% CLASSIFIED AS FUNCTIONALLY ACCEPTABLE.

DOESN'T NECESSARILY SOUND GREAT, BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, IT WAS AT 16%, JUST 10 YEARS AGO.

REALLY TREMENDOUS PROGRESS.

AND A LOT OF THAT PROGRESS IS DUE TO THE PUBLIC AWARE, ONGOING PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND THE WORK OF OUR URBAN FORESTRY GROUP AND DOING PROACTIVE NOT NOTIFICATIONS AND LANDOWNER ENGAGEMENTS, UM, RELATIVE TO VEGETATION OBSTRUCTION.

SO, UM, HALF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE NETWORK AREN'T FROM BUILDING SIDEWALKS.

IT'S FROM GETTING CONSISTENT VEGETATION MAINTENANCE.

WE'RE LITERALLY GETTING DOWN IN THE WEEDS.

IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

UM, AND IT, AND IT REALLY IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.

IF WE COULD GET THE REST OF THE 200 MILES OR SO OF VEGETATION THAT ARE, ARE REGULARLY A PROBLEM CLEARED ON A, WE'D BE GETTING CLOSE TO OUR 2033 GOAL OF A 50% FUNCTIONALLY ACCEPTABLE NETWORK.

NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE ACTUALLY JUST,

[00:15:01]

SO ON THE RIGHT, THE SLIDES ARE GONNA BE THE SAME.

IT'S THE CITY STREET NETWORK, YOU KNOW, THE CITY STREET NETWORK YOU CAN GET FROM ANY PLACE IN THE CITY TO ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE CITY.

UM, VERY EFFECTIVELY THE SIDEWALK NETWORK.

AND BY COMPARISON ON THE LEFT, NOT QUITE SO ROBUST.

UM, AND CLEARLY SOME CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF GETTING A COMPLETE NETWORK.

YOU ADD IN OUR SHARED STREETS AND IT STARTS TO LOOK PRETTY GOOD.

AND, AND AT ALMOST 80% COMPLETE IT, IT IS GETTING MUCH BETTER.

BUT IF YOU ADD IN, IN A, IN A HIGH CONTRAST COLOR, THIS IS ALL THE PLANNED SIDEWALKS.

SO THOSE PINK LINES ON THE LEFT NOW ARE THAT ALMOST 700 MILES IN GAPS.

YOU CAN SEE THERE'S STILL REALLY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK TO DO TO ENSURE THAT, THAT FOLKS WHO TAKE TRANSIT AND WALK AS THEIR PRIMARY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION, HAVE THE, THE SAME ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THE CITY AS THOSE WHO ARE DRIVING.

SO THE WORK GOES EVERY DAY.

WE GOT ALMOST 20 CREWS OUT THERE WORKING EVERY DAY.

THIS IS A REAL TYPICAL PROJECT.

AINSWORTH STREET, JUST SOUTH OF OR DOWN BY STANE.

UM, AND CONNECTING UP A NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE WAS A STREET WITH WITHOUT SIDEWALKS ON BOTH SIDES, JUST EXTENDING A SIDEWALK DOWN.

IT CONNECTS TO SOUTH CONGRESS AND IT'S WITHIN A QUARTER MILE FROM METRO RAPID STATION.

SO A LOT OF WORK LIKE THAT GOING ON.

THIS IS A PROJECT CORONADO HILLS THAT REALLY SHOWCASES, UH, A COORDINATED APPROACH.

IT'S PROJECTS IN CONSTRUCTION, THEY'LL BE WRAPPING UP HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

UM, IT INCLUDES SIDEWALKS, CROSSINGS, AND SHARED STREETS.

ALL THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT IN OUR PLAN IN ORDER TO CREATE A, A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT THAT FEELS SAFE.

UM, THAT'S CONTEXT SENSITIVE.

UM, IT INCLUDES GATEWAY TREATMENTS.

WE, WE TOOK A LOT OF TIME, KIND OF HON IN THE DESIGN ON HOW TO GO FROM A SIDEWALK ENVIRONMENT TO A SHARED STREET ENVIRONMENT.

WE THINK WE, WE'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT REALLY WORKS AND WAS EMBRACED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, WE HAVE SOME REALLY DRAMATIC, UM, INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT, UH, CORONADO HILLS AND CREEKSIDE DRIVE, WHERE THIS IS WHAT IT USED TO LOOK LIKE.

THIS WAS A DESIGN THAT WAS, UM, AFTER MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS IS THE FINAL DESIGN THAT WAS DEVELOPED.

UM, AND IT REDUCES WHAT WAS OVER A 200 FOOT CROSSING, AN AREA OF CONFLICT WHERE, WHERE PEDESTRIANS AND VEHICLES COULD BE IN CONFLICT DOWN TO SOMETHING NOW, UM, IT'S ALMOST BUILT WHERE THERE'S LESS THAN 40 FEET OF CONFLICT AREA.

THEY'RE NOW, RATHER THAN THESE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF OBLIQUE ANGLE OF TURNS, UH, MUCH SAFER CROSSINGS, VERY CLEAR PEDESTRIAN PATHS.

AND WHAT'S REALLY FUN IS WE'VE REDUCED THE IMPERVIOUS COVER IN THIS AREA AND CREATED AN AREA WHERE WE CAN PLANT SOME TREES IN THAT CORNER IN THE CENTER OF THE PICTURE.

THAT'S GONNA BE A FINAL PHASE OF THIS PROJECT WRAPS UP LATER THIS SPRING.

UM, FOR THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED, WHERE THE WORKS GOING, THIS IS A LINK TO OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S ALWAYS UP TO DATE.

IT'S GOT A, UH, THIRTY, NINETY, A HUNDRED EIGHTY DAY KIND OF LOOK AHEAD SO YOU CAN SEE THE WORK THAT'S ONGOING AND THE WORK THAT'S COMING ON SIDEWALKS.

SO BUDGET, UM, THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF BOTH CAPITAL BUDGET, THE NEW SIDEWALK BUDGET, AND THE, THE REHAB WORK WE DO.

THAT'S, THAT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION USER FEE, PRIMARILY.

SOME HIGH POINTS, UM, LIKE THE REST OF THE LOCAL MOBILITY PROGRAMS, THE 20 16 20 18 BOND PROGRAMS ARE COMPLETE.

THE 2020, THE SIDEWALK PORTION OF THE 2020 BOND WILL BE WRAPPING UP THIS YEAR, ALMOST TWO YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

UM, THANKS TO THE, UH, SPECIAL $10 BILLION ALLOCATION BY COUNCIL.

UM, FOR FY 26, WE'RE GOING TO BE OPERATING IT, YOU KNOW, CLOSER TO THE LEVEL AS WE HAVE BEEN THE LAST FEW YEARS.

UM, THE GRAPH ON THE RIGHT SHOWS YOU THE FUNDING, THE CURRENT AND PROJECTED FUNDING, UM, RELATIVE TO THE GOALS IN THE SIDEWALKS, CROSSINGS AND SHARED STREETS PLAN.

AND THEN MOVING ON TO URBAN TRAILS.

SO VERY EXCITING THAT WE COMPLETED OUR FIRST COMPREHENSIVE CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF THE ENTIRE URBAN TRAIL NETWORK.

AND HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE OVERALL, THE URBAN TRAIL NETWORK IS NEWER AND IS IN BETTER CONDITION THAN OUR SIDEWALK NETWORK.

ONLY ABOUT 10% IN NEED OF MAJOR REPAIR AND PLACEMENT.

A LOT OF THAT IS THANKS TO OUR NON-PROFIT PARTNERS THAT MAINTAIN A LOT OF THAT NETWORK AS WELL AS AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION.

A LOT OF THE URBAN TRAILS GO THROUGH PARKLAND OR MAINTAINED, UM, BY A PR SOME RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECTS FOR, FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN IN SILK OR PARK OR OUT NEAR THE MOAN TRAIL.

THERE'S SOME REALLY NICE STUFF THAT'S, UM, BEEN COMING ONLINE THANKS TO THOSE INVESTMENTS THROUGH THE BOND PROGRAM.

UM, ONE OF MY FAVORITES, AND AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN COMPLETE FOR

[00:20:01]

THIS IS A SHARED USE PATH ALONG BARTON SPRINGS ROAD, WHICH CONNECTS TO THE ENTRANCE OF ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDENS.

THE PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON WAS FUNDED THROUGH TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM.

WE WORKED WITH CAP METRO TO MAKE A GREAT CONNECTION TO THE BUS STOPS.

YOU KNOW, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, TWO YEARS AGO WHEN BEFORE WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, THAT BUS STOP, YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT WAS LITERALLY A POLE PLANTED IN A DITCH THAT ON A RAINY DAY YOU WERE STANDING IN A, IN AN ANKLE DEEP BOTTLE TO CATCH A BUS.

AND A REALLY TRANSFORMATIVE SET OF IMPROVEMENTS, UM, HAVE BEEN REALLY EMBRACED UNDER CONSTRUCTION STARTING SOON.

AND, AND AS MENTIONED, UH, THIS, I PUT THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER ORIGINALLY IN DECEMBER.

WE HADN'T FINISHED THE WISHBONE BRIDGE THAT'S FINISHED.

IT'S, UH, BEEN EMBRACED.

IT WAS, UM, UH, REALLY GRATIFYING TO SEE THE, THE LEVEL OF SPORT JUST ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING THAT THE TURNOUT FOR THAT.

UM, A LOT OF OTHER PROJECTS ALREADY IN CONSTRUCTION.

UM, MOAN TRAIL, UH, SH CREEK AT 2222, THAT UNDERPASS IS ABOUT TO GO INTO CONSTRUCTION.

UM, SO A LOT OF FUN PROJECTS HAPPENING THAT ARE GONNA IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY OF OUR TRAIL NETWORK.

UM, ONE OF THE REALLY SIGNATURE PROJECTS THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE 2023 UPDATE TO THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN IS THE BIG LOOP.

UM, IF, FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IT, IT'S A 30 MILE CONNECTED NETWORK, UM, AROUND OUR URBAN TRAILS, KIND OF FROM CENTRAL DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH NORTH AUSTIN INCLUDES MULTIPLE TRAILS.

UM, MAKING GREAT IS TWO SECTIONS OF THAT THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.

THE PORTION OF THE MOAN TRAIL, UM, THE BRIDGE OVER BOGGY CREEK IS GONNA BE GOING IN THIS SUMMER THAT'S GONNA KNIT TOGETHER THAT, UH, SOUTHERN PORTION OF THIS TRAIL.

AND UP AT THE NORTH END, THERE'S WORK GOING ON.

UM, NEIL THOMPSON LONGHORN EXTENDING THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL.

THAT'S GONNA TIE INTO THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BY OUR CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UM, ALONG BURNETT ROAD TYING INTO THE Q2 TRAIL.

SO A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN, IN WHAT'S GONNA BE A, FRANKLY A A NEW ICONIC TRAIL SYSTEM OR, YOU KNOW, A WAY TO SEE AUSTIN AND EXPERIENCE AUSTIN IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

UM, SIMILAR TO SIDEWALKS, WE'VE GOT A, AN INTERACTIVE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A STORY MAP 'CAUSE URBAN TRAILS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX PROJECTS.

SO WE'VE GOT A MAP THAT PROVIDES, UM, YOU KNOW, A STATUS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING WORKED ON.

AND THERE'S A COUPLE REALLY BIG LINES, UM, AND YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, THAT SORT OF NORTH SOUTH LINE, UM, IS THE BERGSTROM SPUR TRAIL.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THAT TO, UH, BID AND INTO CONSTRUCTION.

UM, HERE THIS YEAR.

THIS IS THE OVERALL BUDGET FOR URBAN TRAILS.

IT'S REALLY A CAPITAL BUDGET PRIMARILY.

AND SO OUT OF ALL THE REMAINING BOND FUNDS, UM, BIG PICTURE, THERE'S ABOUT $15 MILLION OF THE 56 50 $7 MILLION THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION.

AND THOSE FUNDS WILL BE EXPENDED HERE SHORTLY.

THERE'S ANOTHER $33 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS THAT ARE JUST ABOUT TO GO TO BID, UM, AND GO INTO CONSTRUCTION.

UM, MULTIPLE SECTIONS OF THE BERGSTROM SPUR TRAIL.

THERE'S A, A SECTION ALONG METRO CENTER DRIVE THAT'S SLATED TO START CONSTRUCTION HERE IN MARCH.

WE'VE GOT SOME FEDERAL GRANT COMMITMENTS AND SOME ENGINEERING AND DESIGN WORK.

AND THAT KIND OF ACCOUNTS FOR THE OUTSTANDING BUDGET THAT'S AVAILABLE.

SO, UM, HERE WITHIN THE NEXT, UH, YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, UM, ALL THOSE, UH, WITHIN THIS YEAR, VIRTUALLY ALL THOSE FUNDS WILL BE ENCUMBERED.

UM, AND WITHIN TWO YEARS, UH, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM SPENT EXCEPT SOME OF THE FEDERAL MATCH STUFF, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND INITIATIVES, AS I MENTIONED, MAKING GREAT PROGRESS ON THE BOND PROGRAMS. UM, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW DEDICATED, UH, URBAN TRAIL MAINTENANCE CREW THAT WAS APPROVED WITH, UH, THE FY 26 BUDGET.

THAT'S GONNA HELP US KEEP THE TRAIL SYSTEM IN A, A GOOD CONDITION, MAKING REAL PROGRESS ON UPDATING OUR PROCESSES, UM, IN ORDER TO GET TO A FASTER TRAIL CONSTRUCTION, SOME NEW MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION.

THAT PICTURES ACTUALLY, UH, THE CAESAR, THE EXTENSION, THE CAESAR CHAVEZ SHARED USE PATH, IT'S A PRODUCT CALLED FLEXI PAVE CITY ARBORIST ALLOWED US ENDORSED IT AND WORKED WITH AUSTIN PARKS AND REC.

UM, THAT LITTLE CONNECTION THERE, IT'S, IT'S, UH, PRETTY UNASSUMING, BUT WE SAVED OVER $400,000 BY NOT HAVING TO GO AROUND THOSE BIG HERITAGE TREES AND BUILD GIANT RETAINING WALLS AND, AND FRANKLY PROBABLY WOULD'VE IMPACTED THEM IN, IN, IN WAYS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN DETRIMENTAL TO THEM.

AND SO REALLY EXPLORING

[00:25:01]

UM, GOT SOME INITIATIVES IN TERMS OF WAY FINDING COMING UP URBAN TRAIL STEWARDS.

UM, AND IN WRAPPING UP THE, THE WORK OF THE, UH, URBAN TRAIL STAKEHOLDER GROUP GOT SOME CODING CRITERIA UPDATES THAT WE'RE GONNA, UM, ARE, ARE GONNA BE COMING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

UM, BOTH FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE THAT ARE GONNA HELP IN THE DELIVERY OF BOTH, UH, SIDEWALKS AND URBAN TRAILS.

AND WITH THAT, HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.

OOH, THAT'S A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.

LOVE IT.

I HAVE ONE QUESTION TO KICK US OFF.

UM, THE TIMELINE FOR THE BERGSTROM SPUR TRAIL, I KNOW THAT THAT HAD BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR PLANNING AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNEW ALL THE DOLLARS WERE TEED UP TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WHAT DOES THE RFP PROCESS LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES THE TIMELINE FOR THAT? OR IS THAT ALREADY OUT AND BIDED AND READY TO GO? SO THERE'S ACTUALLY THREE DIFFERENT PHASES TO BERG AND SPUR.

AND, AND IN FACT THEY'VE BEEN KIND OF, UM, THE EXACT EXTENT OF EACH OF THE, THE SECTIONS HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.

SO ON THE FAR WEST END, THERE'S A SECTION IN VINCENT DRIVE THAT, THAT WAS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT WAS ALREADY CONSTRUCTED.

AND WE HAD A A, A NICE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THAT.

UM, THE SECTION, THE NEXT SECTION IS ACTUALLY FUNDED THROUGH COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDS FROM CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT.

AND SO THAT'S GOT A CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, FEDERALIZED BIDDING PROCESS THAT'S GETTING CLOSE TO, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT.

WE HAVE TO GET THE PLANS APPROVED BY TECH STOCK 'CAUSE THEY'RE ADMINISTERING THAT GRANT THAT SHOULD BE GOING TO BID.

THAT'S WHEN THE PROJECT'S GOING TO BID THIS YEAR.

I THINK IT'LL BE SOMETIME THIS LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL.

THAT ONE GOES TO BID.

THAT'LL GET FROM VINCENT DRIVE OVER TO CONGRESS, UM, AND THE, YEAH, OVER TO CONGRESS.

AND THEN THERE'S THE BIG CENTRAL SECTION FROM CONGRESS ALL THE WAY OVER TO MONTOPOLIS, WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN A COUPLE PIECES TOGETHER, TAKING OUT THE I 35 CROSSING, WHICH IS GONNA BE BUILT BY TXDOT AS PART OF THEIR PROJECT FUNDED THROUGH $500,000, PROVIDED BY CONGRESSMAN CASAR AS A, AS AN EARMARK.

UM, BUT THE REST OF THAT BERGSTROM IS THANKS TO SOME, UH, SOME PROCESS CHANGES.

WE'LL BE GETTING THAT OUT TO BID HERE.

I DON'T WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER PROMISE, I'D SAY EARLY SUMMER.

UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S SEVERAL MILES OF TRAIL.

THAT'S GONNA BE A MAJOR PROJECT GOING TO BID.

AND THEN THE FINAL PIECE AT THE FAR, UM, EAST END OF THE PROJECT ON METRO CENTER, THERE'S ANOTHER SECTION THAT WAS SIMILAR TO VINCENT DRIVE THAT'S IN THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY.

WE CAN USE AN EXISTING ONE OF OUR IDIQ CONTRACTS THAT WE USE FOR OUR SIDEWALK PROGRAM.

UM, IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SAW AT THAT INTERSECTION WHERE WE'RE GONNA DEEP PAVE.

THERE WAS A, A REALLY A LOT OF RIGHT OF WAY, A LOT OF ASPHALT.

UM, WE'RE GONNA BE REAL REALLOCATING STREET SPACE, UM, CREATING A GREEN BUFFER, CREATING ALMOST LIKE A, A BOULEVARD EFFECT.

UM, AND THAT'S GONNA GO TO CONSTRUCTION SOMETIME LATE MARCH.

SO THREE DIFFERENT PIECES.

ONE GOING TO CONSTRUCTION HERE THIS SPRING.

THE, UH, ANOTHER GOING TO BID EARLY SUMMER, ANOTHER GOING TO BID, YOU KNOW, LATER, LATER THIS SUMMER, EARLY FALL.

SO A LOT OF STUFF HAPPENING ON BERKS FROMM SPUR.

THAT'S FANTASTIC TO HEAR.

I KNOW WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE OUR CONGRESSMAN GOING TO BAT FOR US AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

UM, WE JUST HAD A FANTASTIC RIBBON CUTTING OF THE WISHBONE BRIDGE, WHICH IS A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT MOBILITY PROJECT ON TOWN LAKE THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE COME TO FRUITION.

BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE CONTINUE TO EARN THE SUPPORT OF OUR CONGRESS PEOPLE MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN, BOTH OF THEM HAVE BEEN SUPER HELPFUL IN TRYING TO GET OUR LIMITED CITY DOLLARS TO ACTUALLY GET THESE PROJECTS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I REALLY DO HAVE TO, UM, THANK CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES, RIGHT? THEIR PROJECT MANAGER LAURIE ING, UH, FOR THE WISHBONE BRIDGE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE THE SPONSOR IN THAT PROJECT, BUT THAT WAS A BIG STANDALONE.

WE DID A A LOT TO ASSIST CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES, YOU KNOW, REALLY DELIVERED THAT PROJECT.

THEY'RE ALSO TAKING THAT REALLY BIG PORTION OF THE BERGSTROM SPUR I TALKED ABOUT.

THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WE PARTNER WITH THEM AND THEY LEAD THE WAY ON THOSE BIG COMPLEX PROJECTS FOR US.

AND WE'VE BEEN APPRECIATIVE THAT THE URBAN TRAILS PLANNING OVER THE LIFETIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE AND THE TENURE IS LIKE THE ONE THAT CAN KIND OF CHURN THINGS OUT QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY'RE A MORE LIMITED FOOTPRINT AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS.

BUT Y'ALL HAVE ALWAYS FOUND A WAY TO KEEP THE PROJECTS MOVING AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS, VICE CHAIR, CADRE.

I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION ON SIDEWALKS.

UM, SORRY.

AND I'M ALSO VERY MUCH FASCINATED WITH THIS, BUT ALSO THE, THE TELE DRIVING THING IS,

[00:30:01]

UM, WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING OPTIONS FOR THE SIDEWALKS, WHAT, WHAT ARE SOME MOVING FORWARD? YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT SLIDE, THERE ARE, AND, AND YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA LET DIRECTOR MENDOZA, YOU KNOW, INTERRUPT ME IF I SAY SOMETHING OUT OF TURN.

UM, PRIMARILY, SO FOR SIDEWALK REHABILITATION THAT'S FUNDED TRANSPORTATION USER FEE, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY JUST UNDER $8 MILLION THAT'S, UM, NOW, AND THAT'S BEEN A GRADUAL INCREASE.

WHEN I STARTED WITH THE PROGRAM, WE WERE AT $250,000 A YEAR TO MAINTAIN A 2,400 MILE NETWORK THAT'S GRADUALLY BEEN INCREASING.

UM, SO THAT'S ONE FUNDING SOURCE FOR REHAB FOR NEW SIDEWALKS, IT'S BEEN PRIMARILY BONDS.

'CAUSE THOSE ARE, THAT'S NEW CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.

WE'VE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR PARK PARKING TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS.

AND SO THAT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WHERE THERE'S TARGETED FUNDS WITHIN THAT, THOSE FUNDS GENERATED BY THAT DISTRICT AND BUILD SIDEWALKS WITHIN THAT DISTRICT.

AND SO THAT'S BEEN REAL SUCCESSFUL.

WE'RE SEEING OPPORTUNITIES THERE.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE SOME SIDEWALK FEE AND LIE FUNDS, UM, BUT THE PRIMARY, UM, FUNDING SOURCE FOR NEW SIDEWALKS HAS BEEN BONDS.

THANK YOU MAYOR PRO VELA.

AND THEN I'LL, UH, CALL ON COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON AFTER THAT.

ALRIGHT.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND REALLY GLAD TO HEAR THE, THE SUCCESS AND, AND IF THERE'S A MORE POPULAR PROGRAM IN AUSTIN THAN THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM, I'M, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT'S, UM, THE, THE GENERAL PERMIT.

CAN, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND HOW IT'S HELPED? WHAT IS IT? YEAH, CERTAINLY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SPEND, WE SPEND AN HOUR GENERAL PERMITS GO ALL THE WAY BACK.

I, I MEAN, TRACKS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CLEAN WATER ACT TO CLEAN AIR ACT.

AND THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE IS PUSHED DOWN TO THE STATE AND THE STATE PUSHES DOWN TO MUNICIPALITIES.

AND SO MUNICIPALITIES HAVE TO HAVE A MECHANISM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECTS, AND IT REALLY GETS TO, TO THE ISSUE OF NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT OPENS UP LARGE AREAS, YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, PROPER STEPS ARE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE EROSION WHEN A STORM EVENT COMES THROUGH.

OR A HIGH WIND EVENT ALSO GETS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION, THE CITY'S, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE VERY CAUTIOUS AND CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE WORK AROUND TREES AND, AND CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES.

SO THE GENERAL PERMIT PROVIDES A MECHANISM FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF PROJECTS, UTILITY PROJECTS, RIGHT OF WAY PROJECTS, UM, TO ACTUALLY SELF-CERTIFY.

THEY'RE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW ALL THE SAME STANDARDS, UM, FOLLOW ALL THE SAME RULES, BUT THEY HAVE, UM, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR CITY RIGHT OF WAY PROJECTS, A DIFFERENT RISK PROFILE INSOFAR AS, AS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A PROJECT THAT'S HAPPENING ON CITY, CITY LAND AND IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES IDENTIFIED, THE CITY HAS CONTROL OVER ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES.

AND SO CAN, CAN ISSUE A A, A PERMIT THROUGH A KIND OF A SELF-CERTIFICATION PROCESS.

AND THAT, THAT HAS CHANGED.

DSD HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK, SO IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, CREDIT TO, TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, THE WORK THEY'VE DONE IN TERMS OF REORGANIZING, UM, HOW THAT GENERAL PERMIT SYSTEM WORKED.

GREAT.

AND SO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE CITY PROJECT MANAGERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH CITY RULES ARE WORKING ON CITY PROPERTY.

THERE'S THIS KIND OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PROPER PROCEDURES ARE.

AND I GUESS THE IDEA IS THAT THE GENERAL PERMIT EXPEDITES, UH, THE APPROVAL PROCESS, SO WE CAN GO FROM KIND OF DESIGN TO CONSTRUCTION A AS SOON AS PO I MEAN, IS IS THAT ALL IS YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

AND, AND ALSO GOOD TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, UTILITIES, FRANCHISE UTILITIES, YOU KNOW, UH, ALSO ARE SUBJECT TO THAT GENERAL PERMIT PROCESS.

SO THEY GET TO WORK UNDER THAT SAME REGIME.

GREAT.

AND AGAIN, AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF A THIRD PARTY, YOU KNOW, A PRIVATE PARTY THAT ON PRIVATE LAND'S, A TOTALLY DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP AND A TOTALLY DIFFERENT KIND OF SET OF, UH, OF CONCERNS.

I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT I, I'M, I'M A SUPPORTER OF THE GENERAL PERMIT AND WE'VE TALKED TO, TO PARKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY EXPANDING THAT.

UH, AND IT COULD, IT SURE HELPS GET CITY PROJECTS DONE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, ULTIMATELY, UH, DO.

UH, THE, UH, I I'M LOOKING AT, UH, 18, UH, SLIDE 18 OF YOUR PRESENTATION.

AND, UH, I KNOW IT LOOKS LIKE YOU STILL DO HAVE $10 MILLION OF, OF NEW SIDEWALK CAPITAL MONEY TO WORK WITH, BUT, UM, THAT, UH, AFTER THIS FISCAL YEAR THEN, I MEAN THAT $10 MILLION IS HALF OF WHAT YOU MANAGED TO SPEND AND BUILD BASICALLY LAST YEAR.

IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, OVERALL, UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITIES FROM, YOU KNOW, THOSE PARKING TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS VIA, VIA AND LOSE.

SO WE MIGHT GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSTRUCTION THAN WE'RE SHOWING THERE IF WE CAN FRONT LOAD THOSE.

[00:35:01]

AND OUR FIVE YEAR AVERAGE NOW, YOU KNOW, THE 2020 BOND WAS, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY A GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT, BUT WE WERE BUILDING SIDEWALKS AT THE RATE OF $30 MILLION A YEAR.

HMM.

I MEAN, AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU, THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO.

UH, IF WE, IF WE PUT THE RESOURCES THERE.

UH, WOULD, I MEAN, WOULD YOU THINK OF THAT AS KIND OF, I DON'T WANNA SAY A CEILING, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH, RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE'S ONLY SO MANY PEOPLE IN, IN SO MANY, UH, Y YEAH, AND IT'S VERY MUCH, AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN A, A GREAT UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, THE BOND, UH, DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE OF, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN THINGS ARE, ARE SIGNATURE STANDALONE PROJECTS THAT, UM, LIKE THE WISHBONE BRIDGE, UM, AND THEN THERE ARE PROGRAMMATIC APPROACHES AND CERTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE REALLY LENDS ITSELF TO A PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH.

VISION ZERO BIKEWAYS SIDEWALKS ALL FALL INTO THAT TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT, FALL INTO THAT PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH.

MM-HMM .

WE PEAKED IN 2024, DELIVERED $45 MILLION WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS.

WE, I, WE COULD NOT RUN AT THAT RATE.

UM, THAT WAS, WE WERE GONNA BREAK.

GOT IT.

UM, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO GET THAT, THAT BOND DELIVERED.

I'D SAY WHERE WE WERE AT LAST YEAR, THAT 25 TO $30 MILLION RANGES WITH THE CURRENT STAFFING, WE ARE, WE'RE WELL RESOURCED TO, TO PRODUCE AT THAT RATE.

THAT'S, UH, GOOD TO KNOW.

'CAUSE I, I'D LIKE TO TO TO KEEP YOU BUSY, UH, AND, AND YOUR CREWS, UH, BUSY ON, UH, ON THE SIDEWALK STUFF.

AND LAST QUESTION, BIKEWAYS AND URBAN TRAILS.

WHAT, WHAT'S UH, THE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIKEWAYS AND AND URBAN TRAILS? SO, I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

THERE'S ACTUALLY A SECTION IN THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN THAT SAYS WHAT IS AN URBAN TRAIL? AND, AND FRANKLY, SOMETIMES IT IS A BIKEWAY NEXT TO A SIDEWALK.

SO, UM, A BIKEWAY IS ALWAYS, UM, AN IN STREET FACILITY.

UM, IT'S GENERALLY A PROTECTED FACILITY WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER FOR MOST, IF NOT ALL USERS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE IN IT, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF PHYSICAL SEPARATION.

UM, SHO CREEK BIKEWAY AS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE WITHIN THE OVERALL CITY ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLANS.

AND WHEN WE DID A TX WALK BIKE ROLL, WE UPDATED, YOU KNOW, THE SIDEWALKS CROSSING, SHARED STREETS PLAN, THE BICYCLE PLAN, THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN TOGETHER.

SOME BIKEWAYS ALSO ARE PORTIONS OF THE URBAN TRAIL NETWORK.

SO SHOAL CREEK TRAIL IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE, PRIMARILY FOR AN URBAN TRAIL.

UM, THE GOAL IS TO HAVE IT IN A MORE NATURAL SETTING, UM, TO HAVE IT THROUGH PARKLAND OR SOMETHING THAT FEELS LIKE PARKLAND, FEEL LIKE YOU'RE CONNECTING TO NATURE, BUT IT ALSO SERVES A TRANSPORTATION.

UH, IT HAS A TRANSPORTATION, UM, YOU KNOW, UTILITY TO IT.

THERE ARE PORTIONS OF, IN TRYING TO CREATE A ROUTE THAT'LL GET YOU ACROSS THE CITY WHERE THERE'S JUST NOT PARKLAND, THERE'S NOT THE OPPORTUNITY.

AND SO SOME OF OUR URBAN TRAILS PORTIONS OF THEM ARE ESSENTIALLY, UM, A SIDEWALK NEXT TO A PROTECTED BIKEWAY.

AND THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL IS A REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT UP TO ABOUT 38, THAT'S MOSTLY PARKLAND NORTH OF 38TH, UH, ALL THE WAY UP TO 180 3.

IT'S MOSTLY A BIKEWAY SIDEWALK, BUT THEN IT GETS BACK INTO AN AREA THAT FEELS A LITTLE MORE NATURAL.

SO, UM, TO SOME DEGREE IT'S REALLY ABOUT CREATING A NETWORK THAT PROVIDES, YOU KNOW, PATHWAYS THROUGH THE CITY, UM, THAT, THAT MAKES SOME, A SUBSET OF BIKEWAYS BECOME PART OF THE URBAN TRAIL NETWORK.

ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, MR. EASTMAN AND FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

THANKS.

LET'S GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND, UH, I'LL ECHO, UM, MAYOR PROAM VILLA AND, AND THANK HIM FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I THINK I SENSE A THEME HERE, UH, BY WAY OF COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY AND MAYOR TEM VELAS QUESTIONS.

'CAUSE MINE ARE ALSO, UM, RELATED TO, UM, EXCUSE ME, SIDEWALKS.

IT'S THE THING THAT I HEAR ABOUT THE MOST AND, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE'S POINT ABOUT FUNDING.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT OUR DISCUSSIONS AND COMMENTARY AND PRESENTATIONS FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS DURING THE COURSE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AND EVERY CONVERSATION SINCE ABOUT MONEY.

UH, AND I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER, I MEAN, TO YOUR POINT, I, YOU, YOU SAID THE THING THAT I DIDN'T WANNA HEAR YOU SAY WHEN HE ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT FINANCING MECHANISMS, YOU SAID BONDS.

UM, MY FEAR THERE IS IF BONDS ARE THE ONLY WAY, UM, THEN THERE ARE A LOT OF SIDEWALKS THAT AREN'T GONNA GET BUILT.

YOU GUYS CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, AND SO MY QUESTION THEN IS

[00:40:01]

I'M HAPPY TO SEE A LOT OF THESE ON THE LIST, MOCHA INCLUDED, BUT WE NEED SO MANY SIDEWALKS AND THAT HAS TO GET FUNDED SOMEHOW.

UM, BUT IF WE DON'T PASS A BOND, HOW DO WE PAY FOR THESE SIDEWALKS LOSS? YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, I, I THINK WE'RE MAKING TREMENDOUS PROGRESS ON, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSING THE GAPS INTO THE NETWORK, IT JUST DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD AT THE EXISTING NETWORKS AND, AND NOT IN GOOD CONDITION.

AND SO THERE'S BEEN REAL WORK ON THE TRANSPORTATION USER FEE, AND I THINK THAT'S A, A, A SUCCESS STORY.

UM, IT'S POSSIBLE TO LEAN INTO THAT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF CALLS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION USER FEE IN TERMS OF FINANCING.

I I, I DO HAVE TO DEFER THAT QUESTION.

MY PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO LEAD THE TEAM THAT DELIVERS ON THE RESOURCES, UM, THE FINANCING QUESTIONS.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE CHALLENGING.

UM, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY MAGIC.

I SEE DIRECTOR MENDOZA COMING UP SHOWING HE COULD, HE COULD SORT OF FEEL ME GOING, HEY, RICHARD, YOU COME ON OVER.

SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA DEFER HIM ON THAT QUESTION.

CERTAINLY.

THANK YOU.

YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MENDOZA? I DON'T, I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY MAGIC RESPONSES.

I WAS THINKING MORE ALONG THE LINES OF, UM, I, MYSELF PERSONALLY, PART OF MY THOUGHT IS HOW AM I GONNA PREPARE THE DISTRICT ONE CONSTITUENT BASE AND THEIR NEW COUNCIL MEMBER IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER? WHAT, WHAT ARE WE LEAVING FROM A SUCCESSION PERSPECTIVE FOR THEM TO ADDRESS COMPREHENSIVE CONNECTIVITY IN OUR MOBILITY SYSTEM? AND TO YOUR POINT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU DON'T WANNA BUILD ON SHODDY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF INTEGRITY THAT GOES BEHIND HAVING A GOOD START, A SOLID START.

UM, BUT MY QUESTION I THINK SORT OF IS, IS IT, DO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, AS THIS BODY, OF COURSE, UM, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR CHAIR, BUT THE LARGER BODY TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ALTERNATIVE FINANCING MECHANISMS FOR THESE THINGS THAT CAN'T.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS SAD WHEN OUR PROGRAMMATIC EFFORTS GO SO HEARTBREAKING.

BUT THESE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW, ARE AREN'T NEGOTIABLE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, THAT INPUT COUNCIL MEMBER AND, YOU KNOW, WE, IT IS GONNA BE, UM, INCUMBENT ON US TO GET CREATIVE GOING FORWARD ON HOW WE ARE GONNA RESOURCE THIS, UH, MUCH NEEDED NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE'RE MAKING TREMENDOUS, UH, ADVANCES IN INVESTMENTS LIKE IN, IN PUBLIC TRANSIT.

WELL, YOU'VE GOTTA GET FOLKS SAFELY FROM THEIR DOORSTEPS COM AND COMFORTABLY TO THOSE TRANSIT STOPS.

IT'S, UH, EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO DO THAT IN AREAS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE PEOPLE NEED AFFORDABLE MEANS FOR TRANSPORTATION, ACCESS, JOBS, AND EDUCATION.

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE CAN, UM, THAT WE CAN EXPLORE GOING FORWARD.

UH, GRANT FUNDING'S ONE OF THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE BEING VERY, UM, NOT SELECTIVE, BUT, UH, AWARE OF WHERE CRITICAL NEEDS FOR MOBILITY, ACTIVE MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE ARE IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO AFFECT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, ECONOMIC MOBILITY ADVANCEMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THOSE EITHER GRANTS APPLICATION OF, OF DIFFERENT FEES, BOTH THE TOUGH, UH, AND FUTURE BONDS.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND, AND MY HOPE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OVER THE COURSE OF THE COMING MONTHS THAT, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIVELY WE, WE ARE ABLE TO DISCOVER OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR FUNDING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

THANK YOU BOTH.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

I KNOW THE CONVERSATION OF HOW AND WHEN TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING.

AND I REMEMBER, I THINK THE 10 MILLION THAT MAYOR PRO HAD MENTIONED FOR 2026 IS PROBABLY OUT OF THE CO BONDS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER LANE HAD EARMARKED.

IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? AM I REMEMBERING THAT YOU'RE CORRECT? MM-HMM .

OKAY.

YEAH.

AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS THE CONVERSATION OF NEW MILES VERSUS MAINTENANCE MILES.

AND SO I KNOW THAT WE TRY TO MAKE OUR GENERAL FUND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, HELP WITH MAINTENANCE.

UM, COST OF SERVICE STUDIES FOR ANY OF THE FEES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE APPROPRIATELY USING THOSE FOR COST OF SERVICE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

BUT THAT BIG QUESTION OF HOW MUCH GOES TO NEW STUFF AND THEN WHAT IS THEN THE ABSORBED FINANCIAL COMMITMENT OF MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S THERE.

SO I KNOW THAT'S A REALLY, UH, BIG CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE EVERY BUDGET CYCLE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT OR IF YOU'VE COVERED IT.