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PERFECT.[Austin Project Connect Virtual Meeting with Mayor Steve Adler & Wade Cooper ]
HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME.WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU JOIN US FOR CAPITAL METRO'S PROJECT CONNECT VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING SERIES.
MY NAME IS RONALD AVEDA AND I'M GOING TO BE SERVING AS YOUR HOST TODAY.
IF YOU WISH TO HAVE CLOSED CAPTIONING, CLICK ON THE CLOSED CAPTIONING ICON IN THE BOTTOM TOOL BAR.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO SHARE MORE ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT, THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE TRANSIT VISION FOR AUSTIN AND OUR REGION.
LATER DISCUSSION LEADERS WILL JOIN US AND HOST A Q AND A SESSION ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT WITH QUESTIONS PROVIDED BY YOU, THE AUDIENCE.
IN ADDITION, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT CAPITOL METRO'S FACEBOOK PAGE WHERE THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK AND WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS CAPITAL AREA HAVE POSTED VIDEOS SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE SEEKING SUPPORT DURING THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED THOUGH, LET'S GO OVER SOME OF THE LOGISTICS FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
PARTICIPANTS WILL BE MUTED THE ENTIRE HOUR AND CHAT WILL BE DISABLED.
THIS IS BEING DONE IN ORDER TO ENSURE OUR DISCUSSION LEADERS CAN SEE AND ANSWER QUESTIONS THROUGH DESIGNATED Q AND A CHANNELS.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS FOR THE DISCUSSION IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
IF YOU'RE JOINING US ON ZOOM, YOU CAN ASK A QUESTION BY CLICKING ON THE Q AND A ICON IN THE TOOLBAR AT THE BOTTOM.
IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS LIVE ON FACEBOOK LIVE, YOU CAN QUESTION, ASK QUESTIONS BY ADDING A COMMENT ON THE POST AND WE INVITE YOU TO CLICK SHARE ON THIS POST SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN WATCH TOO.
OR YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT (512) 662-1750 THAT'S SIX SIX TWO 1750 AND YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS IN EITHER ENGLISH OR SPANISH.
QUESTIONS WILL NOT APPEAR PUBLICLY UNTIL THEY ARE ANSWERED.
IF WE DON'T GET TO YOUR QUESTION, THEY WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FAQ DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ON THE PROJECT CONNECT WEBSITE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER IN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.
SO NOW I'D LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO CAPITAL METRO PRESIDENT AND CEO RANDY CLARK, WHO'S GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR DISCUSSION LEADERS FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
AND AFTER THAT, RANDY, COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US AN UPDATE ON HOW CAPITAL METRO HAS BEEN RESPONDING TO COBIT? PLEATS.
THANKS FOR A GOOD SCENE AGAIN TODAY.
THANKS FOR HOSTING THE SERIES OF MEETINGS.
UH, WE HAD A FEW LAST WEEK AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A, ANOTHER GREAT BUNCH THIS WEEK.
UM, BEFORE I INTRODUCE, UH, OUR TO, UH, OUR, OUR KEY LEADERS HERE AND ACTUALLY THE TWO LEADERS OF BOTH BODIES THAT WILL BE, UH, MOVING THIS TRANSIT PROGRAM FORWARD.
UM, BOTH, UH, MAYOR STEVE ADLER AND BOARD
AND THEN I'LL ASK THEM TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS.
I WANT TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT AND JUST, UH, KIND OF HOLISTICALLY TALK ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT AND TRANSIT.
AND, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE THAT GOT TO KNOW ME IN THE COMMUNITY, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS.
SAY, WOW, YOU'RE REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT TRANSIT.
AND I AM BECAUSE I BELIEVE TRANSIT CAN DEAL WITH SO MANY PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES, LIKE ALMOST NOTHING ELSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT IS MORE THAN THE VEHICLES.
IT'S MORE THAN THE, THE TRIP THAT SOMEONE TAKES.
IT IS IN SO MANY WAYS, THE, THE BLOOD THAT GOES TO THE VEINS OF A REALLY VIBRANT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY.
AND SO FOR ME, THERE'S BEEN FOUR KINDS OF TOPICS THAT I'VE HEARD OVERWHELMINGLY, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN TO, TO AUSTIN, WELL OVER TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE MOVED HERE.
AND I THINK TRANSIT JUST DEALS WITH THOSE SO WELL AND WHY WE NEED SO MUCH MORE OF THAT.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE A REGION OF 2 MILLION PEOPLE, THAT'S GOING TO BE 4 MILLION AND OVERWHELMINGLY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC AND EVEN AS WE'RE COMING OUT OF COBIT AND YOU KNOW, COCO, IT'S MEASURED CLEARLY IN MONTHS AND IT'S INCREDIBLY SERIOUS TOPIC.
AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND.
I'M GOING TO GIVE SOME WHAT CAP WAS DOING.
IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE FUNDAMENTALS THAT LONG TERM.
WE HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM THAT CAN'T EVEN HANDLE TODAY'S VOLUME OF PEOPLE, LET ALONE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GROW.
SO WE GOT TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC.
NOTHING I THINK HAS EXPOSED OUR SOCIETAL INEQUITIES MORE THAN THIS CURRENT CRISIS THAT WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, MOVING 40,000 PEOPLE A DAY THAT ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT.
BUT THE OVERWHELMING ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY REGARDING JUST EQUITY AND TRANSIT DOES THAT BECAUSE IT CONNECTS PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY AND HEALTHCARE JOBS AND EDUCATION WITHOUT SOMEONE HAVING TO GO MAYBE SPEND $900 A MONTH ON A CAR TO HAVE THAT ACCESS.
SO IF YOU WANT FAIRNESS OF ACCESS OF OPPORTUNITY, TRANSIT IS CRITICAL.
OVERWHELMINGLY IN THIS COMMUNITY, YOU HEAR VALUES TALKING ABOUT AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE, AND CLEARLY ELECTRIC VEHICLES WILL HELP, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT ALL ALONE.
AND WE NEED TRANSIT TO MAKE A MUCH BIGGER DENT IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT FRESH AIR AND KIND OF BEAUTIFUL ASPECT OF CENTRAL TEXAS THAT WE ALL CALL HOME, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE GOING TO DOUBLE IN SIZE.
WE NEVER REALLY TALK ABOUT JOBS SO MUCH ABOUT TRANSIT BECAUSE OUR ECONOMY WAS SO ROBUST, BUT FOR A BILLION DOLLARS IT'S ESTIMATED FOR EVERY BILLION DOLLARS IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT CREATES OVER 20,000 JOBS.
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AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT PEOPLE ARE NOW SEEING THIS AS A TRUE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOBS PROGRAM THAT IT ALSO ALSO REALLY IS.AND THOSE JOBS ARE GOING TO BE WELL PAYING JOBS FOR POTENTIALLY DECADES AS WE BUILD THIS SYSTEM OUT.
SO TO ME THOSE FOUR TOPICS ARE CRITICAL THAT WE NEED TO DO HERE IN AUSTIN AS IN OUR REGION AND PROJECT CONNECT MAY BE ONE OF THE ONLY UNIQUE PUBLIC POLICY INVESTMENTS THAT YOU CAN MAKE THE DEALS WITH ALL THOSE IN THAT WAY.
SO CAP METRO IS FOCUSED ON TODAY'S EMERGENCY AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND, BUT WE'RE ALSO VERY MUCH WITH ONE FOOT IN THE FUTURE DEALING WITH THOSE TOPICS.
PROJECT CONNECT BEING THE BIG COMPONENT.
BUT WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON OUR DOWNTOWN STATION, WHICH WE'RE ON SCHEDULE AND ON BUDGET, NORTH OPS, ELECTRIC BUS YARD, AND WE'RE BRINGING MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO THE CITY.
WE JUST TALKED LAST WEEK ABOUT A NEW ELECTRIC BIKE PROGRAM WE WANT TO DO WITH THE CITY, LIKE, LIKE UH, SORRY, BUS INVESTMENTS ON SHELTER AND SHADE AND A LOT OF INVESTMENTS ON THE EAST SIDE, LIKE THINGS LIKE OUR NORWOOD TRANSIT CENTER.
SO I JUST WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT TODAY WE ARE FOCUSED ON SAFETY AND MO AND REALLY MAKING SURE THE ESSENTIAL TRIPS AND ET CETERA WORKERS ARE GETTING DONE.
BUT WE'RE NEVER GOING TO STOP THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE TRANS, IT'S GOING TO PLAY SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE.
SO WITH THAT, I ALSO AS WE LEAVE IT TO, THERE ARE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
I WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF AND THE CITY STAFF.
IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP AND THE INDIVIDUALS BOTH SETTING UP THESE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSES AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE ALL THE TECHNICAL WORK, I JUST WANT TO LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH THEY ARE APPRECIATED.
THEY'VE JUST DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND I THINK MY GREAT CANALY BEING ON HERE LATER TODAY, UH, IT SHOWS THE, THE NEXUS BETWEEN THE STAFFS WORKING.
SO HAND IN GLOVE, WHICH I KNOW THE PUBLIC WANTS TO SEE.
SO WITH THAT MAYBE WE CAN DO SOME INTRO COMMENTS.
UM, A MAYOR, MAYBE YOU COULD TAKE US OFF WITH SOME, UH, INTRO COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WELCOMING PEOPLE AND GIVE YOUR 2 CENTS ON PROJECT CONNECT.
AND THEN FROM THERE WE'LL GET INTO THE, THE TECHNICAL OVERVIEW.
SO, WELCOME AND THANKS FOR, UH, GIVING US YOUR TIME TODAY.
ANDY, THANKS FOR, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR HELPING TO SET THIS UP.
RON, UH, BIG FAN FOR, FOR JUST YEARS.
UH, AND, AND WADE, ALWAYS GOOD TO SHARE.
UH, AS WITH YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PRETTY SURREAL TIMES THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IN THE, IN, IN THE CITY.
UH, NOT SOMETHING THAT, UH, I THINK ANY OF US EXPECTED TO BE DEALING WITH, TO HAVE SUCH A PROFOUND IMPACT ON, ON EVERYONE'S LIVES.
I'LL TELL YOU THAT BACK IN, IN MARCH WHEN THIS VIRUS SEEMED TO BE HEADED OUR WAY, UH, THERE WERE REAL FEARS, UH, HAVING SEEN WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES AROUND THE WORLD THAT THIS HAS GOTTEN TO HIT US REAL HARD.
AND WE WOULD HAVE A LOT OF, A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, THE HIGH, UH, IN OUR CITY.
UH, WE WEREN'T SURE AT THE TIME WHETHER IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO STOP.
UH, I CAN REMEMBER A COMMUNITY THAT WAS RELATIVELY APPREHENSIVE, IF NOT SCARED A MONTH OR SO AGO.
AND ALL GOING BACK INTO, INTO, INTO MARCH TIMEFRAME, UH, WE DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
I MEAN, THIS WAS IN A COMMUNITY THAT PULLED TOGETHER IN WAYS THAT FRANKLY, I'VE NEVER SEEN THE CITY HOLD TOGETHER OR HAVE TO PULL TOGETHER.
UH, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO FLATTEN A SPIKE AND GO, I TELL YOU, WE JUST DID IT, DID IT OVERWHELMINGLY, UH, WE EXCEEDED THE GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAD SET UP.
UH, AND, AND WE SHOULD CONGRATULATE OURSELVES FOR THAT.
SOME OF THE MOST SELFLESS COMMUNITY ACTING THAT I, THAT I'VE EVER, NOW WE NEED TO OPEN UP THE ECONOMY AND EVERYBODY'S ANXIOUS TO, TO, TO, TO START DOING THAT.
UH, HEY, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN ABOUT IT, UH, JUST BECAUSE WE DID SO GOOD AT SHUTTING IT DOWN.
I THINK THAT, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF GIVEN THAT, UH, THE APPEARANCE THAT IT'S NOT REALLY A INFECTIOUS, IT'S STILL IS, UH, WHICH IS WHY I'M URGING PEOPLE IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THE ECONOMY REOPENING STICK SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK.
IF YOU WANT IT TO MAKE IT WORK, YOU WANT TO MAKE WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS TRYING TO DO, SUCCESSFUL AND BOY, PLEASE BE JUST RELIGIOUS ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING AND, AND WEARING FACE COVERINGS, UH, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT'LL ACTUALLY MAKE THIS WORK.
UH, BUT IF WE ALL DO THAT TOGETHER, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WATCH THE NUMBERS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF WE JUST KEY ON KEY INDICATORS LIKE THE NUMBER OF NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING ADMITTED TO OUR HOSPITALS, IF WE WATCH THAT NUMBER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TOO FAR ON THE REOPENING.
SO EVERY DAY WE'RE GOING TO WATCH THAT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T GO TO 20 NEW ADMITTANCES IN A HOSPITAL FOR A SEVEN DAY ROLLING AVERAGE.
WE'LL ALL BE LOOKING AT THAT CHART.
WE'LL ALL BE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN.
THOSE DAILY ADMITS DOWN AS FAR AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND THAT HAPPENS THROUGH OUR INDIVIDUAL CHOICES, WHAT WE DO, BECAUSE A BIG PART OF WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IS LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
UH, THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT REOPENING THE CONGRESS.
BUT THAT'S ALSO WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
TO TALK ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT.
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UH, THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME, UH, IN THIS CITY, IN THE, IN THAT REGARD.AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT IS THAT TRANSFORMATION.
NO, I'VE BEEN HERE LONGER IN THIS CITY THAN, THAN, THAN FOLKS.
UH, I THINK I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LITTLE OVER 40 YEARS NOW AND IT SEEMS AS IF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HAS BEEN A KEY ISSUE FOR MOST OF THOSE, OF THOSE 40 YEARS.
AND WE'VE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES.
UM, BUT I, WE HAVE NEVER HAD A PROPOSAL, A PLAN THAT WAS AS UNIVERSALLY SUPPORTIVE, UH, AS THE ONE THAT IS COMING TO THE COMMUNITY NOW.
AND FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN HERE THAT LONG AND TO SEE THE STARS REALLY ALIGNED OVER A REAL SPECIFIC PLAN IS JUST REALLY EXCITING TO SEE.
A LOT OF CREDIT GOES TO RANDY AND THE CAP METRO PEOPLE, BUT, BUT ALSO IN ALLIANCE WITH, UH, UH, CITY STAFF, UM, UH, BRAG AND, AND DACA AND, AND, AND THE OTHERS ON THE CITY SIDE, WORKING TOGETHER IN WAYS THAT, THAT, THAT HAVE NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
AND THEN THE RESULT YOU CAN SEE AND I'M EXCITED WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PLAN AGAIN IF IT'S HAD TWO YEARS TO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
SO PAT YOURSELVES ON THE BACK, YOU HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH MAKING SURE WE HAD A, WE HAD A PLAN THAT WORKED AND IT'S EXCITING TO SEE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE IT TAKE FOR NOW AS I GO AROUND THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE ASK ME, THEY SAY, WELL, IS THIS REALLY THE RIGHT TIME WE DO IT? HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST? UH, HOW DO WE DO THAT? AND I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS AS TWO SEPARATE QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS, IS THIS A PLAN THAT WE WANT? THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE AS A COMMUNITY.
AND HERE AND JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE CITY COUNCIL'S GOING TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH THE BOARD OF CAP METRO.
UH, SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SERVE ON BOTH THE BOARD AND CAT METRO.
AND REAL SPECIAL THANKS TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM GARZA WHO'S ON THAT BOARD AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN AND COUNCIL MEMBER, REDS AND MARIA.
THAT SORT OF THE ROLES, UM, WE NEED TO WHATEVER ELSE HAPPENS AS A COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO DECIDE IS THIS THE PLAN WE WANT? I THINK IT IS.
UH, AND I, AND I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME MORE DISCUSSION TO HAVE ON IT, BUT LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO DO THOSE FOUR THINGS THAT RANDY WAS TALKING ABOUT.
IF WE ACTUALLY WANT TO REALLY SET INTO MOTION SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP US WITH TRAFFIC AND CONGESTION AND IN WAYS THAT NOTHING ELSE WILL, UH, WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO TO ENSURE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS REALLY ONE OF OUR ACHILLES HEELS IN THIS CITY.
OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM REALLY ADDRESSES THAT.
IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT DOING OUR CAR ISN'T STEADY, UH, AND LEADING THAT WOULD GO WORLD ON, ON ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE IN OUR AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
UH, AND IF WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT JOBS CAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEM COMING OUT OF THIS VIRUS.
THIS IS A PROJECT THAT DOES THAT.
SO LET'S FIRST DECIDE, IS THIS THE PROJECT WE BOUGHT? UH, AND IF IT IS THE PROJECT WE WANT AND WE CAN START HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE REALIZE IT AND THERE GOTTA BE LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO CONSIDER ON THAT FRONT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH RESPECT TO VOTING IN THE END OF NOVEMBER.
WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF MONTHS AND WE OUGHT TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE, UH, IN THE CITY ECONOMY, UH, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO ACTUALLY SET THIS IN MOTION AND HAVE SOME INITIAL APPROVALS IN NOVEMBER, I CAN'T THINK OF A STRONGER WAY FOR US TO COME OUT OF THE VIRUS, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, IN SOME RESPECTS.
IN MY MIND IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, SHOULD WE DO THIS THE CAUSE OF THE VIRUS OR SHOULD WE STOP IT BECAUSE OF THE VIRUS? BUT I'M NOT SURE THERE'S BEEN NOW MORE THAN EVER BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY WHERE I, WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW.
WE REALLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO INITIATE THIS BECAUSE AS WE COME OUT OF THIS VIRUS, WE HAVE TO COME OUT OF IT AS A BETTER, STRONGER, MORE FORWARD LOOKING CITY, UH, ON SO MANY LEVELS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS PART OF THAT.
I'M EXCITED TO BE PART OF THIS GROUP TODAY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ON THE PANEL AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
UH, AND, UH, IT'S JUST, JUST AN EXCITING THING.
AND, AND THIS IS THE OTHER PART OF THIS VIRUS CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING.
HOW DO WE RE FROM THIS, HOW ARE WE BECOME BIGGER AND BETTER? STRONGER.
APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP EARLY ON IN THE CRISIS.
OBVIOUSLY MAKING A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION SOUTH BY CLEARLY THE RIGHT DECISION AND, UH, KEPT US IN A GREAT POSITION, THE CITY.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE ALWAYS ALL FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE
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AND UH, APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT ABOUT CAP, METRO AND TRANSIT.THAT, UH, BOARD CHAIR, WAYNE COOPER, WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN FROM THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
AND I REFUSE TO LET THEM LEAVE THE, THE, THE BOARD OF CAP METRO, UH, BECAUSE HE'S WORKED SO HARD ON THESE TRANSIT PLANS.
BUT I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIME.
UH, FEEL FREE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS AND, UH, JUST TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT AS WELL.
THANK YOU, MAYOR FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, UH, THESE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES AND CAN'T IMAGINE MORE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAN THOSE THAT HAVE HAD TO BE MADE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
AND RON, THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS AS WELL.
ALWAYS GLAD TO, TO HAVE YOU, UH, ALONGSIDE.
UH, I'LL JUST ECHO THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS.
I FEEL LIKE A RELATIVE, A NEWCOMER TO AUSTIN.
I MOVED HERE IN JANUARY OF 1997 AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT EVEN WAY BACK THEN, THE TRANSPORTATION WAS REALLY ONE OF THE TWO OR THREE TOP ISSUES, UH, THAT WE WERE GONNA FACE IN WHAT WAS THEN OUR NEW COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, I REMEMBER AS A CHAIR OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE BACK IN THE 2002 ERA, UH, THINKING ABOUT THE RED LINE AND THE IMPACT THAT CAN HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, UH, BEING THANKFUL THAT WE GOT THAT PASSED.
BUT IT WAS REALLY A LITTLE MORE THAN A DEMONSTRATION, UH, PROJECT.
IT WASN'T A ROW BEST CONTRIBUTION TO THE OVERALL TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT, UH, FOR THE LAST 20 SOMETHING YEARS.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THE CAP METRO BOARD NOW FOR SIX YEARS.
SHORTLY AFTER I CAME ON BOARD THE, THE, UH, 2014 PROPOSAL, UH, FAILED.
AND WE AT CAP METRO SORTA TOOK IT UPON OURSELVES TO HELP THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS THE NEXT THING FOR OUR REGION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I'M SUPER HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE HAVE COME TOGETHER TO PUT BEFORE OUR COMMUNITY IN OUR REGION, UH, IS A VERY APPROPRIATE NEXT STEP.
AND THE PARTS OF IT THAT I LIKE ARE THAT IT'S NOT A ONE OFF PROJECT.
IT IS A SERIES OF PROJECTS THAT ARE MULTIGENERATIONAL AND SCOPE.
IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, A BIG AUDACIOUS GOAL TO REALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY I THINK OF OUR REGION TO TACKLE A TRANSIT AND FIGURE OUT, UH, HOW WE BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL SERVE A COMMUNITY OF 4 MILLION PEOPLE IN 20 YEARS.
SO WE HAVE HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INPUT FROM ALL PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'VE HAD A SUPER WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY.
I THINK WE'VE HAD SIX OR SEVEN JOINT MEETINGS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE COLLABORATION THAT OUR TWO ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HAD.
UM, UH, ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THE HARD WORK THAT BOTH STAFFS HAVE PUT INTO THIS ALONG WITH A TEAM OF WORLD-CLASS CONSULTANTS.
SO, UH, THE TIME IS NOW, I THINK TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS PLAN LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S ONE THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN GROW WITH OVER 20 YEARS.
SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THE REST OF THE CONVERSATION TODAY AND GRATEFUL FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S PUT THIS EVENT TOGETHER AND ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR OUR STABS ON BOTH THE CAP METRO AND THE CITY FOR BRINGING IT TOGETHER, REALLY THIS DETAILED, ROBUST, MULTIGENERATIONAL REGIONAL PLAN.
SO THANK YOU, RANDY FOR THE INTRO.
AND, UH, THANKS FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY YOU BROUGHT ME HERE TO HELP WITH THIS AMAZING, EXCITING PLAN.
SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO, UH, UH, JACOB CALHOUN WHO'S, UH, ACTUALLY, I GUESS I'M GOING TO DO A LITTLE PIECE ON COBIT.
I'LL DO IT VERY, VERY QUICKLY CAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT.
I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT THE NOW BEFORE WE TURN TO JACOB THAT WE'LL REALLY GET INTO THE FUTURE.
SO COBOT OBVIOUSLY AS THE MAYOR SAID, AN INCREDIBLE A SITUATION GOING ON.
WE ACAP METRO HAVE TO BE UNBELIEVABLY RESPONSIBLE THAT WE DELIVER ALL OF OUR SERVICES, ALWAYS WITH SAFETY AS OUR PRINCIPAL PRIORITY.
AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO IN THIS CRISIS.
SO WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A PICTURE OF THESE NURSES HERE ON THE LEFT, WE'RE STILL SERVING, UH, OVER 40, BASICALLY 40,000 PEOPLE A DAY.
UH, YOU KNOW, DURING THE STAY AT HOME STAY SAFE ORDER.
SO THAT'S PEOPLE, WHETHER THESE NURSES OR PEOPLE STOCKING SHELVES AT GROCERY STORES OR IF YOU HAD TO GO GET A PRESCRIPTION AT A CVS, THE CAP METRO WAS THERE AND SAFELY GETTING PEOPLE TO WHERE I HAD TO GO.
WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL WHERE WE GOT INTO THE FOOD DELIVERY BUSINESS AND WE'RE STILL DOING THAT EVERY DAY.
I THINK WE'RE AT 250 MEAT, 50,000 MEALS DELIVERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK, HEB GOOD APPLE AUSTIN FARM SHARE.
SO JUST AN AMAZING WAY THAT WE COULD TAKE OUR VEHICLES, OUR LOGISTIC EXPERTISE, AND GET MEALS TO THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THEY NEVER HAD TO GET EXPOSED TO THE VIRUS AND COULD BE SAFE.
AND I'M REALLY PROUD THAT WE WERE THE FIRST IN THE COUNTRY TO COME UP WITH THIS PROGRAM
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AND ACTUALLY TAUGHT THIS TO MANY CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND INCREDIBLE.WE ALWAYS HAVE CLAIMED VEHICLES, BUT WE DIDN'T ENHANCE A CLEANING PROTOCOL.
AND WE'RE DOING EVEN MORE ON THAT.
AND THERE'S SOME MORE STUFF WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS IT'S NOT JUST SHORT TERM.
IT'S HOW DO WE MAINTAIN LONGTERM 24,000 METRO ACCESS TRIPS.
THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE LIFESAVING DIALYSIS WHERE WE DO MAYBE A COUPLE HUNDRED TRIPS A DAY.
SO FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAYBE DON'T SEE THAT ON A DAILY BASIS, WE ARE THAT LIFELINE THAT MAKES SURE THEY CAN STILL GET THE CARE THEY NEED.
WE'VE ADJUSTED OUR SCHEDULES, WE DID REAR DOOR BOARDING, TONS OF PPE, FACE COVERINGS ARE REQUIRED.
I WANT TO END WITH JUST THIS UNBELIEVABLE THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF.
UM, A FRONTLINE STAFF HAS BEEN OUT THERE ALL DAY, EVERY DAY SHOWING UP, MAKING SURE ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND ESSENTIAL, UH, YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO GROCERIES AND, AND OTHERWISE ARE GETTING DONE.
AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THEM.
AND IN RECOGNITION OF THAT, PBE IS A GIVEN.
THAT'S HOW YOU HAVE TO RUN A SAFE ORGANIZATION.
WE DID THREE WEEKS OF SUPPLEMENTAL SICK LEAVE CAUSE WE WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FEEL THE PRESSURE OF COMING TO WORK IF YOU DON'T FEEL WELL OR A MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY DOESN'T FEEL WELL OR YOU'VE BEEN DIRECTED TO STAY AT HOME.
SO WE WANTED TO GIVE THAT CUSHION FOR ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS DOING THAT KIND OF WORK.
SECOND AND I, AND I APPRECIATE THE BOARD CHAIR'S LEADERSHIP ON THIS AS WELL, WE WANT TO DO A SPECIAL COMMUNITY SERVICE RECOGNITION BONUS FOR ALL OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME TO WORK DURING THE STAY HOME STAY SHELF ORDER.
WHEN WHEN AS THE MAYOR SAID IT WAS VERY UNKNOWN AND THE FEAR WAS A LOT HIGHER.
THEY CAME IN BECAUSE THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS, THEY'RE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY DID.
THEY DID OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT WHEN WE NEEDED IT THE MOST AND WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT, SO I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT WITH THAT RON, I THINK I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU.
YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE QUESTIONS PIECE AND WE'LL GO INTO PROJECT CONNECT.
HOW'S THAT SOUND? SOUNDS GREAT.
LET'S GET INTO THE OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM PLAN.
NOW, HOW IS IT GOING TO CONNECT US TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE AUSTIN AREA? WHAT DOES THE PLAN EVEN LOOK LIKE? AND OF COURSE, AS MAYOR ADLER MENTIONED, HE'S ASKED ALL THE TIME, HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST? AS A REMINDER, FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS THROUGH ZOOM, FACEBOOK LIVE OR CALL OR TEXT, THAT PHONE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN.
FIVE ONE TWO SIX, SIX TWO 1750 IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH.
IF WE DON'T GET TO YOUR QUESTION, IT'S GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FAQ DOCUMENTS.
IT WILL BE POSTED IN THE COMING WEEK.
AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING THE LIVE STREAM ON FACEBOOK, PLEASE CLICK SHARE ON THE POST SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN WATCH TOO.
AND NOW HERE'S JACOB CALHOUN WITH CAPITAL METRO WITH A PRESENTATION FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM PLAN.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, MY NAME IS JACOB PALIN.
I AM THE PRINCIPAL PLANNER FOR PROJECT CONNECT HERE AT CAP METRO.
UH, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, UM, EVER SINCE WE KIND OF RESTARTED ON IT IN 2016.
I'M IN HELPING GUIDE IT FORWARD AS WE GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND KIND OF WHERE IT IS TODAY.
UM, I'LL GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE ARE NOW AND THEN UH, WHERE WE'LL BE GOING OVER THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON TRANSIT IN AUSTIN FOR OVER 20 YEARS JUST TALKING ABOUT IT AND TRYING TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD AND NOW WE'RE HITTING A BUNCH OF MILESTONES THAT ARE GETTING US TOWARDS A GREATER TRANSIT SYSTEM IN THE GREATER AUSTIN REGION.
WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED THE PROJECT CONNECT VISION PLAN BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2018.
UH, WE WORKED WITH THE AUSTIN, UH, STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN TEAM AND HELPS ENCOURAGE THEM AS THEY GOT THAT PLAN ADOPTED IN APRIL OF 2019 WE'VE HELD NUMEROUS JOINT WORK SESSIONS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND OUR CAP BOARD TO COVER VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM.
WHETHER THAT'S THE FUNDING, THE GOVERNANCE, OTHER TECHNICAL ASPECTS.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN HOLDING THESE VIRTUAL MEETINGS THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY A PART OF.
UH, WE WERE DOING THAT THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY AND UM, GETTING THE INPUT FROM Y'ALL ON THE PROGRAM AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO JUNE AND WE'LL LOOK TO GET THE SYSTEM PLAN ADOPTED AND BEGIN TO MOVE IT FORWARD AS WE PREPARE FOR A POTENTIAL TRANSIT REFERENDUM AND NOVEMBER THIS YEAR.
AND THEN AFTER THAT IT'S GO TIME AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND BUILD OUT THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN.
WE'VE BEEN LISTENING AND LEARNING AND REALLY TRYING TO WORK WITH YOU ALL AS WE HELP CRAFT THIS VISION FOR WHAT TRANSIT AND THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA COULD BE.
I'VE HEARD FROM MORE THAN 40,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS THROUGH OUR ENGAGEMENT AND WE'VE HAD TONS OF OTHER ENGAGEMENT AS WE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON THEIR STREET, AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
WE TRIED A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT AVENUES FOR US TO GET OUT TO Y'ALL AND THE STREET TEAMS OR OPEN HOUSES OR EVEN THESE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSES WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE HAD STAKEHOLDER GROUPS WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH.
WE'VE COORDINATED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S A QUARTER PROGRAM THAT'S PULLED IN THE 2016 MOBILITY BOND
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AND WORKING WITH THEM AND THEN OF COURSE WE'VE HAD THESE NUMEROUS JOINT WORK SESSIONS, UH, AND WE'LL HAVE EVEN MORE TO COME AS WE CONTINUE TO ADVANCE THE PROGRAM.I'LL NOW PROVIDE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S INSIDE THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN.
PROJECT CONNECT IS ALL ABOUT LIVING UP TO ITS NAME AND MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE PLACES THEY WANT TO GO, THE PEOPLE THEY WANT TO SEE THE THINGS THEY WANT TO DO.
HEY, YOU CAN SEE A COPY OF OUR RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN MAP THAT SHOWS YOU HOW IT ALL KIND OF FITS TOGETHER INTO A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM COVERING THE WHOLE REGION.
YOU CAN ALSO FIND A COPY OF THIS MAP ONLINE@PROJECTCONNECTDOTCOMANDALSOONOURVIRTUALOPENHOUSETHATCANBEACCESSEDFROMPROJECTCONNECT.COM AS WELL.
NOW GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE COMPONENTS OF THE RECOMMENDED SYSTEM PLAN.
WE'VE GOT THREE LIGHT RAIL LINES, THE ORANGE, BLUE AND GOLD THAT'S LIGHT RAIL AND ITS OWN DEDICATED SPACE COVERING 36 MILES WITH 40 STATIONS AND INCLUDING A DOWNTOWN TRANSIT TUNNEL.
WE'VE ALSO GOT MORE METRO RAPIDS WITH SEVEN NEW ROUTES COVERING NEARLY 75 MILES OF NEARLY 200 STATIONS.
THAT'S MORE FREQUENT SERVICE TO COVERING MORE PARTS OF THE CITY.
WE'VE ALSO UPDATED OUR METRO RAIL SERVICE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RED LINE, IMPROVING THE STATIONS AND OPERATIONAL HOURS OF THE SERVICE RUN.
LATER INTO THE EVENING WE'LL ALSO BE ADDING A BRAND NEW COMMUTER RAIL LINE AND THE GREEN LINE CONNECT DOWNTOWN TO COLONY PARK WITH POTENTIAL EXTENSIONS TO MAINER AND ELKAN.
WE'LL ALSO BE EXPANDING OUR METRO EXPRESS SERVICE, ADDING EIGHT NEW ROUTES THAT'LL COVER ALL CORNERS OF THE REGION.
WE'LL BE ADDING IN 24 NEW PARKING RIGHTS AS PART OF THIS SYSTEM PLAN ALLOW YOU MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO OUT OF YOUR CAR AND TAKE TRANSIT.
WE MAKE AN IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR METRO BUS AND METRO ACCESS SERVICE AND WE'LL BE DOING ALL OF THIS WITH AN ALL ELECTRIC FLEET.
IT HAS ZERO EMISSIONS TO HELP IMPROVE OUR AIR QUALITY.
WE'LL BE UPDATING OUR CUSTOMER TECHNOLOGY FOR CONTACTLESS FARE SYSTEMS THAT YOU CAN USE WITH EITHER A CARD OR AN APP.
WE ADDED MORE CIRCULATORS TO HELP COVER MORE AREAS OF THE CITY AND WE'LL BE ADDING AND IMPROVING MAINTENANCE FACILITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY.
TRAFFIC CAN BE OVERWHELMING, AND WITH THE CITY'S PROJECTED GROWTH, WE NEED MORE OPTIONS.
PROJECT CONNECT CREATES AN EXPANDED REGIONAL TRANSIT NETWORK TO BENEFIT US ALL AND IT'S BUILT WITH THE FUTURE IN MIND.
WE'RE EXPANDING CURRENT TRANSIT SERVICES AND MAKING THEM MORE CONVENIENT AND EASIER TO USE.
THAT MEANS MORE SERVICE FOR ASSAULT WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO LOCAL BUS SERVICE, MORE INVESTMENTS IN ACCESSIBILITY, SEVEN NEW METRO RAPID ROUTES AND 24 REGIONAL PARK AND RIDES TO CONNECT CUSTOMERS INTO THE SYSTEM.
NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS LIKE PICKUP, PROVIDE QUICK TRIPS, CONNECT TO ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, AND IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY.
MULTIPLE LIGHT RAIL LINES WILL ALLOW THE SYSTEM TO MOVE MORE PEOPLE WITH GREATER SPEED AND RELIABILITY AND USING TRANSIT WILL BE EVEN SIMPLER.
WITH YOUR SMARTPHONES OR SMART FARE CARDS, YOU CAN PLAN TRIPS AND PAY FOR FARES PLUS FUTURE INTEGRATIONS TO PAY FOR AND RESERVE PARKING, BIKE RENTALS AND OTHER SMART CITY OPTIONS.
CAPITAL METRO IS COMMITTED TO HELPING CENTRAL TEXAS BECOME A CLEANER, HEALTHIER PLACE BY MOVING TOWARD AN ALL ELECTRIC ZERO EMISSIONS FLEET.
IT'S TIME TO CREATE MORE OPTIONS FOR MOVING THROUGH OUR GROWING CITY CAPITOL.
YOU CAN SEE AN EXAMPLE OF A LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE IN BLUE ON THE LEFT AND A METRO RAPID BRT IN RED ON THE RIGHT AND WHAT THOSE VEHICLES LOOK LIKE.
BOTH OF THESE VEHICLES WILL BE ALL ELECTRIC TO ALLOW FOR A SMOOTH AND EASY OPERATION.
HERE YOU CAN SEE INSIDE ONE OF OUR METRO RAPID VEHICLES, THERE'S CLEAR VIEWS SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE EVERYTHING IS AND ALSO INFORMATION CENTERS TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE THE BUSES AND WHERE IT'S GOING.
IT'S ALL IN A COMFORTABLE CLIMATE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AND ALLOWS FOR YOU TO CONNECT WITH EITHER YOUR BIKE OR YOUR SMARTPHONE THROUGH WIFI AND USB CHARGING AREAS.
YOU CAN SEE HOW ONE OF THE LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES WOULD LOOK LIKE IN A TYPICAL CITY STREET AT AN INTERSECTION.
SO YOU CAN SEE HOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIT THE VEHICLE IN THE SERVICE INTO THE NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT OF THIS ROAD ITSELF.
UH, SO THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF SPACE FOR OTHER ROAD USERS SUCH AS PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES AND CAR TRAFFIC AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF LANDSCAPING AND THE TREES AND EVERYTHING ISN'T DISTURBED TOO MUCH AS PART OF THIS.
UM, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE SURFACE.
AND NOW WE'LL GO GIVE YOU A QUICK IDEA OF WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE UNDERGROUND.
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HERE WE CAN SEE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT REPUBLIC SQUARE STATION COULD LOOK LIKE AT THE DOWNTOWN TRANSIT TUNNEL.IT'S A NICE, CLEAN, OPEN AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT.
HELP KEEP YOU COOL WHEN YOU'RE MOVING ABOUT IN THOSE HOT JULY AND AUGUST MONTHS.
IT'S GOT SAFE DUAL ACCESS DOORS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN LIKE AN AIRPORT, A SHUTTLE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO KIND OF HELP CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE AS ALSO PLENTY OF ART AND WAYFINDING TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU ARE IN THE SYSTEM.
HERE WE, IF WE GO UP THE ESCALATORS YOU CAN SEE KIND OF WHAT THE MEZZANINE LEVEL WOULD LOOK LIKE.
THIS IS A NICE OPEN ENVIRONMENT TO KIND OF MOVE ABOUT SOME MARTA, WHAT YOU HAVE A, SO IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE AT THE AIRPORT AND THERE'S A CONCOURSE AREA BEFORE YOU GET TO YOUR GATE.
UH, THERE'S PLENTY OF LOCAL SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, FOOD, DRINK VENDORS AND REALLY IT GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OFF THE LOCAL CULTURE OF AUSTIN.
THERE'S ALSO PLENTY OF OTHER AMENITIES SUCH AS PUBLIC RESTROOMS, TICKET AND INFO CENTERS AND OTHER WAYFINDING AND SIGNAGE TO HELP YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GO WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
HERE WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION CENTER.
THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A PARKING RIDE UP TO THE MAX.
THIS ALLOWS YOU TO CONNECT TO A TON OF DIFFERENT SERVICES, WHETHER THAT'S A CAP, METRO'S MUCH RAPID OR EXPRESS BUS SERVICES ARE LIGHT RAIL SERVICES, EVEN JUST OUR LOCAL BUS SERVICES, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING CONNECT TO THE CENTER.
UH, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT POTENTIAL CONNECTIONS TO OTHER REGIONAL TRANSIT PROVIDERS, WHETHER THAT'S MEGABUS OR GREYHOUND.
IT REALLY LETS YOU GO EVEN FURTHER, UH, ON YOUR TRIPS.
THERE WOULD BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING STORES AND A MIX OF USES IN THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT REALLY KIND OF HELPS TURN IT INTO KIND OF A BUSTLING TOWN CENTER, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT TO.
PROJECT CONNECT WILL BE A MAJOR INVESTMENT FOR THE REGION.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER ALL THE BENEFITS THAT WE'LL GET OUT OF THIS PROJECT.
PROJECT CONNECT WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE GOALS AND VISION THAT WE HAVE FOR OURSELVES AS A REGION, WHETHER IT'S EASING THE TRAFFIC IN OUR CITY SO THAT WAY WE CAN GET AROUND EASIER PROVIDING MORE TRANSIT OPTIONS SO THAT WAY THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS TO GET AROUND TOWN.
THIS WILL HELP IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND DOING ALL THIS WITH A ALL ELECTRIC FLEET ALLOWS US TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF OUR AIR AS WELL.
THAT'D BE INCREASED FREQUENCY AND RELIABILITY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND.
BUT OF COURSE WE'LL ALL BE DOING THIS TO HELP PEOPLE ALLOW MORE ACCESS TO JOBS, HEALTHCARE, AND EDUCATION.
BECAUSE INVESTING IN PROJECT CONNECT IS AN INVESTMENT FOR TODAY THAT'LL CARRY OVER FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
PROJECT CONNECT CAN PROVIDE A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AS WELL.
FOR EVERY BILLION DOLLARS SPENT ON PROGRAMS LIKE THIS WHERE THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 22,000 JOBS THAT ARE CREATED, THAT'S PROVIDING A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A NICE STABLE PAYCHECK, ESPECIALLY IN HARD TIMES LIKE WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
UM, EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S INVESTED IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION GENERATES NEARLY $4 AND ECONOMIC RETURN.
THAT'S PUTTING MORE MONEY LOCALLY HERE, WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE USING THE SYSTEM CAN REALLY NEED IT.
AND IN INVESTING IN PROJECT CONNECT IS NOT JUST INVESTMENT IN TRANSIT.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO IMPROVE A LOT OF OUR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION THAT WORKS.
UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S CORRIDOR PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE SIDEWALKS AND BIKE LANES THAT WERE PUT AROUND THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM.
SO THAT INCLUDES 90 MILES OF SIDEWALKS
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AND 72 MILES OF BIKE LANES AND IT COMES OUT TO NEARLY $200 MILLION WORTH OF ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS.I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO GREG
I APPRECIATE THAT INTRODUCTION AND ALL THAT GREAT INFORMATION ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT.
I'M THE DEPUTY CFO WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND UH, APPRECIATE EVERYONE JOINING US TODAY ON FACEBOOK LIVE AND ON THE ZOOM MEETING AND REALLY WANT TO THANK, UH, MAYOR ADLER AND CHER COOPER FOR A WOWING US TO JOIN TODAY AND GOING THROUGH HOW WE UH, HOW WE TAKE WHAT YOU, WHAT JACOB JUST PUT OUT THERE, HOW DO WE TAKE IT AND LIFT IT OFF OF THE MAP AND HOW CAN WE GET IT DONE FOR THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO ECHO, I THINK THE COMMENTS THAT RANDY MADE AND THE MAYOR AND THE CHAIR COOPER MADE AS WELL ABOUT THE COLLABORATION.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY OVER 20 YEARS AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS IS REALLY THE RELATIONSHIP THAT OUR TWO ENTITIES HAVE IS REALLY FANTASTIC RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN EXPECT AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME WHERE KIND OF THESE TWO GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES ARE WORKING HAND IN HAND TO WORK AND WORK TOWARDS SOLVING A VERY LARGE PROBLEM FOR THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
SO WITH THAT, WE'VE A FEW SLIDES TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN ABOUT HOW WE CAN TAKE, HOW WE CAN TAKE PROJECT, CONNECT THE PROGRAM AND THE PROGRAM ELEMENTS AND MOVE THEM FORWARD AND LOOK AT WAYS TO IMPLEMENT THEM AND GET THEM ON THE GROUND.
SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, THE FIRST THING IS TO LOOK AT THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD AND HOW WE CAN FORMALIZE THIS PARTNERSHIP ON A GO FORWARD BASIS.
UM, IT'S REALLY BEEN THE CENTERSTONE OF HOW WE THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THIS WOULD BE LOOKING AT REALLY FORMALIZING THE GREAT RELATIONSHIP THAT, UH, THE CAP METRO, THE BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE HAD AND THE STAFFS HAVE HAD OVER THESE LAST TWO YEARS.
UH, FORMALIZING THAT GO FORWARD.
SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS BOTH THE CITY OF AUSTIN WOULD BE PUTTING SOME FUNDING, UH, INTO THIS FRAMEWORK AND CAP METRO WOULD BE AS WELL AND INCLUDING FEDERAL FUNDS.
AND AS WE'LL TALK ABOUT THROUGH THIS, REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR IS TO MAXIMIZE OUR ABILITY TO DRAW DOWN FEDERAL FUNDS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN USE THAT TO BUILD THE MOST SYSTEM WE CAN GET DONE.
CORE TO THIS, UH, PARTNERSHIP, TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP WOULD BE GOVERNANCE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO POTENTIALLY PUT IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS, IT CAN GET DONE.
UM, IT CAN GET FINANCED AND IT ALSO CAN BE PLANNED AND IMPLEMENTED IN A WAY THAT AUSTINITES LIKE, UH, THINGS TO GET DONE.
AND ULTIMATELY, WHEN WE'RE COMPLETE, UH, THE PROJECTS, UH, AS THEY GET DONE AS THE PROJECTS OVER THE OVERALL PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM GET COMPLETED, THEY TURNED BACK OVER TO OUR PARTNER CAP METRO TO OPERATE.
THIS IS A VERY TRANSPARENT MODEL.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE TRANSPARENCY IS THAT THE KEY FOR THE VOTERS, UM, ON ANY BIG INVESTMENT THAT WE MAKE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
A BOARD THAT WOULD BE OVERSEEING THAT, UH, CONSTRUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S REALLY STRONG, UH, TIE BACKS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND CAP METRO BOARD FOR THE OVERSIGHT FOR THE FUNDS THAT THEY WOULD BE INVESTING INTO THIS PARTNERSHIP.
SO LOOKING AT THIS PARTNERSHIP ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, THE, THE, THE, WHAT ARE WE'RE TRYING TO FUND AS JACOB LAID OUT, HE LAID UP THE, HE LAID OUT THE ENTIRE PROJECT PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.
UM, THE TOTAL OF THAT PROGRAM IS ABOUT 9.8 BILLION.
AND WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IS SHOWING YOU THE DIFFERENT COST COMPONENTS OF THAT, THE ORANGE, BLUE AND GOLD LINE OR THE HIGH CAPACITY LINES OF INCLUDING A DOWNTOWN TUNNEL.
THERE'S INVESTMENTS IN ADDITIONAL BUSES AS WELL AS OUR COMMUTER RAIL, THE EXISTING COMMUTER RAIL LINE AND THE RED LINE, AND POTENTIALLY A NEW INVESTMENT WITH THE GREEN LINE, BUT ALSO INCLUDES CIRCULATORS IN PARKING RIDES.
WHAT'S KEY ON THIS SLIDE THAT I'D LIKE TO KIND OF POINT OUT IS AGAIN, THAT FEDERAL MATCH, UH, FOR DOLLARS THAT WE SPEND LOCALLY.
UH, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DRAW DOWN FEDERAL MONEY AND REALLY LOWER THE COSTS FOR THE LOCAL, OUR LOCAL SHARE AND FOR AUSTIN, FOR AUSTINITES.
SO HOW DO WE GET TO THIS LOCAL NUMBER AND THE OVERALL COST IMPLEMENTATION? SO AS WE SAID, AS PART OF THIS PARTNERSHIP, BOTH ENTITIES WOULD BE BRINGING FUNDING TO THE TABLE.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
AGAIN, REALLY KEY, AND I'LL GO BACK TO SOMETHING JACOB MENTIONED AROUND THE IDEA OF EVERY DOLLAR SPENT AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S RELAYING INTO $4 OF, OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
WELL, IF THE DOLLAR THAT'S LOCAL, UM, ACTUALLY HAVE HALF OF THAT CAN BE FEDERAL FEDERALLY FINANCED, THAT'S EVEN LEVERAGING OUR LOCAL MONEY EVEN FURTHER FOR THAT ECONOMIC BENEFIT THAT WE SEE THAT COULD OCCUR ON THE GROUND HERE IN AUSTIN.
CAP METRO HAS FUNDS THAT IT CAN PUT IT ON THE TABLE BOTH NOW AND IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY AROUND OPERATIONS OF A VERY LARGE SYSTEM.
AND THEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS LOOKING AT A TRANSIT REFERENDUM THAT COULD FUND ALL ASPECTS OF THE INVESTMENT.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT FUNDING THAT CAN GET US THE CAPITAL
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INVESTMENT BUT ALSO LONGTERM OPERATIONS.AND THIS IS INCREDIBLY KEY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN WHAT WE BUILD.
WE NOTICE AROUND THE COUNTRY A LOT OF TRANSIT AGENCIES ARE STRUGGLING WITH KEEPING UP WITH THE INVESTMENTS AND MAINTENANCE OF THEIR SYSTEMS. SO WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT US A SCENARIO THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THOSE.
SO LOOKING AT THAT, HOW DO WE LOOK AT AN ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT? UM, FROM A PROPERTY TAX PERSPECTIVE, WE'D BE LOOKING AT USING CITY'S PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
THIS IS FROM, UH, FROM WORK WE DID BACK IN MARCH WITH THE, WITH THE CAP METRO BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
REALLY WHAT THIS IS LOOKING AT IS DIFFERENT SEQUENCING PLANS.
HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO BUILD OUT THIS SYSTEM? AND THERE'S DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF THAT.
UM, ALL OF THEM DO REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
BUT WE'VE LOOKED AT, AND THESE ARE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS THAT WE HAD PUT OUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE OF ABOUT $18 ADDITIONAL A MONTH, UP TO $37 ADDITIONAL MONTH, DEPENDING AGAIN ON SEQUENCING AND TIMING.
FOR THE S FOR THE AVERAGE HOME, THAT'S ABOUT A 3% TO RIGHT AROUND A FIVE TO 6% INCREASE OF YOUR OVERALL PROPERTY TAX BILL THAT YOU PAY EACH YEAR.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT, BUT THIS IS SORT OF THE RANGE OF, OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE'D BE LOOKING FOR AROUND PROJECT CONNECT.
SO HOW DO WE, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? UM, SO HERE WE ARE DOING THESE NOW VIRTUAL TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN MAY IN JUNE AS HAS BEEN REFERRED THAT REFERRED TO PRIOR TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CAP METRO BOARD.
WE'LL BE HAVING ANOTHER, I THINK THE EIGHTH JOINT SESSION THEY WILL HAVE ON ADOPTING THE PLAN THAT JACOB LAID OUT.
AND THEN IN JULY AND AUGUST RETURNED TO THE BUDGET PROCESSES THAT WILL BE OCCURRING IN BOTH ENTITIES.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL HAVE ITS OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS KICKOFF IN MID JULY, INCLUDING PUBLIC HEARINGS AT THE END OF JULY.
AND CAP METRO WILL BE SIMILARLY HAVING THEIR, THEIR BUDGET REVIEW AT THE END OF JULY.
THEN IN AUGUST WILL BE THE TIME FOR OUR POLICYMAKERS TO, UH, LOOK AT THE INVESTMENT, THE POTENTIAL INVESTMENT IN PROJECT CONNECT AND WHAT THAT INVESTMENT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN SETTING A POTENTIAL BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER, WHICH WOULD BE IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS.
HE, THIS WAS WAS THE IDEA OF MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN SETTLE ON A DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCE THAT AGAIN, THEY CAN PULL DOWN THOSE FEDERAL FUNDING AND TIE INTO THAT GOVERNANCE MODEL ON A GO FORWARD BASIS.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO RON TO LEAD US TO THE END.
WE HAVE ALMOST 200 PEOPLE BETWEEN ZOOM AND FACEBOOK THAT HAVE INTERACTED, UH, ON THIS SESSION.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AND I APPRECIATE ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO'VE GIVEN UP THEIR TIME TODAY FOR THAT.
AND NOW THAT WE HAVE GREG HERE AND WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START THE Q AND A SESSION.
BUT SINCE YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT FINANCES, GREG, ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN IS FOR YOU.
SO LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND TALK ABOUT IT NOW.
HOW WILL THE EXPECTED BUDGET SHORTFALL FROM COBIT 19 TEEN EFFECT PROJECT CONNECT? SO WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, OBVIOUSLY THE CITY AND LIKE ALL CITIES AND COUNTIES AND STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE DEALING WITH THE, UH, IMPACT OF KOBE.
UH, FORTUNATELY IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO, THE CITY LIKE OTHER ENTITIES HAS RECEIVED SOME FEDERAL FUNDING TO HELP US DEAL WITH THE, THE COBIT RELATED EXPENSES AND THE IMPACTS OF THAT ON OUR LOCAL FINANCES.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT PROJECT CONNECT, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN, UM, KIND OF DRIVING TOWARDS A NEW INVESTMENT, A NEW INVESTMENT THAT WE'RE TAKING TO THE VOTERS, UM, THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE VOTERS TO IT TO, TO IMPACT THAT.
CERTAINLY WE'RE AWARE OF WAYS TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE ECONOMICS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO IN TERMS OF THAT INVESTMENT, THAT'S THE WORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE WE PUT SOMETHING IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND A CAP METRO BOARD FOR AN INVESTMENT DECISION.
BUT ULTIMATELY, UM, THE, THE CO, THE, THE KEY DECISION HERE IS BE GOING TO THE VOTERS TO LOOK AT WHAT LEVEL OF INVESTMENT SHOULD OCCUR IN PROJECT CONNECT.
THANK YOU GREG FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
AND BESIDES GREG, I'D LIKE TO REINTRODUCE NOW OUR DISCUSSION LEADERS FOR TODAY'S VIRTUAL TOWN HALL, AUSTIN MAYOR STEVE ADLER AND CAP METRO BOARD CHAIR WADE COOPER.
WE ALSO HAVE CAP METRO CEO RANDY CLARK AND PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM OFFICER DAVE COUCH.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HELPING OUT WITH ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
FIRST QUESTION GOES TO YOU, MAYOR ADLER.
WHY ARE YOU CONTINUING ON THE SAME TIMELINE GIVEN THE CURRENT CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN? IS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION OR WAS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION TO DELAYING THE POTENTIAL VOTE IN NOVEMBER? MAYOR ADLER, IT'S ALL THAT.
I THINK THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS WHAT IS THE PLAN THAT IS RIGHT FOR THE CITY? AND THAT'S THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND, AND CAP METRO,
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UM, UH, AND A LITTLE BIT LATER ON AND IN JUNE, IS IT THE RIGHT PLAN WHETHER WE BUILD IT NOW OR BUILD IT IN THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS, DO WE FINALLY, AFTER DECADES WITH TIMES OF COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT PLAN AND, AND THAT KIND OF PLAN MAY NEED TO GO TO A VOTE OR WITHOUT REGARD TO ANYTHING ELSE.JUST THE QUESTION, IS THIS A PLAN THAT WE WANT TO BUILD? THE SECOND QUESTION ABOUT DO WE STILL BUILD IT AT THE SAME SPEED THAT WE WERE INTENDING TO DO WE STILL BUILD IT ALL OUR QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO ANSWER.
I THINK THAT'S THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE OVER THE NEXT MONTHS.
SO I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE, WHAT THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION WILL BE OR WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES FIND THAT INDICATE THAT THEY, THAT THEY WANT.
I RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES RIGHT NOW WITH, WITH, WITH ECONOMIC, UH, INJURIES.
PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOB.
UH, WE ARE IN AN ECONOMIC CRISIS AS WELL AS AS A HEALTH CRISIS.
BUT THERE, BUT I THINK THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT A PROJECT LIKE THIS THAT IF WE AUTHORIZE IT NOW REALLY IS GONNA TAKE SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE IT STARTS REALLY GETTING BUILT OUT.
DO WE WANT TO INITIATE THIS KIND OF PROJECT NOW AS ONE OF THE WAYS TO REALLY MOVE OUR COMMUNITY BOARD AS ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR ECONOMY IS ONE OF THOSE IN THE COUNTRY THAT IS QUICK TO UH, TO, TO REBOUND.
UH, SO THAT'S WHY I THINK WE STILL SHOULD CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT BECAUSE OF THE VIRUS.
NEXT QUESTIONS COME FROM THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
HOW WILL PROJECT CONNECT PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS TO THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER FACILITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA THAT'S LOCATED THE CENTERS LOCATED IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN ON CAMERON ROAD, JUST SOUTH OF RUNDBERG.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THAT? HEY RON, THIS IS JACOB.
WE HAVE ONE OF OUR METRO RAPID ROUTES THAT HAS FROM ESSENTIALLY FROM THE ACC HIGHLAND AREA UP TO TECHBRIDGE THAT GOES RIGHT BY THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
THANK YOU JACOB FOR MAYOR AND CHAIR COOPER.
HAS THE PANDEMIC CAUSED ANY RETHINKING ON THE VIABILITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? NO, I THINK IN A LOT OF WAYS THE PANDEMIC HAS POINTED OUT THE REAL NEED FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE COMMUNITIES LIKE HONG KONG THAT HAVE LIKE 6 MILLION PEOPLE A DAY ARISE A DAY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHILE THEIR SYSTEM AND ARE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT SPREADING THE DISEASE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE DO SOCIAL DISTANCING, HOW WE DO OUR BEHAVIORS UNDER ANY SCENARIO.
UH, BUT I THINK WHAT THIS HAS POINTED OUT TO US IS THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY IS STRONG AND EVERYONE HAS THIS KIND OF ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY AND WE REALLY NEED SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WE SEE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS VIRUS, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT HISTORICALLY I'VE BEEN LEFT BEHIND.
THOSE ARE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST MOST VULNERABLE.
THIS IS ONE PIECE OF HELPING TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITY PULLS EVERYONE FORWARD AND GIVES EVERYBODY ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY.
UH, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS.
CHAIRMAN COOPER, ANY COMMENT? YEAH, WELL, I'LL JUST SAY EVEN IN THE WORST OF THE PANDEMIC THAT WE STILL HAD FOLKS WHO NEEDED TO RIDE, UH, OUR SYSTEM AND UH, CERTAINLY THE RIDERSHIP WENT DOWN, BUT I THINK IT STABILIZED AND RANDY COULD GIVE US THE EXACT NUMBERS, 40, 45% OF OUR USUAL, UH, RIDERSHIP.
SO, UH, I THINK AS THE MAYOR SAID, THIS IS THE NEXT STEP FOR US IN TERMS OF COMING OUT OF THE VIRUS, UH, CREATING A SYSTEM THAT SERVES OUR COMMUNITY.
IF WE'RE GOING TO GROW TO A COMMUNITY OF 4 MILLION PEOPLE, WE'RE EITHER GOING TO HAVE SPRAWL OR CONGESTION OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TRANSIT.
SO, UM, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SOME, UH, SOME IMPORTANT CHOICES.
AND I THINK INVESTING IN THE FUTURE THAT LETS THAT GROWTH CONTINUE WITH A LIFESTYLE THAT WE'RE PROUD OF HERE IN OUR REGION IS VERY IMPORTANT.
CHAIRMAN COOPER FOR RANDY CLARK.
WHAT WILL THE COSTS BE FOR RIDERS? WILL LIGHT RAIL COST MORE TO RIDE AND WILL THERE BE DISCOUNTED FARES FOR LOW INCOME RIDERS? SURE.
UH, WELL THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A FAIR STRUCTURE SET UP AGAIN FOR OUR LIGHT RAIL LINE AS, AS, UH, AS THE CHAIR JUST MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THEY, THESE PROGRAMS ARE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF NOVEMBER MOVES FORWARD AS PAST, WE WOULD EXPECT A RAIL LINE TO BE ONLINE.
PROBABLY SOME RUNNING TIME AROUND THE 2028 TIMELINE.
UH, THEY T THEY, THIS IS SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL TAKE A WHILE SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF SETTLED YET.
UM, AND NOW THAT'LL TAKE YEARS TO REALLY WORK THROUGH THAT AS PROBABLY THE OVERALL PROGRAM PLAN.
BUT I CAN, I THINK THE REAL IMPORTANT PART WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THERE
[00:50:01]
IS CAP.METRO IS BASICALLY THE CHEAPEST FARE OF ALL THE LARGE CITIES IN AMERICA.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR STAFF AND I THINK THE, THE CHAIR WOULD AGREE, OUR BOARD IS COMMITTED TO TRYING TO KEEP US AS THE MOST AFFORDABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
SO WE CLEARLY FAIRS MAKE UP PART OF YOUR, HOW YOU FUND YOUR OPERATIONS.
BUT THERE IS NOWHERE IN THE WORLD THAT I ACTUALLY IS HOW TRANSIT IS FUN TO TRANSIT IS A PUBLIC GOOD JUST LIKE POLICE AND FIRE AND SCHOOLS DON'T MAKE MONEY AND FUND THEMSELVES.
UM, SO WE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO KEEPING LOW LOW FARES, UH, ALSO AND HOW BOSTON RAIL ALL WORK TOGETHER.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS A THING CALLED FARE CAPPING AND WHEN WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS IS LIKE AN ACCOUNT BASED SYSTEM.
THERE'LL BE CONTACTLESS, EVERYTHING WE WANT TO DO IS CONTACT LIST, WHICH IS IMPORTANT IN THE CURRENT UH, SITUATION AS WELL.
BUT THAT ACCOUNT BASED SYSTEM AND MAYBE THE POLICY COULD BE 60% OF MFI AS AN EXAMPLE.
UM, INSTEAD OF SOMEONE NOT BEING ABLE TO BUY A MONTHLY PASS, A STAR OF THE MONTH BECAUSE THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT AND THEY END UP PAYING MORE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH WHEN THEY GET TO A CERTAIN DATA IN THAT MONTH, MAYBE IT'S THE 15TH OF THE MONTH AND THAT WOULD EQUAL WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE NORMALLY PAID.
THE REST OF THE MONTH WOULD BE FREE.
SO IT'S OUR WAY TO DO PUBLIC POLICY THROUGH THE MECHANISM OF FAIRS INSIDE AN ACCOUNT.
AND SO WE WERE WORKING ON THAT, UH, THAT TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING TO THE BOARD IN THE, IN THE, IN THE FUTURE.
AND THAT SHOULD HELP US MEET THOSE, UH, POLICY GOALS OF KEEPING LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS HAVING THE MOST AFFORDABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TO GET AROUND TO THE ACCESS THAT THEY WANT.
THIS NEXT QUESTION ALSO COMES FROM THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
HOW CAN CAP METRO PROVIDE GREATER ACCESS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH OR SPANISH IN OUR COMMUNITY? WHO WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER? I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY IS ON MUTE.
COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? I ONLY GOT HALF OF IT CAUSE I WAS THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER IS ASKING HOW CAN CAP METRO PROVIDE GREATER ACCESS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH OR SPANISH IN OUR COMMUNITY? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND AS OUR COMMUNITY BECOMES MORE DIVERSE, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAP METRO, I'M SURE THE CITY IS THINKING OF OTHER WAYS AS WELL.
UH, AND THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO DO THAT.
SO YOU COULD GO TO A PLACE LIKE DC, WASHINGTON DC WHERE I LIVE FOR AWHILE.
THERE ARE BOSTON WHERE THERE'S 10 OR 12 LANGUAGES AND DIFFERENT POSTERS AND DIFFERENT COMMUNICATIONS.
SO, UH, WE, I THINK WE DO VERY, VERY WELL AT BILINGUAL ENGLISH, SPANISH TODAY.
UH, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING INTERNALLY AT STAFF WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING AND HOW WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF THAT CAN SPEAK MULTILANGUAGE UH, MULTI, MULTILINGUAL SKILLED, BUT ALSO HOW WE ARE GOING TO EVOLVE AS A TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER IN, UH, BECOMING MORE DIVERSE CITY.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS AN IMMEDIATE THING.
I COULD SNAP MY FINGER OR THERE'S A SOLUTION.
BUT AS MUCH AS IT IS AWARENESS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU RANDY FOR CHAIRMAN COOPER, THE AIRPORT IS THE FIRST THING THAT MANY VISITORS TO OUR CITY SEE WILL ALIGN TO THE AIRPORT, BE PART OF THE FIRST PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION.
WELL, HOW WE BEGAN AND HOW MUCH WE TACKLE IS OF COURSE A QUESTION TO BE DECIDED.
BUT THE BLUE LINE GOES TO THE AIRPORT AND IT'S A, IT'S UH, IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE THE PROJECTIONS WHEN THE AIRPORT ARE THAT IT TOO IS GOING TO GROW FROM 15 MILLION PASSENGERS NOW TO 30 MILLION PASSENGERS IN THE NEXT, UH, 20 YEARS.
AND SO, UH, THE TRANSIT SERVING THAT INFLUX OF TRAFFIC IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
FOLLOW UP TO THAT QUESTION GOES TO MAYOR ADLER.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT, UH, MAYOR ADLER ABOUT HOW A RAIL LINE TO THE AIRPORT WOULD IMPACT THE CITY? MARY, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
I THINK THAT THAT A RAIL LINE OUT TO THE CITY IS, IS, IS WHAT SO MANY PEOPLE STOP AND ASK ME ABOUT.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, UH, SO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY SEE IN A LOT OF OTHER CITIES, UH, WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT TO THE AIRPORT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRY TO PARK YOUR CAR.
IT'S AN EASY WAY TO BE ABLE TO GET, UH, BACK AND FORTH.
UH, IT ALSO OPENS UP THAT PART OF OUR CITY TO, UH, ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN, WHICH I THINK IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AS WE, AS WE, AS WE LOOK AT, UH, HOW COMPETITIVE IS AUSTIN IS AGAINST, UH, OTHER CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, IN THE WORLD.
UH, HAVING THAT KIND OF ACCESS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT ALSO, UH, SUPPORTS AND ENHANCES THE ECONOMY OF OUR TOWN.
RON, I JUST WANT TO ADD, IF I CAN COMMENT ON THAT.
UM, I, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THE MAPS OUT.
ONE THING I THINK THAT WE REALLY SHOULD HIGHLIGHT IN THIS MAP, MAYBE WE'LL STOP
[00:55:01]
RIGHT THERE.UH, ARE THESE WHAT LOOKED LIKE KIND OF TRIVIAL PURSUIT AND WHEELS AND WHAT MAKES THE BEST TRANSIT SYSTEMS ARE CONNECTIONS.
AND SO YOU'LL NOTICE ON THIS MAP WE HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW RIGHT THERE, THERE'S A PLACE AT NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER WHERE IT'S THE, THE OR UH, THE GOLD, SORRY, THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE TOGETHER.
IT'S THE RED, IT'S THE BLUE, IT'S THE UM, AND IT'S THE ORANGE OR SOUTH OF THE RIVER.
THE BETTER WE HAVE THESE CONNECTIONS, MORE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO A BIG ACTIVITY CENTER LIKE THE AIRPORT.
SO THE AIRPORT IS NOT JUST AS, AS AS THE CHAIR REFERENCE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAVELING.
AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE EVEN MORE THOUSANDS OF MORE WORKERS THAT ACTUALLY WORK AT THE AIRPORT AND HAVE TO GET SAFE, RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION AND LATER SERVICE, YOU KNOW, LATER AT NIGHT AND EARLIER IN THE MORNING.
SO WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT A MAP LIKE THAT YOU COULD SEE THAT NO ALMOST NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE CITY, YOU CAN CONNECT INTO ULTIMATELY THE BLUE LINE TO GET TO THE AIRPORT VIA RAIL OR HIGH CAPACITY BUS.
AND THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE AFTER.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER, YOU KNOW, BETTER SYNERGY WHERE I WOULD THINK KIND OF CONNECT TOGETHER NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE ENTIRE CITY.
THANK YOU RANDY AND STICK AROUND BECAUSE THE NEXT QUESTION'S FOR YOU AND MAY RATTLERS AS WELL.
HOW WOULD A POTENTIAL FEDERAL STIMULUS OR INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AFFECT THE FUNDING SHARE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? SO I'LL GIVE A QUICK COMMENT IN OTHER FOR THE MAYOR AND THEN MAYBE GREG EVEN HAS A THOUGHT ON THIS AS WELL.
BUT, UH, I THINK THE KEY HERE IS HOW DO WE CONSTANTLY DO OUR PROGRAM TO GET THE MOST POSSIBLE FEDERAL MONEY RIGHT? AND THE BETTER WE DESIGNED THE PROGRAM, THE MORE, UH, AVAILABILITY WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE I THINK COMPLAINTS SOMETIMES WITH IS, YOU KNOW, STIMULUS PROJECTS VERSUS THIS BIG GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE'LL BE TAPPING INTO.
THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN CONGRESS RIGHT NOW TO MAKE THE FEDERAL SHARE OF THE LARGER GRANT PROGRAM.
WE WENT VERY LOW AND CONSERVATIVE ON OUR NUMBER IN WHICH WE'RE STARTING TO GET SOME ANALYSIS THAT SAYS IT COULD GO A LITTLE HIGHER.
AND THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ON CONGRESS THAT THAT COULD EVEN GO HIGHER THAN THAT.
THE STIMULUS STUFF ARE MORE QUICK HITTING SHOVEL-READY PROGRAMS, WHICH WE AT CAP METRO AND I KNOW AT THE CITY LEVEL HAVE SOME PRO PRO PROJECTS THAT WE THINK WE COULD ACTIVATE IN THE NET, YOU KNOW, IN THE MONTHS, IN EARLY ONE OR TWO YEARS CYCLE, WHICH WOULD FURTHER FEDERAL MONEY AND TAKE OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, HELP DEFER SOME OF THE COSTS OF PROJECT CONNECT AS WELL.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE WERE WATCHING CLOSELY, BUT, UM, CLEARLY HOW WE DO OUR PROGRAM HAS TO MEET FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN ACCESS EVERY AVAILABLE DOLLAR, FEDERAL MONEY.
UH, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO OUR DELEGATION ABOUT THAT.
SO I DEFER TO THE MAYOR ON ANY FOLLOWUP OR, UH, GREG AFTER HIM.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE THAT AS BEST WE CAN.
OBVIOUSLY THE MORE MONEY THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL PUT INTO INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BETTER CHANCE WE HAVE OF NOT JUST GETTING A 40% RETURN, VERY REIMBURSED, MAYBE A 50% REIMBURSEMENT, MAYBE A 60% REIMBURSEMENT.
SO RIGHT NOW CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE LOBBYING IN WASHINGTON TO TRY TO FUND THAT INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TALKING ABOUT THAT AS PART OF A JOBS PROGRAM, AS PART OF AN ECONOMIC REBUILDING PROGRAM FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER DOING THIS PROJECT HERE IN AUSTIN.
THAT'S WHY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S THINKING ABOUT DOING THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS, MORE OF THESE PROJECTS.
DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? I WOULD, I WOULD JUST ECHO THAT, THAT IDEA THAT WE CAN LAND ON THE RIGHT INVESTMENT MIX, THE RIGHT DEDICATION OF THAT INVESTMENT MAKING.
IT JUST SETS US UP TO PULL DOWN FEDERAL FUNDS, UM, WHEN WE, WHEN WE CAN INTO LEVERAGE.
HOPEFULLY WHAT MAYBE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN BE READY FOR THAT FROM A FUNDING SOURCE, FROM A PLAN PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A BETTER POSITION LOCALLY HERE IN AUSTIN.
CHAIRMAN COOPER, YOU POPPED UP FOR A SECOND.
DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT? NO, THAT WAS JUST A RANDOM NOISE.
REALLY DO MY TECHNOLOGY VERY WELL.
OKAY, LET'S GO TO A JACOB CALHOUN WHO GAVE US THE PROJECT OVERVIEW.
UH, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW PROJECT CONNECT, THIS IS AN AUDIENCE QUESTION WILL AFFECT SERVICE IN EAST AUSTIN, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE OF US EAST OF ONE 83 THREE JACOB WILL HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ROUTES THAT WE'LL BE HEADING EAST OF ONE 83.
SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE, WE CAN PULL UP THE MAP.
WE'LL SHOW THIS DIFFERENT RAPID ROUTES WE'VE GOT OUT THAT WAY.
UH, WE'LL HAVE ONE THAT'S HEADING OUT TOWARDS THE EXPO CENTER.
WE'LL HAVE A, ANOTHER ONE THAT IS HEADING OUT EAST ON MLK TOWARDS KIND OF THE DECKER LAKE AREA.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY ON THE EAST SIDE OF ONE 83 UNTIL YOU GET KIND OF FURTHER SOUTH.
BUT THERE IS THE UM, UH, PLEASANT VALLEY LINE THAT'S KIND OF COVERING THE EAST SIDE.
PLUS OF COURSE THE BLUE LINE HEADING EAST OF THE, UH, LIGHT RAIL HEADING TOWARDS THE AIRPORT.
[01:00:01]
A VARIETY OF THINGS.EAST OF 35 HAVE PLENTY OF THEM.
ALSO HEADING EAST OF ONE 83 AND OF COURSE THE GREEN LINE HEADING OUT, UM, UH, COMMUTER RAIL LINE TOWARDS, UH, CONNIE PARK.
WE'VE ALREADY HIT THE A NEW NOW OR IT'S 1202, BUT WE'RE GETTING PLENTY OF QUESTIONS STILL.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER 10 OR SO MINUTES.
WHAT WAS THE REASONING FOR GREATER INVESTMENT IN THE GOAL LINE WITH THE LATEST TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATION? WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE CHANGES AS A RESULT OF THE CAMPO DEMOGRAPHICS, THERE ARE SURVEYS THAT THEY DO EVERY FIVE YEARS.
IT SHOWS A MUCH HIGHER RIDERSHIP ON THE GOAL LINE.
A THEN WAS LOOKED AT IN THE 2040 DEMOGRAPHICS.
UH, SO THAT PROJECTION OF AN INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP WOULD JUSTIFY THE UTILIZATION OF A LIGHT RAIL AS OPPOSED TO A BRT.
BUT TO START WITH, WE MAY WIND UP WITH THE INITIAL WORK ON THAT LINE, UH, BEING METRO RAPID, THE SAME AS WHAT WE HAVE ON OTHER LINES RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE PROGRESSION THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN TERMS OF, IN WHAT SEQUENCE THE PROGRAM IS ROLLED OUT AT WHICH TIME, BUT ULTIMATELY IT WOULD BE LIGHT RAIL.
THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FOR MAYOR ADLER FROM THE AUDIENCE.
HOW WILL THE CITY ASSURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUED TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE AREAS SURROUNDING THE PROJECT CONNECT CORRIDORS? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION TOO.
AND THEN ONE OF A REAL SPECIFIC FOCUS.
UH, THE, THE, THE BOND MONEY THAT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, SUPPORTED, UH, IS NOW BEING TARGETED TO THOSE HIGH OPPORTUNITY, UH, LOCATIONS.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, UH, IN THE END AND AROUND PATIENTS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF AFFORDABILITY TO GETS PUT INTO THOSE PROJECTS.
AND THEN WITH RESPECT TO PRESERVING THE HOUSING THAT ALREADY EXISTS IN AREAS AND THEN HELPING TO STOP IT FROM BEING ABLE TO, UM, TO UNNECESSARILY OR ACCELERATE THE, THE, THE GENTRIFICATION, UH, WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THOSE CHANGES, UH, TARGETED CHANGES TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, UH, SO AS TO HELP ENSURE THAT, THAT, THAT THOSE HOMES ARE NOT JUST, UH, THE, THE, THE VICTIMS OF, UH, OF THIS NEW PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT IMPORTANTLY IS DESIGNED TO BRING OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN THE STATION, THE AREAS, UH, AND, AND WE HAVE TO BE REALLY MINDFUL AND ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S WHAT GETS REALIZED.
HOW WILL PROJECT CONNECT IMPACT CONGESTION THROUGHOUT OUR CITY? OH, CONGESTION IS GOING TO BE A SOMETHING WE LIVE WITH, BUT UH, AS OUR CITY CONTINUES TO GROW IN THIS SUCCESSFUL, BUT, UH, NOTHING WILL HAVE A GREATER IMPACT ON EASING CONGESTION AND SLOWING THE GROWTH OF CONGESTION THAN HAVING A REALLY VIBRANT, UH, UH, HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT SYSTEM.
THE ORANGE LINE AND THE BLUE LINE THEMSELVES ARE LIKE BUILDING A MULTILINE FREEWAY RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE.
AND SO THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO THAT WILL EASE CONGESTION I THINK ON MOPAC AND I 35 MORE THAN BUILDING A ROBUST TRANSIT SYSTEM RIGHT DOWN THE SPINE OF OUR CITY.
UH, SORT OF EQUIDISTANT BETWEEN 35 AND MOPAC.
SO I THINK, UH, IF CONGESTION IS THE THING THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT, THIS IS A TYPE OF A PROGRAM OF PROJECTS THAT IS BEST CALCULATED TO EASE THAT.
LAST QUESTION IS FOR RANDY CLARK AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO OUR FINAL THOUGHTS FROM OUR DISCUSSION LEADERS TODAY.
WHAT WILL BE THE PROJECT DELIVERY METHOD, FOR EXAMPLE, WILL IT BE DESIGN BUILD OR THE LARGER INFRASTRUCTURE PIECES? AND WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME FOR THE DIFFERENT PHASES OF PROJECT? RANDY CLARK? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION AND I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT ANSWER ON THAT YET.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS.
SO WE'LL DO A VERY COMPREHENSIVE, A BENEFIT COST AND RISK ANALYSIS ON THAT, UH, DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF CRAWL, WALK, RUN.
SO AS THE MAYOR SAID, IS THIS THE SYSTEM THAT WE WANT TO BUILD? THAT'S JUNE 10TH, AND BY MOST ACCOUNTS, EVERYTHING WE'RE HEARING ACROSS THE COMMUNITY IS YES, THIS IS THE SYSTEM WE WANT TO BUILD.
THE DECISION THEN IN THE SUMMER IS HOW MUCH OF THIS DOES THE CITY AND THE CAP METRO WANT TO INVEST IN TO BUILD, WHETHER IT'S THE WHOLE MAP OR PART OF THE MAP.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THE DESIGN ELEMENTS.
UM, AND PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO DELIVER THIS PROGRAM.
SO ON THINGS LIKE THE METRO RAPID BUSES, WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
UH, I DON'T SEE THAT AS BEING OVERLY COMPLICATED.
WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE THAT THROUGH OUR NORMAL PROCESS
[01:05:01]
ON THE, ON THE, ON THE RAIL LINES, WE HAVE TO HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION AND TRULY RISK ANALYSIS DONE ON A DESIGN PLUS BUILD DESIGN BUILD COMBINATION, UH, POTENTIALLY DESIGN, BUILD, OPERATE.UM, THERE'S A VARIETY OF METHODS.
AND TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO MAXIMIZE EVERY DOLLAR OF PUBLIC RESOURCE WE HAVE FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE.
WE HAVE TO MANAGE RISKS AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET IT DONE IN CERTAIN TIMELINES.
AND THEN WE HOLD WHATEVER CONTRACTOR WE ALSO MAKE DELIVERED TO DO CERTAIN PARTS OF THIS WORK TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND METRICS IN A VERY TRANSPARENT, OPEN WAY.
AND I THINK AS GREG MENTIONED, THE, UH, THE MECHANISM OF THIS OVERSIGHT BOARD IS REALLY, IT'S REALLY A DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT BOARD THAT IS FOCUSED ON THIS.
SO A LOT OF WORK TO DO WITH THAT.
WE'LL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THAT OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR YEAR AND A HALF, UH, PROCESS.
BUT IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT VERY, VERY MUCH TALKED ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND OUR FINAL QUESTION, OUR CLOSING QUESTION GOES TO OUR DISCUSSION LEADERS DURING TODAY'S OWN VIRTUAL TOWN HALL, MAYOR STEVE ADLER AND CHAIRMAN WADE COOPER OF CAPITAL METRO.
WHY DO YOU THINK THE COMMUNITY SHOULD SUPPORT PROJECT CONNECT? MAYOR ADLER, UNMUTE YOURSELF PLEASE.
I THINK THAT THAT THERE'S, AUSTIN IS A MAGICAL PLACE AND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS, UH, THAT WORKS SO WELL, UH, IN OUR CITY.
IT'S A CITY THAT CARES ABOUT ONE ANOTHER.
IT'S AN ENTREPRENEURIAL AND INNOVATIVE PLACE.
THERE'S SO MANY THINGS ABOUT THIS CITY THAT WE'RE, WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES THOUGH THAT ARE PRETTY FLARING.
A LOT OF THOSE CHALLENGES HAVE TO DO WITH EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THOSE CITIES IS SHARING IN THAT SAME MEASURE OF SUCCESS.
UH, QUALITY OF LIFE IS INCREDIBLE HERE.
UH, BUT WHEN YOU ASK ABOUT, UM, THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, WE OFTEN HEAR HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET FROM ONE PART OF THE CITY TO ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY.
UH, IT'S ONE OF THE CHIEF QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES THAT OUR CITY'S HAD FOR A LONG TIME.
THOSE KINDS OF FACTORS, THOSE KINDS OF ARE OUR TWO ARE AMONG OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES.
I, AND I THINK THAT HAVING A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM IS SOMETHING THAT IS A GREAT EQUALIZER, PROVIDES EVERYONE IN THE CITY A GREATER OPPORTUNITY.
THIS PARTICULAR TRANSIT SYSTEM, THE WAY THAT IT'S LAID OUT, PROVIDES, UM, A GREATER ACCESS, MORE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNITIES AND FOLKS THAT, THAT, THAT NEED GREATER ACCESS.
UH, THE, THE PERCENTAGES ARE JUST OFF THE, OFF THE CHARTS.
WE NEED THIS PROJECT, I THINK SO THAT THE AUSTIN CAN BECOME THE CITY THAT WE WOULD REALLY, THAT WE WOULD REALLY WANT IT TO BE.
AND AS WE COME OUT OF THE VIRUS, I THINK THIS GIVES US A CHANCE TO, TO JUMPSTART A RECOVERY, UH, IN A WAY THAT WILL LAST WITH MORE JOBS AND WITH, UM, UH, I JUST THINK THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME, UH, FOR A PROJECT.
AND THE LAST REASON I WOULD SAY WE NEED IT NOW, UH, IS BECAUSE WE FINALLY HAVE A PLAN THAT SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE AND OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY AGREED IS THE RIGHT ONE.
AND HAVING THAT KIND OF PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALLUDED US FOR THE LAST 20.
SO I JUST THINK THAT FOR US TO BE THE BEST AUSTIN WE CAN BE, WE NEED A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM, UH, LIKE THE ONE DIVISION BY PROJECT CONNECT.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO HELPED US PUT TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM TODAY AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY.
REALLY ONE OF THE GREAT PARTS OF MY JOB IS, UH, BEEN ABLE TO, UH, HEAR THE INPUT FROM ALL OVER OUR COMMUNITY, THE THOUGHTS THAT CONCERNS THE IDEAS, UH, ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING WITH TRANSIT.
I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE COLLECTIVELY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS PUT IN FRONT OF FOLKS, UH, TO BE DISCUSSING FOR TOO MANY YEARS.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING AND NOT DOING AND, UH, PRIOR GENERATIONS DIDN'T GET THIS SOLVED.
I THINK IT IS INCUMBENT UPON OUR GENERATION TO LEAVE A GIFT TO THE NEXT GENERATION AND TO PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE KIND OF GROWTH THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE IS ONE OF THE, UH, OLDEST, UH, PANELISTS OF NOT THE OLDEST.
UH, I'VE NOT LIVED THROUGH A PANDA DEMIC BUT I'VE LIVED THROUGH RECESSIONS AND, UH, I KNOW THIS ONE WILL END AND UH, AS QUICKLY AS WE GOT INTO IT, I SUSPECT THE, WE'LL BE MOVING OUT OF IT VERY QUICKLY.
AND AUSTIN WILL CONTINUE TO ATTRACT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER OUR COUNTRY AND ALL OVER THE WORLD AS A PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK AND PLAY.
AND THE SAME PROBLEMS ARE GOING TO BE THERE AS WE COME OUT OF THIS THAT WERE HERE TWO MONTHS AGO, WHICH IS CONGESTION,
[01:10:01]
AFFORDABILITY, EQUITY, AND HAVING A MULTIGENERATIONAL VIEW OF WHAT'S NEXT.SO, UH, THE REASON TO NOT THIS PLAN IS IT'S A SOLID PLAN.
IT, UH, HAS HAD MORE COMMUNITY INPUT THAN ANY PLAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE.
IT'S MORE ROBUST AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BUILD ON FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO DISCUSS IT WITH EVERYBODY.
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH THE MAYOR AND RANDY AND, AND EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE PANEL TODAY.
AND UH, UH, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, SEEING FOLKS OUT AT, UH, JUNE 10 MEETING AND, UH, BETWEEN THIS CITY AND CAP METRO BOARD.
AND WE WANT YOU TO BE ENGAGED TO THE CAP METRO FOLKS WANT TO MENTION THAT CAP METRO HAS SET UP A VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE.
IT'S GOING TO BE OPEN UP UNTIL MAY 31ST OKAY.
SO YOU CAN JUST GO TO, AT ANY TIME@PROJECTCONNECT.COM AND SELECT VIRTUAL MEETINGS ON THE HOMEPAGE.
AS THE MAYOR SAID, BIG DECISIONS TO BE MADE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, SO BECOME ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS THERE.
YOU CAN LEARN EVEN MORE ABOUT THE NEW AND ENHANCED SERVICES PROPOSE AND ALSO SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK WITH CAPITAL METRO.
AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
WE COVERED A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION TODAY.
WE RECEIVED SOME REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK AND IF WE DIDN'T GET YOUR QUESTION TODAY, IT'S GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FAQ DOCUMENT POSTED ON THE PROJECT CONNECT WEBSITE.
AGAIN, OUR THANKS TO ALL THE CAPITAL METRO STAFF WHO ASSISTED IN TODAY'S VIRTUAL TOWN HALL AND OUR DISCUSSION LEADERS, AUSTIN MAYOR STEVE ADLER AND BOARD CHAIR OF CAPITAL METRO WADE COOPER.
WE THANK YOU BOTH FOR SHARING YOUR INSIGHTS TODAY.
TODAY HAS BEEN THE SEVENTH IN OUR VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING SERIES.
OUR LAST TWO WILL BE THURSDAY, MAY THE 28TH AT SIX IN THE EVENING AND FRIDAY MAY THE 29TH AT TWO IN THE AFTERNOON.
WE INVITE YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN US.
GO TO PROJECT CONNECT.COM TO FIND OUT ALL ABOUT THE UPCOMING MEETINGS AND THE VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE, WHICH I TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT IT'S OPENED UP UNTIL MAY THE 31ST AND YOU CAN WATCH THE RECORDINGS ON CAPITOL METRO'S FACEBOOK PAGE IF YOU JUST HAPPENED TO JOIN US MIDWAY THROUGH TODAY'S VIRTUAL MEETING.
WITH THAT, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, MUCH MORE TO COME.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR FEEDBACK.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE FEELING KIND OF STRANGE, BUT BEING A LITTLE BIT DURAN, I THINK NEED SOME KIND OF, I DIDN'T CALL.