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Light Rail AND Commuter Rail for Austin?
Towards a November 2004 Referendum

   In November 2000, voters within the Capital Metro service area rejected, by a mere 2,000 votes, a plan which would have allowed Cap Metro to operate a fixed rail system. Most voters within the City of Austin voted in favor, with County residents voting no. A law passed by the Texas Legislature in 2001 only allows Cap Metro to bring rail back to the voters again in November of even-numbered years, so that the vote will coincide with general elections when voter participation is at its highest. Now that the board of Cap Metro has decided NOT to hold a vote in November 2002, the next possible moment for light rail is November 2004.

   Over the last several months, Cap Metro has been working with the public in its Rapid Transit Project to craft a plan which will meet voter approval while serving the transportation needs of our community. TCP is an active participant in this process and strongly believes that the final shape of the package which Cap Metro brings back to the voters will depend, and should depend, on public input. Based on what we have heard from the community and our members, and on our own analysis of our transportation needs, TCP currently favors the following package, which could result in victory should the agency choose to bring rail back to the voters in November 2004.

Build a light rail starter line north of the river from downtown to U.S. 183. An alignment down San Jacinto from 4th St. to 26th St. would link downtown with the Capitol complex and UT, serving the Convention Center, the Capitol, Brackenridge Hospital, the Erwin Center, and Memorial Stadium. The line could then turn west from the 26th and San Jacinto intersection to Guadalupe and proceed up Guadalupe and N. Lamar to Highway 183, serving the most densely populated part of our community. Other alignments, linking the same neighborhoods with the same activity centers, are also possible

Do NOT run light rail down South Congress. Although light rail would certainly succeed down this street, this alignment continues to be fiercely opposed by S. Congress merchants, and by untold numbers of their sympathizers. Including this alignment in a 2004 referendum would probably lead to another defeat.

Build a commuter rail starter line along the Union Pacific railroad tracks south of the river to Slaughter Lane. This alignment, running along the UP right-of-way between S. Lamar and S. 1st Streets, would serve as a substitute to light rail down S. Congress. A station at Oltdorf, and stations with park-and-rides at Ben White, Stassney, William Cannon and Slaughter Lane, would serve South Austin commuters and build support in the precincts south of Highway 71--all of which voted against rail in 2000. This line could eventually be extended south to San Marcos and to San Antonio, and north along the MOPAC corridor, easing the pressure to widen that highway. Cap Metro is currently in negotiation with Union Pacific over the feasibility of sharing the right-of-way.

Build a light rail line connecting downtown with East Austin and the airport. This line could run from the Seaholm area near the Lamar St. bridge to Pleasant Valley Road in East Austin, mostly along the railroad corridor Cap Metro already owns. At Pleasant Valley, it could turn south across the river, serve the sea of student apartments near E. Riverside, and proceed to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. It could also be extended north past Martin Luther King Blvd to the Mueller airport site, now slated for redevelopment.

   TCP remains deeply committed to helping bring passenger rail to Central Texas as soon as possible. The longer we delay building environmentally friendly, affordable transportation options, the more we risk losing the quality of life for which Austin is famous.