AUSTIN, Texas — The underground light rail route that is a key part of Austin’s $7 billion plan for transit expansion is facing changes after the Texas legislature failed to pass legislation allowing the route to go under two downtown parks.
KUT Public Radio reports Austin Transit Partnership — the agency overseeing the project, combining representatives of city government and the Capital Metro transit agency — has had to shift the rail line northward, and relocate an entrance from within Republic Square Park to an adjacent street. The partnership is also talking to companies developing two projects along the route to see if they could incorporate station entrances.
The legislation that would have granted Capital Metro a 99-year lease under the state-owned parks passed the state House but never came to a vote in the Senate. The transit partnership said it could still be possible to return to the original plan if the legislature passes a new version of the bill during its next regular session in 2023.
The underground line is part of the Project Connect trans plans passed by voters in 2020 that includes three new light rail lines, a second commuter rail line, and additional service on the current commuter line [see “Austin approves transit expansion plan,” Trains News Wire, June 11, 2020]
Andrew that may be the problem. The parks would get the money. They didn’t say why the senate didn’t vote on it. But you know pay to play. The politicians need money for there campaign.
Pure speculation — Could just be that the legislature doesn’t want to help out the city of Austin or to advance rail transit. Elected officials everywhere of all stripes and parties have been known to play that game.
I wonder why? The parks would have gotten the lease money for land they are not using. Tax payers should be given a chance to earn on land they own.