02.02 Austin Light Rail Progress — original pdf

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Provide Feedback and Stay Involved Meeting Dates and Locations JAN 16 JAN 25 Lively Middle School Montopolis Rec Center 201 E Mary St. 1200 Montopolis Dr. JAN 22 Baker Center 3908 Avenue B JAN 28 UT Quadrangle Room 2308 Whitis Ave. Proposed Light Rail Timeline A public review and comment period for the DEIS will be conducted from January 10 through March 11, 2025. Comments received during this period will be addressed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement. View the online public meeting information. Austin Light Rail PROGRESS UPDATE January 2025 Bridge Over Lady Bird Lake View from inside the train, crossing Lady Bird Lake. Artist conceptual visualization Austin Light Rail Phase 1 is underway. This momentous transportation investment will offer an all-new transit experience, running reliably every 5 to 10 minutes to connect people to major job centers, education hubs, and iconic Austin destinations. Key progress highlights Continuing the design Recommendations to: • Add a new downtown station near Wooldridge Square. • Extend the bridge over Lady Bird Lake and elevate the Waterfront Station. • Refine station locations on East Riverside. • Advance a Greenway concept along East Riverside, featuring a continuous bike/pedestrian corridor and creating tree canopy and shade. Hitting major milestones in the federal funding process Including: Release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The DEIS is a critical step towards federal grant funding. Developing the contracting and delivery approach Including: Onboarding the Delivery Partner. Artist conceptual visualization Artist conceptual visualization East Riverside A new shaded walk and bike path along the line on East Riverside, designed to improve walkability. Benefits of Light Rail New Options to Get Places Easy, Reliable & Frequent Reduced Travel Times The line will integrate with cars, Light rail will have its own dedicated The line will allow riders to zip buses, trains and other modes — railway, intuitive directions, and run through the heart of Austin without giving people more choices when every 5-10 minutes — making it having to sit in traffic — significantly navigating between the core and the highly dependable and easy to use. reducing travel times to key larger metro area. Nature-forward Design An Engine for Jobs destinations. Keeps Austin Livable Shade trees, Texas plants, and new Light rail will create 10,000 jobs The line will help keep our city walk and bike paths will be integrated as a key part of city mobility accessible for working people by throughout the design of the line, improvements. It will also create connecting to affordable housing creating more people-friendly access to 200K+ jobs when and reducing commuting costs. spaces. operational. The Drag The station at UT on a typical game day with a redesigned and pedestrian-centric Guadalupe Street. Visit us atptx.org What is Light Rail? Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Light rail is an expandable electric train system designed for metropolitan areas, serving as an integral part of the The DEIS is required by NEPA, and evaluates the potential effects of constructing and transit network by connecting people to essential destinations where they live, work and play. operating light rail on Austin’s natural, human, and social environment. Austin Light Rail Phase 1 and Priority Extensions JANUARY 2025 What is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)? About Enacted into law in 1970, NEPA is a federally mandated public planning process for projects involving federal funds or federal involvement. Requirement NEPA requires federal agencies to incorporate environmental considerations into their planning and decision making through a systematic and interdisciplinary approach. Compliance with NEPA is required for Austin Light Rail because we are pursuing federal grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Benefits Light rail will introduce a new, reliable, and frequent transportation mode that connects people to jobs and key destinations. By attracting new riders and reducing car trips, it will enhance air quality and improve transit service for existing passengers. The construction and operation of light rail will also generate a significant number of jobs, with ATP supporting the development of a local workforce to take advantage of these new career opportunities. Adverse Impacts and Mitigation Plan effects. The DEIS identifies potential adverse impacts and outlines proposed mitigation measures to minimize these Visual Aesthetics Land Use and Zoning, Neighborhoods and Communities Air Quality Cultural (Built Environment) Parkland Section 4(f) Chapter 26 Environmental Justice and Socioeconomics Environmental Justice and Socioeconomics Acquisitions and Displacements Acquisitions and Displacements Transportation Utilities Safety and Security Noise and Vibration Noise and Vibration Hazardous Materials Archaeology Land and Water Conservation Fund Section 6(f) Soils and Geology Energy Threatened and Endangered Species Water Key Areas of Interest (identified in previous community engagement) Property Acquisitions Traffic The project primarily utilizes public right-of-way. Less Without light rail, many traffic intersections are than 3% of the land adjacent to the light rail corridor expected to remain congested. The introduction would be needed, and the majority of property of light rail will alleviate traffic at some locations, impacts would be thin strips of land to expand while other areas may see no improvement. ATP sidewalks and streets (i.e., partial rather than full is committed to ongoing coordination with the acquisitions).  ATP will adhere to the Uniform Act in all City of Austin to ensure the overall transportation cases and continue refining the design to minimize network functions effectively, including traffic signal property needs.  Assistance will be provided for management. relocations that result from acquisitions. Priority Extensions • Not included in the DEIS analysis. • Could be accelerated if additional funding becomes available. Facts Artist conceptual visualization Light Rail on East Riverside Aerial view near Pleasant Valley station, showing a new shaded walk and bike path and how the line extends from the city center to East Riverside. 15 STATIONS connecting points north, south, 9.8 MILES of light rail and east of downtown Austin transit ~ 28,000 average daily weekday trips Access to: 136,000 current jobs 200,000+ future jobs Air Quality The entire DEIS is available Annually, over 20 million fewer vehicle miles will be for review and comment at traveled as more people take transit. Light rail is atptx.org. better for the environment because it is powered by electricity. Power supplied by Austin Energy for light rail will be carbon-free by 2035. Construction Construction may cause localized impacts such as dust, noise, and traffic detours. ATP will require contractors to manage these disruptions and will provide proactive communication to keep stakeholders informed of potential impacts. ATP will implement a Business Assistance Program to support businesses along the corridor.