RECOMMENDATION Urban Transportation Commission Recommendation Number 20260106-005: Mopac South WHEREAS, the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) sets a goal that by 2039, 50% of commutes will not be non-single occupancy vehicles; WHEREAS, the Austin Strategic Mobility Plans sets a target to achieve a 20% reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 2039; WHEREAS, vehicle miles traveled per capita, congestion levels, commute times, and crashes in the Austin region have been increasing, and the region is not meeting the safety targets recommended in the Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI) Regional Traffic Safety Plan; WHEREAS, expanding highways leads to developmental sprawl, increases in traffic, air pollution, and per-capita vehicle miles traveled, while failing to relieve congestion; WHEREAS, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) recommended build alternative 2C for Mopac South proposes to add two tolled express lanes to Mopac Boulevard between Barton Skyway and 6th Street; WHEREAS, the CTRMA recommended build alternative additionally widens the bridge over Lady Bird Lake to five non-tolled general purpose lanes in both directions; WHEREAS, the CTRMA recommended build alternative includes significant elevated ramping of the highway between Barton Skyway and Rollingwood, while community feedback has consistently requested no elevated ramps; WHEREAS, City Council Resolution 20241212-066 directed the City Manager to work with CTRMA to align the Mopac South proposal with the ASMP, Austin Climate Equity Plan, and Project Connect Plan; WHEREAS, that same resolution called for a refined Mopac South project that would “reduce or not increase vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions, reduce or minimize increases in impervious cover, minimize the loss of tree canopy, and minimize the widening of the existing roadway,” yet it is at best unclear that the recommended build alternative would meet these goals; WHEREAS, Council Member Ellis, the resolution’s sponsor and council-district representative of the project area, followed up with a letter requesting that the Mopac South project include no more than one additional lane in each direction, but the recommended build alternative does not align with this request; WHEREAS, the Travis County Commissioners Court requested that CTRMA produce an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with a thorough study of alternatives before moving forward with the project, yet CTRMA has indicated they hope to conduct only an Environmental Assessment (EA); WHEREAS, Urban Transportation Commission Recommendation 20250401-003 built on the groundwork laid by City Council and requested that the Mopac South Project be removed from the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization …
ARTICLE 7. MEETINGS. (A) The board meetings shall comply with Texas Government Code Chapter 551 (Texas Open Meetings Act). (B) Board meetings shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order. (C) The board may not conduct a closed meeting without the approval of the city attorney. (D) The board shall meet monthly. In November of each year, the board shall adopt a schedule of the meetings for the upcoming year, including makeup meeting dates for the holidays and cancelled meetings. (E) The chair may call a special meeting, and the chair shall call a special meeting if requested by three or more members. The call shall state the purpose of the meeting. A board may not call a meeting in addition to its regular scheduled meetings as identified in its adopted meeting schedule, more often than once a quarter, unless the meeting is required to comply with a statutory deadline or a deadline established by Council. (F) Six members constitute a quorum. (G) If a quorum for a meeting does not convene within one-half hour of the posted time for the meeting, then the meeting may not be held. (H) To be effective, a board action must be adopted by affirmative vote of the number of members necessary to provide a quorum. (I) The chair has the same voting privilege as any other member. (J) The board shall allow public communication to address the board on agenda items and during a period of time set aside for public communications. The chair may limit a speaker to three minutes. (K) The staff liaison shall prepare the board minutes. The minutes of each board meeting must include the vote of each member on each item before the board and indicate whether a member is absent or failed to vote on an item. (L) The city clerk shall retain agendas, approved minutes, internal review reports and bylaws. The Austin Transportation & Public Works Department shall retain all other board documents. The documents are public records under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 552 (Texas Public Information Act). (M) The chair shall adjourn a meeting not later than 10 p.m., unless the board votes to continue the meeting. (N) Each person and board member attending a board meeting should observe decorum pursuant to Section 2-1- 48 of the City Code. (O) A member of the public may not address a board at a meeting on …
URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, January 6, 2026 The Urban Transportation Commission convened in a regular meeting on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room 1101, Austin, Texas. Chair Somers called the Commission Meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Heather Buffo - (District 1) Nathan Fernandes – (District 2) Susan Somers, Chair - (District 4) Daniel Kavelman - (District 5) Commissioners in Attendance Virtually: Kevin Chen - (District 6) Varun Prasad - (District 7) Justin Jacobson - (District 8) Spencer Schumacher, Vice Chair - (District 9) PUBLIC COMMUNICATION No Public Communication APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING on December 2, 2025. The minutes from the meeting of 12/2/2025 were approved on a motion from Commissioner Fernandes and a second from Commissioner Kavelman on a 7-0 vote, with Commissioners Brown, Chen, and Sorin absent. STAFF BRIEFING 2. Staff briefing regarding the Corridor Construction Program. The commission received a presentation from Genest Landry, Assistant Director, Austin Capital Delivery Services. 3. Staff Briefing regarding Annual Right-of-Way Asset Management Plan (RAMP). The commission received a presentation from Adam Bailey, Asset Manager, Austin Transportation and Public Works. 4. Staff briefing regarding State of Bridges. The commission received a presentation from Angela Johnson, Managing Engineer, Austin Transportation and Public Works. 1 URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Approve an Urban Transportation Commission Public Comment to Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) regarding the South Mopac project. Amendment: On a motion from Commissioner Buffo, and a second from Commissioner Chen, the amendment was approved with an 8-0 vote, with Commissioners Brown and Sorin absent. On a motion from Vice Chair Somers, and a second from Commissioner Buffo, approved as amended with an 8-0 vote, with Commissioners Brown and Sorin absent. 6. Approve proposed changes to Urban Transportation Commission By-laws. Postponed to February 3, 2026, on a motion from Vice Chair Schumacher, and a second from Commissioner Fernandes, an 8-0 vote, with Commissioners Brown and Sorin absent. COMMITTEE UPDATES 7. Update from Commissioner Chen from the Downtown Commission regarding actions taken at the September 17, 2025, October 15, 2025, November 19, 2025, and December 17, 2025, meetings. The commission received an update from Commissioner Chen. 8. Update from Commissioner Schumacher from the Bicycle Advisory Council regarding actions taken at the December …
