AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Austin voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition A, according to election results Tuesday.
Just under 58% of voters across the city voted in favor of the $7.1 billion transportation plan known as "Project Connect" - authorizing an 8.75 cent increase in the city's property tax rate to fund the project.
City Manager Spencer Cronk praised the passage in a statement late Tuesday. "With the passage of Proposition A, voters have given the green light to a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revolutionize our transportation infrastructure and provide people in our community with a safe, reliable way to get around," Cronk said. "Project Connect will be better for our residents’ health, the environment, our safety, and our economic prosperity."
The plan includes the construction of two light rail lines, as well as a downtown tunnel and multiple rapid bus routes across the city. The ballot measure is asking voters to approve an 8.75 cent increase to the city tax rate, which would pay for construction, maintenance, and labor of the system.
In addition, voters also approved Proposition B - some $460 million in funding for transportation infrastructure, including 78 miles of new and ADA-accessible sidewalks, urban trails, bikeways, safe routes to school and improvements for substandard streets.