AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Residents got a new look at Austin's potential future light rail system Tuesday afternoon, as Project Connect leaders released five new proposals at a public open house.
Voters approved a dedicated property tax revenue of 8.75 cents in November 2020, which is being funneled into the Austin Transit Partnership. That initial plan, initially pegged at $7 billion, called for the Blue and Orange light rail lines, an expansion of the existing MetroRail Red line, and added Green and Gold lines as well as MetroRapid bus line improvements.
Last summer, in the wake of rising costs that had ballooned to more than $10 billion, the Austin Transit Partnership hit pause on the original plans. The five options unveiled Tuesday are mostly above ground, with only one option that is partially underground.
The first of three on-street options would connect 38th Street to Oltorf Street to Yellow Jacket Lane. A second option would connect the North Lamar Transit Center with Pleasant Valley Road, while a third would connect 29th Street & Guadalupe with Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. A partially elevated option would connect 29th Street to Oltorf to Yellow Jacket Lane, while a partially underground option would connect 20th Street on the UT campus to Yellow Jacket Lane.
Officials say they hope to narrow down and select a final option to move forward on, including an environmental impact statement. Ultimately, officials are hoping to have the federal government contribute a little less than half of the estimated project costs. Construction could take up to nine years.
