[00:00:01]
I DID SEE NATASHA ON.UM, SO AT, GIVE ME JUST A SECOND, I WANT TO MAKE SURE ATX N HAS A CHANCE TO GET STARTED.
WE ARE READY WHEN YOU GUYS ARE WITH ATX M OKAY, FANTASTIC.
[CALL TO ORDER]
I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE TAKING THE CHARGE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
UM, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE NEXT, UH, FEW YEARS HOLDS FOR US AS A COMMITTEE.
UM, JOINING ME IS VICE CHAIR BECAUSE THE KELLY COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBER, ALISON AND MAYOR PRO TEM, NATASHA HARPER, MADISON, IS OUR NEWLY ADDED PERSON TO HELP JOIN US IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
SO VERY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ON THE TEAM.
UM, WE DO HAVE, I BELIEVE ONE CITIZEN THAT HAS SIGNED UP FOR GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
UM, BEFORE WE CALL THAT PERSON, I JUST WANTED TO DAYLIGHT THAT AT THE ITEM, NUMBER SIX, URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, BRIEFING ITEMS, THEY ASKED TO POSTS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET YOU TO SOME OF THE SITUATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND SO IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, I WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE THAT ITEM UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS WE'LL STILL HAVE A REGULAR STANDING ITEM FOR AN UPDATE.
UM, SO OUR FIRST, OUR FIRST ITEM
[Citizen Communication: General]
WILL BE, UH, GENERAL CITIZENS COMMUNICATION IF WE HAVE A SPEAKER SIGNED UP, BUT WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM THEM NOW.ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU.
EVERY MEETING IS DIFFERENT, SO SOMETIMES STAFF COMES ON TO NOTIFY US.
SO I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST JUMP IN, BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS, I'M SYNOVIA, JOSEPH.
I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO YOUR AGENDA ITEMS AND THEIR DISCUSSION ITEMS. SO I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE THEM NOW, AS IT RELATES TO CAPITAL METRO ITEM, NUMBER TWO, WHERE YOUR GETS YOUR BRIEFING ON THE WINTER DISASTER.
I JUST WANTED TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THERE WAS A SENIOR CITIZEN WHO IS ALSO FORCIBLY BLIND, THAT LIVES IN THE PARMA LANE AREA, WHO WAS UNABLE TO GET WATER.
THERE IS NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THAT AREA.
AND SO I WOULD ASK YOU, AS YOU ARE MOVING FORWARD TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED, TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE FOR OUR ELDERS THAT DO NOT HAVE TRANSPORTATION, OR IN THIS CASE HAVE TO WALK 1.5 MILES TO THE BUS STOP.
THIS IS ALSO TRUE OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS IN THE WELLS BRANCH AREA.
IT'S ONE MILE WALK TO THE BUS STOP FROM MERRILL TOWN IN 0.5 MILES FROM COLLINGWOOD TO BRAKER LANE.
AND SO THE SIDEWALKS WERE SLICK.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO INCLUDE THEM IN YOUR PLANNING, MOVING FORWARD.
AS IT RELATES TO ITEM THREE, THAT'S THE CAPITOL EXPRESS PROGRAM, SUSAN FRAZIER'S BRIEFING.
SHE WAS ON KCI SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE A PROJECT CONNECT WENT BEFORE VOTERS.
HOWEVER, I DO WISH TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION ON PAGE FOUR, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT IMPROVING EAST-WEST CONNECTIVITY.
I DO FIND THAT PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE YOU HAVE ELIMINATED NOT YOU MEANING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT CAPITAL METRO ELIMINATED NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY NORTH OF US, ONE 83.
SO IF THE EAST-WEST CONNECTIVITY IS IMPORTANT FOR THE
AND THEN ON THE ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS YOUR 2016 MOBILITY BOND, I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON, WHICH IS IN THE PARMA LANE AREA.
IT'S IN COUNCIL MEMBER POOLS DISTRICT, WHERE THEY ACTUALLY GAVE A WATER.
IT'S A WALNUT CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK.
THERE'S AN APARTMENT COMPLEX ACROSS THE STREET.
A GENTLEMAN WAS KILLED IN HIS WHEELCHAIR IN ABOUT 2016 IN THAT AREA.
IT'S JUST BEFORE PALMER, IT'S NORTH OF BREAKER AND NORTH LAMAR, HIS SERVICE DOG LIVED, BUT HE DIED.
AND SO IT IS TEMPTING IF YOU LIVE ACROSS THE STREET TO JUST WALK THAT DISTANCE OR TRY TO GET ACROSS, BUT IT'S DANGEROUS.
UH, LASTLY, I'LL JUST CALL YOUR ATTENTION ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS YOUR BRIEFING ON THE PROJECT, CONNECTS IT SPECIFIES THE ORANGE LINE NORTH LAMAR AND US ONE 83.
AND IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS, UH, RAIL ON PAGE 11, BUT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT ON DECEMBER 17, 2018 CAPITAL METRO APPROVE THE PROJECT CONNECT PLAN.
AND IT ACTUALLY IS SOUTH OF US, ONE 83.
SO I THINK THAT'S VERY MISLEADING.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO ACCURATELY INFORM THE VOTERS, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE PLAN
[00:05:01]
FOR MARCH NIGHT, THE JOINT PROJECT, UH, PROJECT CONNECT PLAN, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT SAYS, UM, ENHANCED METRO RAPID.AND SO IT'S MISLEADING THE STATE THAT THAT IS THE RAIL IN THAT AREA BECAUSE NORTH OF US, ONE 83 IS TEXTILES RIGHT AWAY, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, THAT'S 24 TO 30 YEARS AND MOVING FORWARD FOR YOUR FUTURE ITEMS, I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO INCLUDE ON THE AGENDA, THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, UH, YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT CAPITOL AREA, METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION WILL HAVE SOME FUNDING, UH, OPENING UP THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, 13 MILLION TO 14 MILLION.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT THE METRO RAPID LINE FROM SAMSUNG TO APPLE WAS ELIMINATED AND ALL THREE OF THE NORTHEAST METRO RAPIDS COST LESS THAN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN IN YOUR AREA WHERE OAK HILL IS.
I KNOW THAT'S A LOT, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT SPECIFICALLY, CONVICT HILL ONLY HAS 2.9 BOARDINGS AN HOUR.
AND SO I THINK THE PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN NEED THE TRANSPORTATION AND THE SOURCE I'LL GIVE YOU LAST WEEK IS THERE'S A NORTH MEMORIAL TRANSIT, UM, OR A NORTH CORRIDOR PROJECT CONNECT ON ALTERNATIVE STUDY FROM 2014.
THAT TALKS ABOUT THE GROWTH THROUGH 2035 IN THAT AREA.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU, MS. JOSEPH, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
THE TWO MINUTES FOR HEALTHY STREETS WAS IN THE DIRECTIONS THAT CAME TO ME, BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT ON YOUR AGENDA.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK TO WHY THAT SAYS TWO MINUTES FOR HEALTHY STREETS.
NUMBER SIX, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION BRIEFING, UM, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO MEET.
AND SO THEREFORE WE POSTPONED THAT ITEM.
SO, UM, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU BEING ABLE TO SPEAK WITH US TODAY.
UM, OUR NUMBER ONE ITEM ON THE
[1. Approve the minutes of the Mobility Committee meeting of January 21, 2021.]
AGENDA IS GOING TO BE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE FROM JANUARY 21ST, 2021.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES? VICE CHAIR, KELLY MAKES THE MOTION.
DO I HAVE A SECOND MAYOR PRO TEM HARPER, MADISON, ALL IN FAVOR, PSEUDONYMOUS ON THE MOBILITY DYESS.
SO WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO OUR BRIEFINGS.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW BRIEFINGS, SOME REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE.
I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THOSE PRESENTATIONS BEING ADDED TO BACKUP, TO GIVE US A CHANCE TO LOOK THROUGH THEM, UM, OVER THE LAST FEW HOURS, UM, I WILL SAY WE'VE GOT A PRETTY TIGHT TIMELINE.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY SLIDES YOU WANT TO MOVE A LITTLE QUICKER ON, IT WILL ALLOW US TIME FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE TO CIRCLE BACK.
IF THOSE ARE PARTICULAR SLIDES THAT THEY HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO HEAR THE PRESENT PATIENT AND TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOME TIME FOR Q AND A FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
SO THE FIRST ONE UP IS GOING TO
[2. Update regarding the response by City Mobility Strategic Outcome departments (Austin Transportation, Public Works, Fleet Mobility and Aviation) and Capital Metro to the February 2021 winter weather disaster. (15 minutes). Sponsors: Council Member Paige Ellis, and Council Member Mackenzie Kelly]
BE AN UPDATE REGARDING THE RESPONSE BY CITY MOBILITY, STRATEGIC OUTCOME DEPARTMENTS, WHICH IS AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS, FLEET MOBILITY AND AVIATION AND CAPITAL METRO TO THE FEBRUARY, 2021 WINTER WEATHER DISASTER.YOU MAY GET STARTED AS SOON AS THE PRESENTATION IS UP AND YOU HAVE EVERYONE YOU NEED.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CHAIR, IF WE COULD START THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE LEVEL OF THE OUTCOME, WINTER WEATHER RESPONSE, AND WE CAN MOVE TO SLIDE TWO.
SO CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE JOINING US, BUT WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WORK OF THE MOBILITY OUTCOME DEPARTMENTS AND HOW WE PREPARED FOR AND RESPONDED TO THE WINTER WEATHER EMERGENCY.
UM, THIS WAS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK RESPONSE AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK OF OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OR FLEET DEPARTMENT AND OUR AVIATION DEPARTMENT THAT MOBILIZED QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY, AND THEY SUPPORTED THE ENTIRE ENTERPRISE AND OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO WORK IN, IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT SUPPORTING EACH OTHER IN SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY WHAT WE DO BEST.
I'VE ASKED JENNIFER WALLS, OUR FLEET SERVICES DIRECTOR TO JOIN ME THIS AFTERNOON.
JENNIFER HAS A FEW SLIDES TO BRING YOU THROUGH REALLY THE GREAT WORK OF THE FLEET DEPARTMENT.
THEY ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF THIS WEATHER EMERGENCY.
THEY WERE OUT THERE FROM THE BEGINNING AND THEY WERE OUT THERE AFTER, UM, AND YOU KNOW, TO, TO ME, THEY SUPPORTED THE ENTIRE ENTERPRISE AND THEY SUPPORTED OUR COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DOES THE
[00:10:01]
FLEET DEPARTMENT DO WELL TO TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME OF THEIR GREAT WORK IS JENNIFER WALLS.AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JENNIFER AT THIS POINT.
ACM FI AND DACA, AND THANK YOU COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND ANY OF THE PUBLIC THAT'S WATCHING.
UM, I ALSO, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
JEAN HAD KIND OF SAID, TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT OUR EMPLOYEES DO, AND A LOT OF TIME IT GOES UNSEEN ON HER.
UM, AND, UM, THEY'RE KIND OF AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL OF MAKING THE ORGANIZATION RUN CONTINUITY OF CITY SERVICES.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW ME TO DO THAT.
UM, THE FLEET DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH OUR HOME LIVABILITY OUTCOME, FOLKS, ALL WORK TOGETHER IN THIS RESPONSE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DID IN PREPARATION BEFORE THE STORM, AS WELL AS DURING THE STORM.
SO IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM, UH, WE WORKED ON MOBILIZING ASSETS AND RESOURCES TO RESPOND.
UM, THIS MEANS FUEL SUPPLIES, DOLOMITE FOR THE ROADS.
WHAT HAVE YOU STAGING ALL THAT AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND WHATEVER THE END STAFF AS WELL, HOUSING STAFF ONSITE.
SO THEY COULD BETTER RESPOND TO THE EMERGENCY, NOT HAVE TO COME FROM HOME.
A LOT OF OUR FOLKS HAD SERVICE, BODY TRUCKS THEY'LL PICK THEM UP AT HOME.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY, PEOPLE WERE LEAVING HOMES WHERE THE CONDITIONS WEREN'T BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE CITY AS A DIRECTOR.
I JUST, THIS GOES WITHOUT SAYING AFTER THE STORE, I LEARNED OF SO MANY STORIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE AND THEY STILL RESPOND.
AND EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD FAMILIES AT THE HOME, ONE PERSON HAD A DEATH IN THEIR FAMILY AND THEY STILL CAME TO WORK.
RUNNY NOSE IS COLD HANDS SLANG IN IT, HARD TO GET THIS JOB DONE.
SO, OKAY, NOW THAT I'VE GRABBED ON THEM ENOUGH, I'LL, I'LL MOVE FORWARD OUT SOME MOBILIZING EQUIPMENT AND STAFF, UM, ALSO STAGING EQUIPMENT THROUGHOUT AUSTIN AND PRE-TREATING ROADS AND ELEVATED ROADWAYS.
UH, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DID BEFORE THE STORM STARTED, UM, TOPPING OFF ALL OF OUR FUEL SUPPLY, MAKING SURE OUR BENDER HAD A STEADY SUPPLY FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OPERATIONS CONTINUED IN THE CITY, UM, KIND OF WHAT WE DID DURING THE STORM.
UM, AGAIN, IF THE SIZE OF MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME, UM, OUTAGES THAT THE PUBLIC WAS, UH, WAS SUFFERING FROM, UM, WE FLEET AS YOU KNOW, SUPPORTS ALL DEPARTMENTS, ALL EQUIPMENT, AND WE PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE RESPONDING DIRECTLY TO THE EMERGENCY PUBLIC SAFETY, ESPECIALLY THE POLICE, FIRE, AND EMS. THAT MEANT WHEN THEY WENT OFF THE ROAD WHEN SHOOTING THEM OUT OF THE DITCHES, THANK YOU.
THEY RESPOND, RESPONDED CLEAR THE ROAD SO THAT WE GET THE TRUCKS AND STUFF BACK OUT ONTO THE ROAD.
UM, OUR MECHANICS THERE'S ONE INCIDENT WHERE, UH, THERE WAS A GENERATOR THAT WENT DOWN AT THE WATER DEPARTMENT AND IT WAS CRITICAL GENERATOR TO KEEP STUFF GOING.
AND WHENEVER MECHANICS DIDN'T HAVE THE CAR, BUT FABRICATED THE PART TO KEEP IT RUNNING UNTIL THE PARK CAME IN.
SO IT WAS THE LITTLE ON NITTY GRITTY STUFF THERE FOLKS COME IN, THEN NOBODY.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF MY TEAM FOR THAT.
AGAIN, WORKING A PUBLIC WORKS OF WORK, 1100 HOURS, UH, TO TREAT, UH, 28 BRIDGES AND CLEAR UP OR 190 MILES OF PRAIRIE HIGH ROADWAYS FLEET WORK DIRECTLY WITH THEM TO KEEP THEIR EQUIPMENT UP AND GOING DURING THE STORM.
UM, THEY ALSO PROVIDED THE SANDING S X, UH, SPORTS AND, UM, UH, TO DO EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AGAIN, AGAIN, HELPING KEEP OUR TRUCKS TO KEEP OUR TRUCKS OUT OF THE DITCHES AND, AND REDUCING OUR LOAD FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
UM, AGAIN, AS A TEAM AVIATION, UH, WORKED, THEY WERE CLOSED FOR TWO DAYS.
THEY, UH, PUBLIC WORKS HELPED SAND THE, THE RUNWAYS TEAMS WORKING TOGETHER, KEEPING THAT EQUIPMENT GOING.
THOSE PUBLIC WORKS TEAMS THERE IN THOSE, THOSE RANDOM WAYS FOR THEM.
UM, AVIATION ALSO SUPPORTED, UH, THERE, THEY HAD THEIR FACILITIES AS, UH, TAKING CARE OF THEIR FACILITIES DURING THIS TIME, AS WELL AS, UH, STRANDED PASSENGERS OUT THERE SUPPORTING THEM WITH TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, UM, ONGOING RESPONSE KEEPING, I BELIEVE THEY WERE ABLE TO RESTORE OVER A THOUSAND, UH, TRAFFIC SIGNALS WITHIN TWO DAYS.
AND, UH, THEY WERE ALSO, UH, UH, SHOVELING CRITICAL, UH, SIDEWALKS IN ALL SPOTS.
AND WHAT HAVE YOU, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID TO SUPPORT, UM, UH, THE WINTER RESPONSE.
AGAIN, I COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF OUR TEAMS AND I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW OF THE WORK WE DO.
UM, I THINK I FAILED TO MENTION FUELING INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.
UH, FUELING ALL THE GENERATORS, MAKING SURE THAT HOSPITALS,
[00:15:01]
CITY FACILITIES, UH, HAD FUEL TO KEEP THEIR ORGANIZATIONS RUNNING AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES.UH, IF WE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT, EMS WOULD HAVE TO TRANSPORT THOSE FOLKS TO A WARMING CENTER AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD HAVE JUST BEEN PRICELESS FREIGHT, YOU KNOW, SO TRYING TO PREVENT AND KEEP EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL AND, AND AVOID, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE BEING MORE DISRUPTIVE THAN THEY WERE.
SO AGAIN, HOPEFULLY I GAVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT INTO WHAT WE DO, SO, AND OUR TEAM, OUR MOBILITY TEAM AS A TOGETHER WORKING TOGETHER TO RESPOND TO.
SO I'LL PASS THIS TIME TO GINA.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LASTING IMPACTS TO THIS WEATHER EVENT.
UM, AS, AS I MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE AFTER-EFFECTS, UM, BOTH IN TERMS OF HOW IT AFFECTS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW WE RESPOND TO THIS.
UM, THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE AN AFTER ACTION REPORT, BUT YOU KNOW, CLEARLY WHAT THE PUBLIC CAN EXPECT TO SEE, OR, YOU KNOW, THEY, THE TOLL THAT THIS TOOK ON OUR ROADWAYS, BOTH IN TERMS OF POTHOLES AND, UM, ONGOING ROAD WORK THAT, UH, IS NECESSARY AS WE RESPOND TO THIS, WHETHER IT'S, UM, UH, ROAD ROAD WORK, THAT'S RELATED TO, UH, REPAIRING SOME OF THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITY WORK THAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, BUT WE'VE RE WE'VE MOBILIZED TEAMS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE ASPECT OF OUR RESPONSE AND IN TERMS OF GOING FORWARD IN DURING THIS EVENT IS REALLY THE ABILITY OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO PIVOT QUICKLY FROM RESPONDING TO THE EVENT AS IT'S TAKING PLACE.
AND NOW, UM, ESTABLISHING THE, UM, THEY, THEY SORT OF OUTREACH TO THE PUBLIC TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM THAT THEY SHOULD EXPECT MAYBE SOME OF THE, THE TOLL THAT THE CONDITIONS TOOK ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT WE'LL BE OUT THERE TO LET US KNOW WHERE THOSE POTHOLES ARE AND WHERE THOSE REPAIRS ARE NEEDED AND COORDINATING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
UM, ANOTHER ASPECT THAT I THINK JENNIFER MAY BE TOUCHED ON IS THE INVOLVEMENT THAT, AND THE SUPPORT THAT OUR MOBILITY DEPARTMENTS HAD FOR SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH FOOD DELIVERY, UM, WATER DELIVERY.
AND NOW AS WE, UH, SUPPORT THE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, ALL OF THAT REALLY IS, IS PART OF THE RESPONSE OF THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC WORKS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOW WHERE THESE FACILITIES ARE IN THESE SITES ARE THAT THEY CAN GET TO THEM SAFELY.
AND CONVENIENTLY NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE FINAL ASPECT OF THIS IS REALLY PART OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOL.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED DURING THIS EVENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE QUITE A FOLLOWING OUT IN TERMS OF FOLKS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR MOBILITY OUTCOME.
THE, UM, ATD AND PUBLIC WORKS POSTED 55 TWEETS AND 75 FACEBOOK POSTS, TOTAL IMPRESSIONS WERE OVER A MILLION.
AND THOSE ARE FOLKS THAT REALLY GOT THAT INFORMATION THAT WE WERE SENDING OUT.
AND OVER 56,000 PEOPLE RESPONDED TO THOSE.
THEY SENT US THEIR VIDEOS, THEY RETREATED AND SENT OUT INFORMATION THAT WE SENT OUT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THIS POINTS TO THAT, THAT HUNGER THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS TO COMMUNICATE WITH US.
THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT, THEY, YOU KNOW, REALLY LED THE WAY THEY, THEY HAD SEVERAL MEDIA OUTLETS THAT WERE AT THE AIRPORT AND COMMUNICATING TO THE PUBLIC IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH OUR AVIATION OUTCOME.
UM, FOLKS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN THE AIRPORT WAS OPENING AND WHEN THEIR, THEIR FLIGHTS WOULD BE SCHEDULED.
UM, THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF COMMUNICATING THAT ALL OF THIS IS REALLY ONGOING EFFORTS AND IT POINTS TO HOW CRITICAL, UM, OUR, OUR OWN RESPONSE WAS IN THIS EFFORT.
WE'RE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THE MOBILITY OUTCOME DID.
WE SUPPORTED OUR COMMUNITY AND WE SUPPORTED OUR, OUR SISTER AND BROTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.
AND I KNOW THAT WE WERE COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR OFFICES AND WE APPRECIATE YOU HELPING US SORT OF AMPLIFY THE MESSAGES TO THE COMMUNITY TO BE SAFE, UM, AND HOW WE COULD HELP.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I HAVE SOME OF MY TEAM THAT ARE ON STANDBY, UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
THANK YOU, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, I DO SEE COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN HAS HER HAND UP.
UM, OPENNESS UNDERSTAND, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FOCUS ON THE POWER ASPECTS AND WATER ASPECTS OF THIS, BUT WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPACTED OUR TRANSPORTATION, UM, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORT, TRANSPORTATION, FACILITIES, AND STAFF, OR SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
[00:20:01]
UM, I WANTED TO JUST ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY, UM, LESSONS LEARNED FOR US OUT OF BUSINESS.I KNOW THAT YOU ALL WILL BE DOING AN AFTER ACTION REPORT, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS, CURIOUS ABOUT IF YOU HAVE ANY INITIAL, UM, THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, UH, IN ONE THING YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT IS ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE, UM, ISSUES THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY NOW IS PREPAREDNESS.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGHT BEING GIVEN TO WHAT, WHAT COULD WE DO TO BE BETTER PREPARED.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR SLIDE TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL DID TO BE PREPARED.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD SHARE WITH US THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE? ANYTHING YOU WOULD SHARE AT THIS POINT COUNCIL MEMBER? THANK YOU.
UM, UH, I'LL ASK JENNIFER OR ROB TO JUMP IN IF THEY HAVE, UM, SOME INSIGHTS OF THEIR OWN, BUT REALLY W WHAT WE LEARNED IS REALLY THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, UM, CROSS DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION THAT ENSURING THAT, THAT WE HAD THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE, AND WE HAD THE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, BUT ALSO THAT OUR OWN STAFF HAD A WAY OF, UH, COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR SUPERVISORS AS WE SORT OF, UH, JUST RESPONDED TO, UH, WHAT ENDED UP BEING SORT OF, YOU KNOW, FOR EMERGENCY EVENTS THAT CONVERGED ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, I'LL ASK, LET'S SEE, ROB HAS UN-MUTED HIMSELF.
SO HE PROBABLY HAS SOME, UM, INSIGHT INTO HOW ATD RESPONDED, RIGHT.
IF YOU DON'T CARE AND COUNCIL MEMBER, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE LOST BECAUSE OF THE W WE LOST POWER TO MANY OF OUR SIGNALS, MOST OF OUR SIGNAL SYSTEM.
AND SO, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE BATTERY BACKUP THAT ONLY LASTS FOUR TO EIGHT HOURS, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE SIGNAL.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE WE HAD A NUMBER OF DARK SIGNALS, UH, VERY QUICKLY IN THE STORM.
AND SO I WILL ADMIT THAT I WAS HOLDING MY BREATH A LITTLE BIT, UH, SO THAT WHEN POWER CAME ON, IF THOSE SIGNALS WOULD COME BACK ON, WE'VE BEEN IN INVESTING IN TECHNOLOGY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, THANKS TO THE COMMITTEE SUPPORT AND COUNCIL SUPPORT.
MOST OF THOSE SIGNALS CAME BACK UP, EVEN THE ONES WE HAD TO GO DRIVE OUT AND LOOK AT, UH, WERE OPERATING, UH, BY AND LARGE, UH, AS ANTICIPATED AS PROGRAM, THEY CAME BACK UP ON THEMSELVES.
AND SO THOSE INVESTMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, UH, WERE, WERE GOOD INVESTMENTS.
AND I WOULD CONTINUE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY.
WE DID A COMPLETELY LOOSE, UM, COMMUNICATION TO ABOUT 250 OF THE SIGNALS, AND WE'RE STILL EXPLORING WHY WE LOST THAT CONNECTIVITY, BUT WE THINK THAT WAS POWER RELATED AS WELL, OR, OR A CRASH RELATED THAT TOOK OUT A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
BUT, UH, CLEARLY OUR INVESTMENTS HAVE PAID OFF AND I THINK CONTINUED REMOTE SENSING AND SORT OF DUPLICATE SENSING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SYSTEM IS UP AND OPERATING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, UH, IS, IS A GOOD INVESTMENT GOING FORWARD.
AND THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
WE'VE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS MOVING FORWARD.
SO THIS WAS A TEST, NOT ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO HAVE, BUT IT WAS A TEST OF HOW THAT SYSTEM WORKS.
YOU'RE ABLE TO RESET MANY OF OUR SIGNALS REMOTELY FROM OUR MOBILITY MANAGEMENT CENTER, WHICH JUST A YEAR OR TWO AGO, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO.
AND SO, UM, WE HAD PREPARED TO BRING STAFF IN ALL DAY, SATURDAY AND ALL DAY FRIDAY, AND, YOU KNOW, BY 10 O'CLOCK SATURDAY, WE WERE SENDING FOLKS HOME.
UM, SO IT, IT WAS A HUGE RELIEF TO SEE THAT SYSTEM UP AND RUNNING.
I DO SEE A COUPLE MORE HANDS ON, BUT I ALSO WANT I'M, UM, MS. DOTTIE CAPITAL METRO.
UM, DID YOU WANT JUST A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS STORM AS WELL? I KNOW YOU REPORT TO YOUR OWN BOARD, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO.
MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, MY NAME IS DADDY WATKINS AND I'M THE CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR CAPITAL METRO.
UM, AND WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR, THE IMPACTS OF THE WINTER STORM ON OUR OPERATIONS.
UM, SO IF WE'LL START WITH THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UM, THE FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND I THINK IT WAS, UM, APROPOS THAT THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FAN DACA ENDED WITH COMMUNICATIONS, AND I WILL START WITH, IT WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE WERE USING PRIMARILY SOCIAL MEDIA AND OUR METRO ALERT SYSTEM, WHICH IS, UH, A SYSTEM WHERE OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE SIGNED UP TO RECEIVE TEXT MESSAGES DIRECTLY FROM US.
UM, WE SENT OUT NUMEROUS SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND OVER 350,000 METRO ALERTS DURING, UM, THE WEEK OF THE WINTER STORMS. OUR PRIMARY FOCUS DURING THAT WEEK WAS ON EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER SUPPORT.
WE STARTED ON SUNDAY OF THE WINTER EVENT PROVIDING SHELTER, TRANSPORTATION
[00:25:01]
SUPPORT.UM, WE REGULARLY PARTNER WITH THE, THE CITY AND LOCAL PARTNERS IN PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION FOR, UM, PERSONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DURING COLD WEATHER.
OBVIOUSLY THE COLD WEATHER HITS PRETTY HARD AND PRETTY LONG.
AND SO WE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
AND WE ALSO WORK DIRECTLY WITH, UM, DELL MEDICALS AND PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT FOR SOME OF THEIR STAFF WHO ARE, UM, BEING HOUSED NEARBY THE HOSPITAL, AS WELL AS SOME PATIENT PATIENT TRANSPORT.
AND THEY FOUND THAT BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION WAS DIFFICULT, UM, THEY WERE HAVING A HARD TIME OPENING UP BEDS BECAUSE PEOPLE NEEDED TO LEAVE THE HOSPITAL.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME PEOPLE RIDES HOME, UM, SO THAT THEY COULD FREE UP THEIR HOSPITAL BEDS.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO SUPPORTED THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WITH GENERAL POPULATION DIALYSIS, TRANSPORT, UM, WHICH WAS A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
UM, ONE OF OUR LONGTIME PARTNERS HAS BEEN, UH, MEALS ON WHEELS AND THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK.
UM, AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM, WE DELIVERED, UM, OVER 550 MEALS TO INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE IN NEED OF FOOD, OUR METRO ACCESS SERVICE, UM, WHICH IS OUR SERVICE, UM, DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT PREVENT THEM FROM USING OUR BUS SERVICE.
THEIR PRIMARY FOCUS WAS ON LIFE-SUSTAINING TRIPS.
AND SO WE MADE DAILY CALLS TO ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS WHO HAD DIALYSIS SCHEDULED, AS WELL AS ALL THE DIALYSIS CENTERS.
THE FIRST, UM, COUPLE OF DAYS, WE ONLY HAD TWO DIALYSIS CENTERS OPEN IN THE CITY.
AND SO REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PRIORITIZE THOSE TRIPS, UM, OVER THE TWO WEEK PERIOD, UM, OF THE STORM AND THE WEEK AFTER WE PROVIDED OVER A THOUSAND TRIPS, UM, SPECIFICALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE THAT LIFE SUSTAINING SUPPORT.
UM, WE ALSO SO VERY QUICKLY, UM, RECOGNIZED OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN WATER DISTRIBUTION.
UM, SO WE SUPPORTED SEVERAL OF THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SITES SET UP BY THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, UM, WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WITH SHUTTLES.
UM, MOST OF THE SITES WERE WITHIN, UH, WE'RE REASONABLY ON A, AN EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSIT ROUTE, BUT THERE WERE A FEW THAT WERE EITHER NOT ON A, ON A ROUTE THEMSELVES OR THE BUS STOP WAS TOO FAR OF A WALK TO REASONABLY EXPECT SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO WALK BACK WITH A CASE OF WATER.
UM, AND WE SUPPORTED THOSE LOCATIONS WITH WATER DISTRIBUTION, UM, AS WELL AS PROVIDING, UH, SEVERAL DAYS WORTH OF, UH, MOBILE WATER DISTRIBUTION SITES USING OUR BUSES.
UM, AND SO WE WENT TO VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS CENTERS, REC CENTERS, APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WHERE WE KNEW THAT, UM, FOLKS WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING TO WATER, UM, AND DELIVERED THAT THE WATER, UM, UH, BUSLOAD FULL OF WATER, BASICALLY TO THAT PORTION OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THEN OUR METRO ACCESS CUSTOMERS.
WE ASKED THEM TO LET US KNOW IF THEY NEEDED WATER AND WE DELIVERED, UM, A CASE OF WATER TO NEARLY 1300 INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDS OF PEOPLE, UM, WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO, AREN'T ABLE TO DRIVE THEMSELVES AND AREN'T ABLE TO GET, UM, TO, UH, THE DISTRIBUTION SITES TO GET WATER.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, UH, WHEN WE HAD TO MAKE THE VERY DIFFICULT DECISION ON THE 15TH, 16TH, AND 17TH TO NOT OPERATE ANY TRANSIT SERVICE, BECAUSE THE ROADS WERE JUST NOT SAFE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY TRANSPORT OUR CUSTOMERS.
WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO REINSTATE SERVICE ON THE THURSDAY, THE 18TH, WE HAD ANNOUNCED THAT WE WOULD DO SO WITHOUT CHARGING A FARE AND LATER ANNOUNCED THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP THE FAIRS, UM, FREE THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY, SO THAT DURING THE RECOVERY PERIOD, UH, THE CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MOST NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND GET SUPPORT AND HELP WOULD BE ABLE TO DO SO.
UM, WITHOUT THAT EXTRA NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN LASTLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WORKED HARD TO DO WAS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN CAP, METRO FAMILY, UM, AS, UM, MS. WALLS MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, OUR, OUR STAFF WAS AMAZING DURING THIS EVENT AND WE'RE ALSO DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUES AT HOME.
MANY OF OUR STAFF, UM, THEIR HOMES WENT DAYS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY DAYS WITHOUT WATER.
UM, WE PROVIDED MEALS, UM, BOTTLED WATER AND INCENTIVE PAY TO ALL OF OUR STAFF THAT CAME TO WORK AND ALSO OFFERED OUR BUILDINGS AS WARMING CENTERS AND OR SHOWER FACILITIES.
UH, MANY OF OUR STAFF DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE.
AND SO WE WERE, UM, PLEASED TO WELCOME THEM IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS, INTO OUR FACILITIES TO TAKE A SHOWER.
UM, WELL ALL OF OUR OPERATING FACILITIES AT SOME POINT DID LOSE POWER.
WE DO HAVE BACKUP GENERATOR POWER AVAILABLE AT OUR FACILITIES THAT WAS ABLE TO ALLOW US TO OFFER THOSE BUILDINGS FOR THAT PURPOSE.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO FOCUSING IN AND CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON RESPONDING TO URGENT NEEDS, UM, OF OUR KEPT METRO FAMILY.
WE DELIVERED MEALS AND WATER DIRECTLY TO FOLKS WHO NEEDED IT.
UM, AND WE, UH, OPERATE IN EMPLOYEE FUNDED DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS THAT WE ARE USING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO, UM, INCURRED MAJOR EXPENSES AS RESULT OF THIS STORM.
SO, UM, WE ARE, I THINK STRONGER BECAUSE OF IT, UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S HOW THESE DISASTERS WORK.
UM, BUT, UM, W ARE, ARE HAPPY TO HAVE LITERALLY WEATHER THIS STORM TOGETHER.
UM, AND THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR PREPARED COMMENTS.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU MAY HAVE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE
[00:30:01]
THAT MS. WATKINS.UM, THERE, THERE WERE SO MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT AS AWFUL AS EACH PERSON WAS EXPERIENCING THIS STORM, YOU REALLY DID SEE THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND WE SAW THE DEPARTMENT STEP UP AND CAPITAL METRO STEP UP, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, UM, THAT ASSISTANCE TO HELP PEOPLE BE RESILIENT.
KELLY, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DID.
UH, IT WAS ABOUT POTHOLES AS A RESULT OF THE, THE SNOW ON THE ROADS.
I'VE NOTICED QUITE A FEW MORE OF MYSELF AND SO HAVE THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I WAS WONDERING IF MAYBE YOU COULD PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT ON THAT FOR US.
UM, I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO REPORT THOSE TWO, THREE, ONE, ONE.
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS A TEAM THAT IS READY TO RESPOND TO THOSE, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE A PROLIFERATION OF POTHOLES AS A RESULT OF THE COLD WEATHER THAT WE EXPERIENCED WHEN YOU HAVE EXTREMES OF CONDITIONS LIKE THAT.
UM, IT REALLY DOES TAKE A TOLL ON, ON YOUR BIRD, WEIGHT INFRASTRUCTURE.
SHE DIDN'T THANK YOU FOR THAT.
COULD YOU MAYBE EXPLAIN IF YOU'VE HAD AN UPTICK IN REPORTS OF THEM BECAUSE OF THE WINTER WEATHER AND HOW THOSE ARE BEING ADDRESSED AND A TIMELINE FOR FIXING THAT SORT OF THING? THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS A TEAM IN PLACE, SO WE ARE TRACKING THOSE REQUESTS AND GETTING TO THEM JUST AS SOON AS WE CAN.
UH, WE'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOUR OFFICE WITH AN EXACT NUMBER OF HOW MANY THAT ARE, THAT WE'VE RESPONDED TO, BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY REPORT THAT BACK TO YOU.
I KNOW YOU ALL ARE UNDER A LOT OF STRESS TO TRY AND GET THOSE THINGS FIXED AND YOU'RE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM NUMBER ALTAR.
I THINK MY QUESTION IS FOR FLEET.
I COULDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, SIFTER EMERGENCY SERVICES VEHICLES WERE DISABLED BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE ICE AND THE SNOW AND THE ENGLAND OUT OF CUSTOMER, THESE THINGS.
I ASKED ABOUT YOUR CHAINS AND WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE RELAYED TO ME THAT FLEET INSTALLS THE CHAIN, BUT SOME FOLKS WHO WORK DIRECTLY IN OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES, THEY WERE BACK NEW.
IN WHICH CASE, THE CENTRALIZED SET OF PROTOCOL ABOUT PREPARING VEHICLES FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER WAS BEING QUESTIONED.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS FROM THE WAY IT WAS LAID TO ME, WAS THAT MULTIPLE SETS OF CHAINS WERE INOPERABLE OR USED IN SO LONG.
IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME ACROSS YOUR RADAR.
AND IF SO, WHAT DO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE TO DO THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT FLEET IS PREPARED FOR OTHER INCLEMENT WEATHER EVENTS IN THE FUTURE? YES.
SO FLEET INSTALLS THE TIE, THE TWO CHAINS WHEN REQUESTED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT HOUSES THE CHANCE IN THEIR AREA.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FACILITIES TO STORE ALL THOSE CHANGE.
SO, AND PLUS IF A DEPARTMENT CHANGES ITS WHEEL TYPE, BUT IT MAKE, WE CALL IT REQUIRE A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHANGE.
SO WE ALLOW THEM TO KEEP THE CHAINS SPECIFICALLY FOR THEIR FLEET WITH THEM.
AND IF THEY WANT TO PUT THEM ON, THEY CAN PUT THEM ON.
IF THEY NEED HELP, WE WILL RESPOND AND PUT THEM ON THAT'S HOW THAT WORKS.
SO THERE WERE CASES WHERE PEOPLE PUT THEM ON THEMSELVES, BUT WE DID INSTALL THEM AS WELL AS REQUESTED BY DEPARTMENTS.
AND IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST ELABORATING ON THE OTHER HALF OF THAT, DO WE KNOW WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE ENOUGH CHAINS IN OUR INVENTORY? DO WE NEED IT NOW THAT WE HAVE GOOD WEATHER? ANY SORT OF SHORTAGE? YES.
SO WE HAVE A PROTOCOL OF THIS PART AS OUR READINESS FOR THE STORM IS TO CALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND REITERATE TO THEM.
THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED.
THERE'S A CONTRACT, DO YOU NEED TO ORDER? AND SO WE, TO THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THOSE, WE ALSO DO THINGS ABOUT MAKING SURE THEY STORE THEIR VEHICLES INSIDE BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE SOME FREEZING OF THE, OF THE WATER LINES IN THE VEHICLES.
THERE THERE'S A PROTOCOL THAT WE SEND OUT TO DEPARTMENTS IN PREPARATION OF A STORM.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS A CASE WHERE THE DEPARTMENT DID ORDER A CHANGE BECAUSE THEY FOUND WHEN THEY LOOKED IN THEIR INVENTORY AND THE VENDOR OR THE TRANSPORT COMPANY, WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT HERE ON TIME TO DELIVER THOSE TRAINS TO THEM, TO THEM.
THAT'S THE CASE THAT THE I'M AWARE OF THAT YOU MAY BE THINKING, SO THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT HERE BEFORE THE STORM.
I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE COUNCIL CAN MAKE SURE THAT
[00:35:03]
YEAH.ASKED US QUESTIONS ON THE CHAINS.
I JUST DO WANT TO UNDERSCORE THAT I THINK IS PART OF OUR AFTER ACTION REPORT.
THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WERE, UM, SOME PARTICULAR DIFFICULTIES IN OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WITH OUR EMS AND OUR FIRE, UM, WITH RESPECT TO CHAINS BREAKING, AND THEN NOT HAVING REPLACEMENT CHAINS.
AND I KNOW WE HAD SEVERAL FIRE TRUCKS IN MY DISTRICT THAT WERE STRANDED FOR DAYS, UH, WHICH MEANT THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO FOLKS.
AND, UM, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BACKUPS AND THE REDUNDANCIES THAT WE NEED, UM, AS WELL IN THAT AREA.
UM, WHERE THERE SOME PROBLEMS WITH SOME OF THE FUELS, UM, AS WELL, UM, HEARD THAT THERE WERE SOME FUELS THAT WERE NOT, UM, WORKING AT THE EXTREME TEMPERATURES THAT WE HAD, WHICH WERE ALSO, UM, HAMPERING VEHICLES.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE PREPARE FOR THAT IN THE FUTURE? YOU'RE ON MUTE? YES, THAT WAS THAT.
UM, WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT, IN OUR AFTER ACTION, YOU KNOW, AS A CITY, AS PART OF OUR CLIMATE STRATEGY DO USE, UH, ALTERNATIVE FUELS, ONE OF WHICH IS BIODIESEL.
AND SO THAT DOES HAVE THE, THE BIO PART OF IT THAT WILL CLOUD OR JAIL AT A CERTAIN POINT, THERE WAS AN ATTITUDE THAT YOU, YOU COULDN'T THE VEHICLE THAT WILL, WILL PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING, UM, WAS OFF THE SHELF, UH, IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
AND IT NORMALLY THIS, THIS FREEZING, THIS CLOUDING COMES LOW, FREEZING LIGHTER GROUND OR BELOW FREEZING.
AND SO WE HAD THE ADDITIVE, WE RAN OUT, UM, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SEND SOMEONE TO THE STORES AND GET IT OFF THE SHELVES TO, TO HELP PREVENT THIS PROBLEM.
BUT YES, HARD STARTS IN THE MORNING WHEN THE VSS ADMIN SITTING OUTSIDE, WE'RE GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.
EVEN REGULAR DIESEL DOES THAT AS ONE OF OUR PLANS, WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENT WEATHER CALMING.
WE DO CHANGE ALL OF OUR ORDERS FOR DECENT TWO NUMBER TWO, DIESEL, REGULAR DIESEL, I BELIEVE TWO DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT AND TOPPED OFF ALL OF OUR TANKS WITH REGULARLY.
AND THAT'S ALL WE EXCEPTED DURING, UM, PARKED IN THE STORE.
SO IN ORDER TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING, BUT THERE IS AN ADVOCATE THAT WE HAVE TO USE WHENEVER THAT OCCURS AS WELL.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF, A LOT OF SCARY TIMES FOR FOLKS AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT PEOPLE ARE THROUGH.
UM, TWO OTHER SHORT QUESTIONS THAT THEY DON'T THINK THAT OUR FIRM AS WELL.
UM, ONE IS WITH RESPECT TO TXDOT, UM, FACILITIES, UM, PARTICULARLY ONE 83.
UM, WHAT ARE THE PROTOCOLS FOR SHUTTING DOWN ONE 83? UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE ENDED UP HAVING TO DEPLOY A WHOLE LOT OF OUR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS TO RESPOND TO ACCIDENTS AND FOLKS STRANDED ON ONE 83 THAT WAS RECOGNIZED, THERE WERE REQUESTS MADE TO SHUT IT DOWN AND THAT THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
UM, AND SO IT JUST, AND I DON'T KNOW UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS YOU CAN DO IT.
UM, BUT I COME FROM UP NORTH AND UP NORTH, THOSE GET PLOWED, AND THERE'S NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE ICE STAYING ON THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT, IF WE'RE NOT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK AND WHY WASN'T THAT DONE? UM, AND THAT MAY BE FOR MR. SPILLER OR FOR MS. VAN DUNK, I THINK.
UM, NO, I THINK THAT'S, UH, IT COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT SPILLER WITH WATSON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION TO POSE TO TXDOT DIRECTLY.
UM, THEY MAKE ALL THE CALLS ON THE RAMPS IN TERMS OF CLOSING DOWN OR WHATEVER.
I BELIEVE OBVIOUSLY OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UM, WAS IT DOWN IF THERE'S A CLEAR PUBLIC, UH, HAZARD? UM, BUT, UM, THE, THE CALL IN TERMS OF SHUTTING DOWN RAMPS OR, OR ADDRESSING THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM IS REALLY TEXTILES.
AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THAT.
SO, SO, SO I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY, BUT WE OUGHT TO HAVE A PLAN AS A CITY FOR INNER OPERATIONS, RIGHT.
AND NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT IS HAVING A BIG IMPACT ON OUR, OUR RESPONSE, UM, SEEMS TO ME THAT STAFF OUGHT TO BE WORKING WITH TXDOT TO PREVENT THAT FROM THE FUTURE AND HAVE PROTOCOLS AND OPEN COMMUNICATION ABOUT WHEN THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY.
BECAUSE ONE MIGHT IMAGINE THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN CHARGE TO TEXTS THAT ARE NOT AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY CALLS WE'RE HAVING TO TAKE TO RESCUE PEOPLE.
AND WHAT IS THAT DOING TO OUR EMERGENCY
[00:40:01]
RESPONSE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NEED ELSEWHERE? UM, SO I WOULD ASK THAT THAT BE FOLLOWED UP WITH, BY STAFF, UM, AS OPPOSED TO COUNCIL CLASS TEXT APP ON THAT.CAUSE I WOULDN'T BE IN A POSITION TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT DEPENDING ON THEIR ANSWERS, RIGHT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, I UNDERSTAND TUCKER FERGUSON IS WATCHING AND IS WILLING TO HELP ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
SO IF THEY CAN, IF, IF CITY HALL COULD PUT HIM ON ALSO WE'LL INCLUDE ALL OF THIS IN AN AFTER ACTION REPORT, THAT WOULD BE LED BY THE EOC.
THEY HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, INCLUDING TXDOT, BUT, UM, AS I SEE CHECK START IS JOINING US.
I KNOW OUR NEXT BRIEFING IS FROM TEXTILES.
SO JUST A TIME CHECK REAL QUICK, IT'S ONE 43, AND YOU'VE GOT ABOUT FOUR MORE TOPICS TO COVER, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE ALREADY HAD TUCKER IN THE WAITING ROOM.
SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR, AND TALKING ABOUT CLOSING RAMPS AND ROADWAYS, THAT THAT IS A JOINT EFFORT.
UH, MANY TIMES LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL REACH OUT TO US AND WANT TO CLOSE THEM.
AND REALLY OUR DESIRE WHEN WE'RE TRADING THE ROADS IS TO KEEP THEM OPEN.
THEY MAY BE, UM, UH, WE, WE WANT TO KEEP THEM PASSABLE.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS BEHIND THAT IS WE HAVE MATERIAL ON THE ROADWAY.
IF WE CAN KEEP TRAFFIC ON IT, EVEN MOVING SLOWLY AND HELPS IT TO WORK IN HEALTHY, THE SNOW AND ICE CELL, OUR DESIGNERS TO KEEP EVERYTHING OPEN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT IN STORM LIKE THAT, AT SOME POINT, IT JUST REALLY DOES GET BEYOND WHAT OUR CAPABILITIES ARE WITH OUR EQUIPMENT AND OUR MATERIALS.
AND THAT'LL BE A JOINT EFFORT, A JOINT DECISION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TEXTILES.
AND REALLY ALSO IS DEPENDENT ON WHAT ALTERNATE ROUTES WE MAY HAVE FOR CERTAIN RUNWAYS.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE 83, WE MAY HAVE A FRONTAGE ROAD SYSTEM THAT WE CAN ALLOW TRAFFIC TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL COME INTO PLAY THERE AS WELL, BUT, UH, THAT DECISION IS, IS, IS DONE JOINTLY BETWEEN OURSELVES EMERGENCY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.
I WOULD JUST ASK THAT IN THE AFTERMATH OF THIS STORM, WE HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT LESSONS WERE LEARNED.
UM, AND AGAIN, I CLEARLY DON'T HAVE THE FULL PICTURE.
I JUST KNOW THAT THERE WERE, THERE WERE EMERGENCY VEHICLES THAT, THAT WHOSE TIME WERE BEING SPENT UP THERE AGAIN AND AGAIN.
UM, AND IT WASN'T CLEAR THAT IT WAS SAFE FOR IT TO BE OPEN, BUT I'M NOT SURE THERE WERE CLEAR CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION IN THE KEY OF THE EMERGENCY FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WHAT THEY WERE SEEING ON THE GROUND.
AND, UM, SO I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT COMMUNICATION.
I JUST KNOW IT DIDN'T FULLY HAPPEN.
AND SO WOULD LIKE US TO LEARN FROM THAT, UM, MOVING FORWARD, UM, SO THAT IF WE DO HAVE A PROLONGED SPELL OF COLD AND THIS KIND OF PRECIPITATION AGAIN, THAT WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, MAYBE IT'S JUST AT CERTAIN TIMES AT NIGHT OR, OR WHATEVER, BUT IT'S, UM, SOMETHING MIGHT NEED TO CHANGE IN THOSE PROTOCOLS.
CHARLOTTE, WE'LL BE GLAD TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN WE'VE REALLY HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAM TO GET THROUGH.
SO AS PART OF THE AFTER ACTION REPORT, IF YOU CAN INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH THERE WAS A PROBLEM, UM, I, I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO, UH, REACH CONCLUSIONS COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE DATA IN FRONT OF US.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK WHAT I ALSO WANT SOME ASSESSMENT OF THE DEGREE TO WHICH IT WAS AN ISSUE, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE IMPRESSION WITH THE PUBLIC THAT PERHAPS DECISIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE DIFFERENTLY WHEN WE DON'T, WHEN WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THESE ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS.
WON'T BE THE END OF OUR DISCUSSION, UM, WITH THE STORM AFTERMATH OR JUST HOW WE CAN, UM, SUPPORT THE EMPLOYEES AND THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE WORKING SO HARD TO KEEP US SAFE.
UM, SO REALLY APPRECIATE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS CONVERSATION, UM, AND TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THESE DEPARTMENTS AND TO CAPITAL METRO FOR, FOR JOINING US TODAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE, UPDATE
[3. Update from the Texas Department of Transportation on the I-35 project and opportunities for community engagement. (30 minutes). Sponsors: Council Member Paige Ellis, and Council Member Ann Kitchen]
FROM TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON THETHANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR PROGRAM MANAGER, SUSAN FRASER MAKE THIS PRESENTATION FOR TEXTILE.
I'M WITH THE AUSTIN TECH DISTRICT AND I AM THE MOBILITY 35 PROGRAMMING.
[00:45:01]
THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS OUR CAPITOL EXPRESS PROGRAM PROJECT, AND HERE WITH ME TODAY IS, UH, TEGRA FERGUSON, OUR DISTRICT ENGINEER.AND WE ALSO HAVE HEATHER ASKING IN OUR TEXTBOOK AUSTIN DISTRICT, TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, AND TECHREADY, HEATHER ARE GOING TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND WE'RE ALL HERE TO LISTEN TO YOUR FEEDBACK TODAY.
SO IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE CAPITOL EXPRESS AND FLIP PROJECT AND THE SMOKING PROCESS.
AND THEN I'LL ALSO PROVIDE BRIEF OVERVIEWS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH PROJECT AGENCY.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE AGENCY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
SO WE'LL START WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE CENTRAL PROJECT.
HEY, SO I HAVE 35, ONE OF THE MOST CONGESTED HIGHWAYS IN TEXAS IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
IT'S HOME TO FIVE OF THE 100 MOST CONGESTED ROADWAY SEGMENTS, ACCORDING TO TEXAS A AND M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE, THE GOALS OF THE MOBILITY 35 PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDE NEARLY 80 MILES OF BIKE, 35 FROM WILLIAMSON DOWN THROUGH TRAVIS AND PEOPLE TELL ME ARE TO ENHANCE SAFETY, OPTIMIZE THE ROADWAY FOOTPRINT, INCREASE CAPACITY, MINIMIZE ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY, MANAGE TRAFFIC BETTER AND PROVE EAST EAST-WEST CONNECTIVITY AND FILL CAPACITY ABILITY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND ENHANCED BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN AND TRANSIT OPTION.
NEXT SLIDE AND THE MOBILITY 35 PROGRAM AIMS TO IMPROVE MOBILITY AND SAFETY, NOT JUST THE VEHICLES, BUT ALSO FOR BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.
ALL OF OUR PROJECTS INCLUDE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCOMMODATIONS.
SO FAR TECH SOPS COMPLETE DIFFERENT SECTION OF FOUR MILES OF HERE.
PATH 15 MILES ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 88 MILES IN DESIGN.
ALSO WHEN WE'RE RECONSTRUCTING BRIDGES, WE'RE PROVIDING ADEQUATE WIDTH FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE EAST WEST PROXIMITY.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY TO TIE INTO THEIR CURRENT AND THEIR CURRENT AND PLAN NETWORK LIKE FIVE.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, TEXTS THAT IS DEVELOPING AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR OUR SIMPLE PROJECT IN CANADA, TOMMY, THIS PROJECT SPANS APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES OF
AND IT CAN BE LANES ARE SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN LANES AND ACCESS IS RESTRICTED TO CARPOOL VANPOOLS TRANSIT AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES RECONSTRUCTED RAMPS, BRIDGES, AND INTERSECTIONS AND FOOD FINDERS ROAD AND HAND BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN PATH, AND ACCOMMODATION OF CANCELED OUT AND NETFLIX.
THE LAST TIME I HAD 35 RECEIVED MAJOR UPGRADE AND CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT WAS EVER HALF A CENTURY AGO WHEN THE UPPER DECKS WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE SEVENTIES, A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN.
AND NOW OUR AVERAGE ANNUAL DAILY TRAFFIC IS MORE THAN 200,000 VEHICLES.
AND BY 2045, THAT NUMBER IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO 300,000 VEHICLES PER DAY.
YOU ALSO KNOW THAT THIS GROWTH IS NOT MOSTLY, UM, THROUGH TAPPEL ONLY 14% OF
THE OTHER 80%, 86% OF VEHICLES ARE LOCAL, LIKE 35 TABLETS.
AND THIS IS ACCORDING TO A STUDY CONDUCTED IN 2015 BY TEXAS
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE CRASH RATE ON NINE 35 IS ABOUT AN AVERAGE FOR SIMILAR CIGARETTES IN 2018, WHICH IS THE MOST RECENT DATA WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
THERE WERE 1,120 CRASHES RESULTING IN SEVEN FATALITIES, 37 OF THESE PRESSURES WERE SUBPOENAED.
SO WHAT WE'RE SHOWING HERE IS A PROFILE VIEW OF THE THREE PROPOSED BILLS ALTERNATIVES COMPARED WITHIN NO BILL.
AND THIS MIGHT LOOK FAMILIAR TO CAP MEK HERE.
WE REALLY LIKED YOUR PROFILE, UM, FIVE TO EIGHT, AND THEN SHOWING THAT W THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA TOO, TO REFLECT THE FANCY THERE.
UM, THE FIRST PROFILE IS OUR NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE AND THE EXISTING NINE 35 CONFIGURATION WITH THE RED DOTS ARE INDICATING LOCATIONS WHERE THE MAIN LANES ARE CURRENTLY ELEVATED OVER THE FINER GROWTH INTERSECTION, ALL PROPOSE ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE SHOWN
[00:50:01]
UNDER THE NO BILL REFLECT MOSTLY YELLOW DOTS.AND THOSE INDICATE WHERE MAIN LANES WOULD BE RECONSTRUCTED UNDER THE FRONT OF MEDICINE PROSTITUTE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE MAIN DIFFERENCE OF ALTERNATIVE ONE COMPARED TO THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES ARE THOSE DASH LINE.
AND THOSE DASH LINES REPRESENT AREA THAT WOULD BE TUNNELED TO, UH, TWO LEVELS BELOW THE FIVE METERS AND ONE LEVEL BELOW THE MAIN ALTERNATIVES.
TWO AND THREE ARE LOWERED THE SURFACE LEVEL, BUT DO NOT HAVE TUNNELS.
AND THEREFORE WE DON'T SEE THE DASH LINE FOR ALTERNATIVE THREE IS PRETTY, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS ALTERNATIVE TO EXCEPT FOR AN AIRPORT AND WOODLANDS WHERE THE MANAGED LANES WOULD BE ELEVATED OVER THE MAIN LANE.
BUT WE DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE MANAGED LANE WOULD BE NO HIGHER THAN WHERE THE NAMINGS ARE LOCATED TODAY.
ELIMINATION OF THE RED DOTS, WHERE IT'S REPRESENT AREAS, WHERE THE NAME NAMES GO OVER THE INTERSECTION.
SO THE LOWERING OF
SO THIS IS WHAT I, 35 LOOKS LIKE TODAY AT EIGHT STREET FACING SOUTH WEST.
AND THEN IF YOU CAN PUT TO THE, UM, NEXT, THE
AND THEN IF YOU COULD CLICK ONE MORE TIME.
NO, AND THIS IS WHAT THE SAME LOCATION WOULD LOOK LIKE WITH ALL OF THE, THE PROPOSAL FOR ANYTHING.
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE MANAGEMENTS ARE LOWER AND SOME OF THE ELEMENTS AND THE ELEMENTS OF RED HAVE BEEN, UM, HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.
SO THIS IS WHAT I, 35 LOOKS LIKE TODAY STREET FACING.
HE THOUGHT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY AT SIXTH STREET FACING SOUTHEAST.
AND THEN IF YOU CAN FLIP TO THE NEXT SUMMIT, REPEAT, IF YOU CAN JUST GO BACK ONE MORE, I THINK LIMITS TINA AND THEN PUT IT TO THE NEXT ONE.
SO HERE, YOU'LL SEE THE RAMPS AND THE BRIDGE AND THE RED SHADING.
UM, THESE ARE, ARE CURRENTLY OBSTRUCTING THAT YOU WOULD BE THOUGHTFUL AND THOSE WOULD BE NOW, IF YOU CAN SEND IT TO THEM AGAIN.
SO THIS IS, UM, WHAT THE SAME LOCATION WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT WITH ALL OF THE PROPOSALS.
SO EACH BUILD ALTERNATIVE PROPOSES TO REMOVE THE UPPER DECKS FROM AIRPORT BOULEVARD TO MARTIN LUTHER, MAYBE FULL LIFE.
THIS IS WHAT I, 35 LOOKED LIKE TODAY AT 32ND STREET FACING WEST.
AND THEN IF YOU CAN FLIP TO THE NEXT IMAGE, THE UPPER DECKS AND COLUMNS ARE SHOWN IN RED.
THEY ARE CURRENTLY BLOCKING MUCH OF THE VIEW FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO THE LEVER.
AND IF YOU FLIP TO THE NEXT MINUTE, THIS IS WHAT THE SAME LOCATION WOULD LOOK LIKE WITHOUT THE APPLICANTS.
AND AGAIN, IT FOR ALL OF THE ORPHANAGES, OKAY.
NEXT LIKE TEXTS IS COORDINATING WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS AND FEEDING THE CITY OF BOSTON.
AS PART OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS.
OUR ROLE IS TO ENVIRONMENTALLY ANALYZE DESIGN FIND AND BUILD THE PROJECT.
THE CITY OF BOSTON IS A PARTICIPATING AGENCY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UMPIRE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND PROVIDES INPUT ON ALIGNMENT WITH LOCAL PLANS, THE CITY IN COORDINATION WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE WITH ANALYZING THE POTENTIAL TO DESIGN, FIND AN ADULT CATS OVER SOME SECTIONS OF I 45 IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
ANOTHER OF OUR PARTNERSHIP CAP METRO.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO SERVING AS A PARTICIPATING AGENCY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EIS AT METRO COORDINATES CONNECTIONS AND DIRECT TRANSIT ACCESS AND PLANT OPERATION.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE, ONE DESIGN OPTION BEING COORDINATED WITH THE CITY AND PARTNERSHIP WITH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE WITH LOCAL ENHANCEMENTS.
UM, THESE COULD INCLUDE DEBT CLAUSES OR CAPS AS SHOWN IN RENDERING.
THE MAIN LANES AND MANAGEMENT ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM THE GROUND LEVEL DURING PREVIOUS, UH, PUBLIC AND AGENCY ENGAGEMENT.
WE'VE HEARD SINCE THE FEEDBACK ABOUT TAPPING
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ARE CURRENTLY IN AN ENGINEERING FEASIBILITY STAGE AND ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.ANOTHER DESIGN OPTION IS DIRECT TRANSIT ACCESS AT DEAN KEATON STREET NEAR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND AT RIVERSIDE DRIVE SOUTH OF LADYBUG, IF FEASIBLE, DIRECT TRANSIT ACCESS WITH PROVIDE BUS ONLY LANES THAT CONNECT FROM THE ROADWAY TO THE PROSECUTE, SIMILAR TO THE LOCAL ENHANCEMENTS, DIRECT TAG, THAT ACCESS IS CURRENTLY IN THE ENGINEERING FEASIBILITY PHASE.
AND WE WILL SOON BE COORDINATING DETAILS WITH PAT MCEWEN CITY OF AUSTIN.
THESE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD ALSO BE FUNDED BY OTHERS AND NEXT SLIDE.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AND STUFF, BUT YESTERDAY TEXTS THAT HOSTED A SECOND VIRTUAL AGENCY SCOPING MEETING.
AND TODAY WE'VE LAUNCHED A SECOND FOR TOOL PUBLIC SLIPPING, WHICH WILL RUN THROUGH APRIL MONTH.
OF COURSE, THE CITY ATTENDED OUR AGENCY SLIPPING MEETING, AND I DO WANT TO THANK MR. SPILLER AND HIS STAFF FOR PROVIDING SOME MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE ON OUR CRITERIA.
AND OTHER CONTENTS THAT WE'VE PRESENTED THE FIRST SCOPING MEETING WAS HELD LATE LAST YEAR AT THAT MEETING PRESENTED THE DRAFT COORDINATION PLAN AND SCHEDULE THE DRAFT PROJECT PURPOSE IN ME, THE DRAFT AND THE DRAFT RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES FOR THE CURRENT SCOPING MEETING, THE SAME MATERIALS ARE BEING MADE AVAILABLE OR REVISED FORMAL AND ADDITIONALLY WORK PRESENTING AND SEEKING COMMENT ON HOW THE ALTERNATIVES ARE GOING TO BE ANALYZED.
WELL, THE FORMAL COMMENT PERIOD WILL END APRIL 9TH TEXTS THAT WELCOMES FEEDBACK AT ANY TIME, DOCUMENTATION OF FEEDBACK AND INPUT WILL CONTINUE TO ADD FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT TO ALLOW FOR GREATER COMMUNITY INPUT.
TECH SIDE IS ALSO EXCITED TO BE INVITED TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS STARTING AFTER APRIL 9TH TO ADDRESS RELEVANT TOPICS AND BE A SOUNDING BOARD FOR THE PROJECT.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE SIGNIFICANT HOUSE LATER IN 2021.
NOW, TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THESE WORKSHOPS FOR THEM DURING THE FIGHT, DURING THE OFFICIAL COMMENT PERIOD FROM THAT FIRST BUILDING MEETING TEXTS THAT RECEIVED MORE THAN 2300 COMMENTS FROM, AND WE'RE WORKING TO INCORPORATE THESE MATERIALS INTO OR SCOPING THESE COMMENTS INTO OUR SLIPPING INTO COMMON THEMES, INCLUDED RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL DESIGN ALTERNATIVES THAT INCORPORATE TECH PLAZA OR TAPS PROSECUTED AMENITIES, OR AN URBAN BOULEVARD CONCEPT.
WE ALSO HEARD RECOMMENDATIONS TO ALIGN WITH LOCAL PLANS, SUCH AS THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AND A DESIRE TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY, INCLUDING SAFETY FOR BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS AT BOTH VEHICLES WILL BE HEARD RECOMMENDATIONS ON EXPLORING FINANCING OPTIONS, INCLUDING MANAGED LANE REQUESTS TO EVALUATE IMPACTS TO COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EQUITY.
YOU ALSO HEARD REQUESTS TO ANALYZE CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREENHOUSE GASES FOR FACILITATING ENHANCED TRANSIT OPERATIONS AND CONNECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO DIVERT TRUCKS, TO
I'D ALSO BE HAPPY TO SEND THESE TO YOU EMAIL.
AS I MENTIONED, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE SECOND VIRTUAL STUFFY MEETING IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE EVALUATION AND COUNSEL NUMBER 15, THIS, THIS, UM, EXHIBIT WE PREPARED.
IT WAS OUT OF THE, THE MEETING THAT WE HAD WITH YOU TO DEFINE THE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.
SO AFTER OUR CRITERIA IS FINALIZED THE RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE NO BUILD ALTERNATIVE WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON THE CRITERIA.
AND THE REFINED RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES WILL BE PRESENTED TO AGENCY FROM THE PUBLIC IN DECEMBER, 2021.
THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE WILL BE IDENTIFIED IN THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, WHICH WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE AS PART OF A PUBLIC HEARING FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND CIRCULATED TO THE COOPERATING AND PARTICIPATING AGENCIES.
FINALLY, THE SELECTED ALTERNATIVE WILL BE PRESENTED IN THE SUMMER OF 2023 AS PART OF THE COMBINED FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND RECORD OF DECISION.
OF COURSE, TEXTS NOT ENCOURAGES FEEDBACK THROUGHOUT EACH STEP OF THE PROCESS AND ALL CONFERENCE WILL BE DOCUMENTED.
AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, WE'RE MAKING EXTENSIVE EFFORTS TO REACH OUT TO VENERABLE POPULATIONS THROUGH A VARIETY OF NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT PUBLIC INPUT OPPORTUNITY.
WE REGULARLY PROVIDE PRESENTATIONS AND PARTICIPATE IN MEETINGS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD AND CIVIC ORGANIZATION.
WE'LL BE DOING ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND TARGETED OUTREACH REPRESENTATIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND POPULATIONS TO, TO BE FURTHER
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ENCOURAGED INCLUDE THAT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PEOPLE OF COLOR, MINORITY POPULATION, LOW INCOME POPULATION, PEOPLE WITH LIMITED ENGLISH, PROFICIENCY, THE ELDERLY CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP AND ROUTINE OUT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT THE FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITY.
OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO, UM, SOUTH PROJECT AND NEXT TIME THAT A PROJECT EXTENDS FROM MESSAGE 71 AND LIKE BOULEVARD DOWN TO SE 45 SOUTH.
IT PROPOSES TO ADD 7.6 MILES OF NON COLD MANAGED LANE AND APPROXIMATELY 13 MILES OF NEW HERESIES PATH, WHICH WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THREE MILES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCTED.
THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT SHOWS OPERATIONAL ISSUES WITH THE EXISTING FACILITY, THE RED ARROWS INDICATE LOCATIONS WHERE ON-RAMPS DIRECTLY LEARNED INTO THE OUTSIDE LANE CAUSING CONGESTION TO PROPOSE I 35 IMPROVEMENTS, ELIMINATE MURKY NETEASE AMPLIFICATION, OR GREATLY IMPROVE OPERATIONS AND SAFETY.
THE IMAGE TO THE RIGHT SHOWS, THE PROPOSED ELEVATED MANAGED LANES BETWEEN ETHICS 71 AND FLORIDA.
THIS SECTION PROVIDES BENEFITS SUCH AS DIRECT MANAGING CONNECTIONS TO AND FROM ESSEX 71 AND THEN LIKE BOULEVARD AND FROM THE NORTHBOUND ENTRANCE WHEN SOLDERABLE RIGHT MANAGE LANE CONNECTION, ELIMINATE LEAVING ACROSS THE MANAGEMENT.
OTHER BENEFITS INCLUDE PRESERVING RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH ARE SHOWN IN BRIGHT BLUE AT FACT MINGLING.
AND WHEN YOU CAN INVOLVE, UM, ALSO WIDER TRAVELINGS AND SMOLDERS, WHICH WOULD THESE PASSES FIVE, 10% AND 50% RESPECTIVELY AND THE SOUTHBOUND BYPASS LANE SYSTEM FROM NORTH OF STACKING WAYNE TO SOUTH AVOIDING FROM INSIDE.
THESE WERE MADE MAJOR LEAVING AND MERGING OPERATIONS FROM THE MAIN LANES AND THE DCIS THREE TRAFFIC INTERSECTION.
UM, ADDING THESE AXILLARY LANES WILL REDUCE PRESSURE BY 20%.
AS I MENTIONED, THE SOUTH PROJECT PROPOSES ELEVATING MANAGED LANES, FOR MESSAGE 71, THEN Y ENTERTAINED FOR TWO MILES OVER STAFFING LANE.
AND WHEN YOU CAN, AS WELL, THIS WILL ALLOW FOR BETTER INCIDENT WHEN THERE'S A PATCH OR STRAINING IT ALSO ACCOMMODATES THE SOUND BYPASS LANE AND INTEGRATE THEM TO RECENTLY CONTRACTED MOVEMENTS.
THE HEIGHT OF THE MANDATORY WOULD VARY FROM ABOUT 30 TO 40 FEET AT
WHITE ENTERTAINED THE HIGH OF THE EXISTING UPPER DECKS BETWEEN AIRPORT BOULEVARD AND MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BOULEVARD RANGED FROM ABOUT 25 TO 35 FEET ABOVE THE, OF THE RENDERING SHOWN ARE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE, LOOKING SOUTH AT STEPHANIE AND ILLUSTRATE WHAT THE ELEVATED MANAGEMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE DURING THE DAY AND AT NIGHT, THE PROJECT WAS ALSO GOING INTO SUPPORTIVE LIGHTING TO MAKE THE COLUMNS OF THE
THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE, TRAVEL TIME ON BOTH THE MANAGEMENT AND THE NAMING FOR THE FORECAST YEAR 2030, COMPARED TO THE NO BUILD OPTION.
WHAT ARE YOU RUSH HOUR WOULD BE AN ESTIMATED 18 MINUTES FASTER ON AVERAGE FOR THE MANAGED LANES AND FASTER FOR THE MAIN EVENING RUSH HOUR COULD BE 13 MINUTES FASTER IN THE MANAGEMENT OF INFORM AND
AND NEXT SLIDE, WE HELD A VIRTUAL STAKEHOLDER MEETING FOR THE SOUTH PROJECT.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING WAS TO PROVIDE A FOLLOW-UP TO THE OPEN HOUSE THAT WE CONDUCTED IN 2019, AND TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TOUR, THESE UPDATED MATERIALS, WE RECEIVED ALMOST 300 COMMENTS WITH APPROXIMATELY 75% COMING THROUGH A FOREIGN WEATHER.
ANOTHER 40 PLUS RESPONDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A SURVEY, UM, UH, THINGS INCLUDED SUPPORT FOR EFFICIENT TRANSIT ACCESS, THE RATHER THAN OPPOSITION TO WHY ME AND THE ROADWAY AND ADDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO USE LOWER DESIGN FEEDS AND MULTI-MODAL SCRIPT DESIGN SUPPORT FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BYPASS INTERSECTION SIGNALS.
I DESIRE FOR MULTI-MODAL COSTUMES, EXIT PORT FOR FOOD BICYCLE INSPECTION, CONNECTIVITY, AND SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONSIDER THE MANAGERS OF HOLDING REQUESTS PROTECTS THAT TO FOCUS ON CLEAN TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS AND EXAMINE WILDLIFE IMPACTS AND CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSED ELEVATED MANNERS, AS WELL AS, UM, POTENTIAL INCREASE IN NOISE.
WE ARE TARGETING LATE SPRING FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ARE WORKING IN CORPORATE COMMENTS FROM OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA IN THE FALL
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OF 2019.AND THE FIRST WILL STAKEHOLDER MEETING HELD IN DECEMBER INTO THE DESIGN OF THE SOUTH PROJECT.
AND NEXT FIVE, NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NORTH PROJECT.
AND NEXT SLIDE, NORTH PROJECT STRETCHES FROM SIX 45 NORTH.
YOU MUST UNITED EAST AND PROPOSES TO ADD 10.6 MILES OF MANAGEMENT AND DIRECTION IN THIS PROJECT.
ONLY ONE MANNERS
US ONE 83 SOUTH ROUTE WILL BE CRITICAL DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CENTRAL PROJECT, WHICH COULD START AS EARLY AS 2025.
BUT THE SOUTH PROJECT PROPOSES ASKING THREE MILES OF INTERSECTION BYPASS LANES TO PROVIDE SAFER, FASTER ACCESS TO THE INTERSTATE AND BENEFIT LOCAL AND REGIONAL MOBILITY.
HERE'S A PICTURE OF A COMPLETED INTERSECTION BYPASS LANE, FM 1431.
YOU KNOW, I SEE IT IN THE AREA POINTS TO THE BYPASS LANE, WHICH ALLOWS DRIVERS TO EXIT THE MAIN LINE, BUT ALSO AVOID A SINGLE, LIKE ALL SECTIONS.
I PASS LANES, REMOVE DIRECT CURRENT MERGES AND REDUCE LEAD MOVEMENTS ON THE MAIN LANE, WHICH IMPROVES OPERATIONS.
WE ALSO IMPROVE BRIEFLY BY ALLOWING DRIVERS TO BYPASS TRAFFIC SIGNAL.
THE PROJECT ALSO PROPOSES ADDING APPROXIMATELY 0.2 MILES OF SHARED USE PATH.
IT UPGRADES, HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT AND VERTICAL GRADES FOUR AND FIVE DISTANCE AND OPTIMIZES INTERSECTIONAL SENSES FOR BETTER SAFETY, LOCAL ACCESS AND OVERALL OFFICE PERFORMANCE.
SO WHERE DID THE SOUTH PROJECT? THE NORTH PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE TRAVEL TIME FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND FROM THE MAIN FOR 2030 COMPARED TO OUR NEW BUILD OPTION MORNING RUSH HOURS, AN ESTIMATED 22 MINUTES FAST AROUND THE MAIN LANES IN 18 MINUTES, FAST, SORRY, 22 MINUTES FASTER ON THE MATTERS THINGS IN EACH TWO MINUTES, FAST AROUND THE MAIN LANE AND EVENING RUSH HOURS AND THE ESTIMATED 49 MINUTES FASTER ON THE MORNING AND 44 MINUTES FASTER ON THE MOON.
AND OF COURSE IN 2015, 2050, THE TIME SAVINGS IS MORE NOW TEXTS HOSTED AN OPEN HOUSE FOR THE NORTH PROJECT.
IN 2019, WE RECEIVED MORE THAN 180 COMMENTS.
YOU HEARD A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR A VARIABLE PRICE TOLD ME AS WELL AS, UM, SOME OPPOSITION TO CALLING.
YOU HEARD A DESIRE FOR ENHANCED BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND GENERAL SUPPORT, AS WELL AS GENERAL OPPOSITION TO THE PROJECT.
AND WE RECEIVED RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED TAPPING NOISE AND, AND, AND SUPPORT FOR MULTIMODAL TRANSIT AND MULTI-MODAL FACILITIES IN NORTH PROJECT IS ALSO ON A SIMILAR TIMELINE AS SOUTH PROJECT.
AND WE'RE TARGETING LATE SPRING FOR THE PUBLICATION.
I'M GOING TO DISCUSS THE, UM, AGENCY IN PUBLIC AND GIVE IT TO ME.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR CLOSEST PARTNERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW OF THE PROJECT.
UM, AND THE
IT'S DESIGNED TO WHERE IT HAD MORE THAN A HUNDRED ATTENDEES ACROSS NINE AGENCIES AND ELECTED OFFICIAL OFFICES.
DURING THE SHREK ROUTES DEALT INTO SAFETY, EAST-WEST CONNECTIONS, ACCESS CONTROL, RESPECTABILITY ACTIVE TRANSIT, AND OTHER TOPICS.
FOLLOWING THIS ROUTE, WE FORMED THE CROSS AGENCY WORKING GROUP, WHICH INCLUDES ATD AND WHICH MEETS APPROXIMATELY EVERY MONTH SINCE NOVEMBER, A VERY TECHNICALLY FOCUSED GROUP OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TEXAS MONTHLY OR A DAY LONG FOCUSED WORKSHOPS TO FURTHER ANALYZE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT.
YOU'VE ALSO BEEN COORDINATING WITH ADT AND DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE ON THE TAP AND SIT IN OAKLAND HANSON EFFORTS, OUR COORDINATION ON TAP AND SIT.
IT ACTUALLY GOES BACK TO 2019 WHEN TEXTS OUT STARTED PARTICIPATING IN ANY WORKING GROUPS THAT DA HOSTED TECH SIDE ATTENDED
[01:10:01]
EVERY MEETING AND ACTIVELY PROVIDED INFORMATION AND PRESENTATIONS TO SEEK FEEDBACK ON THE CONCEPT.WE'RE NOW CONTINUING OUR COORDINATION WITH MONTHLY MEETING NEXT SIDE.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE ALSO ATTENDING MEETINGS WITH, UH, VARIOUS, UH, WITH VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS.
YOU'VE MET WITH ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS ON THE SLIDE OR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO THE SOUTH BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE WERE ACTUALLY REFERRED TO US BY ELECTED OFFICIALS DURING OUR ELECTED OFFICIAL OUTLETS.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THESE CONNECTIONS AND HOPE.
YOU'LL CONTINUE TO LET US KNOW WHEN THERE ARE INTERESTED GROUPS THAT WE NEED TO PROACTIVELY REACH OUT TO.
WE ALSO ARE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO REQUEST OUR PARTICIPATION IN THEIR ME BEING TO CALL OR EMAIL US.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE HAVE, UM, WE'RE PROVIDING OUR CONTACT INFORMATION, OF COURSE, INCLUDING I WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE INFO.
BEFORE CONCLUDING, I WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THE COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP IN AN EFFORT TO FURTHER ENGAGE THE WE'LL BE LAUNCHING THIS GROUP FOR THE SIMPLE PROJECT.
IT WILL BE OPEN TO ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WILL BE HELD PERSONALLY.
AND THESE MEETINGS ARE WE'RE PLANNING ON HOLDING THEM EVERY OTHER MONTH, STARTING THIS SPRING AND AFTER A SECOND PUBLIC MEETING AND THEY'LL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY AND SEMATIC DESIGN PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
THE FOCUS AT THE WORK TOP, UH, WORKSHOPS WILL BE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS AND THEN HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY ON THE ISSUES.
TOPICS OF THE WORKSHOPS MAY INCLUDE BYPASS SAFETY, URBAN BOULEVARD, CONCEPT, AND COMMUNITY AND PATHS, UM, AMONG OTHER ISSUES.
WE'RE JUST STARTING TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, WITH OUR REFERRAL FOR THE MEETING.
AND WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT YOU HELP US SPREAD THE WORD AND, UM, PROVIDE INTERESTING GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE.
AND THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
AND AT THIS TIME WE'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK, ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE TXDOT TEAM BEING AVAILABLE AND, UM, BEING ABLE TO JOIN WITH US TODAY SO WE CAN HELP SHARE YOUR PROCESS WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL.
UM, WE'VE CERTAINLY HEARD FROM A LOT OF AUSTINITES, UM, THAT THEY HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT HOW
UM, A LOT OF THESE POINTS ARE THINGS THAT YOU HAD IN YOUR PRESENTATION, SO I KNOW THEY'RE ON YOUR RADAR, UM, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT CAN, UH, IT REFLECTS OUR COMMUNITY'S VALUES AND PRIORITIES AND APPROVED PLANS.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THE ASM P UM, THAT MEANS SUPPORTING TRANSIT, SUPPORTING CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS, AND ELIMINATING THE HISTORICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BARRIER OF THE ELEVATED LANES, IMPROVING SAFETY FOR ALL TRAVELERS, FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE AND IMPROVING OUR PUBLIC SPACES.
WE KNOW THAT OUR SEAT AS A CITY COUNCIL, UH, LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT FROM TECH STOCKS RESPONSIBILITY AS THE MANAGER OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND THAT COMES WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL COLLABORATING WITH US AND TAKING THE INPUT THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS WANT TO PROVIDE TO YOU.
SO WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE BEING INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
UM, MY ONLY ONE QUICK QUESTION WAS WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT APRIL 9TH BEING A CLOSING DATE TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, DO YOU, YOU MAY HAVE SAID THE WEBSITE AND I THINK I JUST MISSED IT, BUT IS THERE A LOCATION THAT PEOPLE SHOULD EITHER BE EMAILING, CALLING OR GOING TO A WEBSITE TO INPUT THEIR COMMENTS? YES, IT'S MY 35 CAT-BACK PLATFORM AND THE ESPECIAL WEBSITE, WE SET UP FOR THE CAP EX PROGRAM.
AND WHEN YOU FIRST THAT FIGHT, WHAT ARE THE FIRST THING TO THE VERY TOP OF THE SITE WILL BE THE, UM, THE PUBLIX WILL BE, I MEAN, WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS, THE PUBLIC
I MIGHT BE REPEATING MYSELF, BUT I KNOW THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE VERY LONG AND INTENSIVE, AND I THINK Y'ALL HAVE DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB COLLECTING FEEDBACK AND TRYING TO BE RESPONSIVE FOR THE PEOPLE IN AUSTIN TO BE PROUD OF SOMETHING THAT IS TOGETHER.
COUNCIL MEMBER, KITCHEN Y'ALL WILL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME.
THERE'S SOME REALLY WEIRD ECHOEY THING.
UM, SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION, UH, ABOUT CAPPING STILL KEEPS COMING UP, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY TALK NUMBERS.
UM, HAVE WE MADE THE ASSESSMENT AROUND WHAT THAT WOULD COST FEASIBILITY AROUND WHERE WE WOULD DO IT? I'M JUST
[01:15:01]
VERY, UH, CURIOUS ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS AND IT ISN'T THE CITY THAT NEEDS TO RUN THOSE NUMBERS IS TEXTS THAT RUN THOSE NUMBERS.UM, IF YOU, YEAH, I CAN, I CAN ANSWER THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY ELSE COULD MUTE, UM, EXCEPT FOR ME.
UH, ARE YOU, ARE YOU HAVING A HARD TIME STILL HEARING ME? OKAY.
UM, UM, I SAID, I CAN'T, I CAN'T, IT'S REALLY ECHOEY, SO I'LL TAKE IT, TAKE A STAB AT ANSWERING IT.
AND IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T HEAR ME, MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE CAN REITERATE IT FOR ME.
UM, SO WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY, BOSTON AND VA.
UH, THE CITY HAS A CONSULTANT ON BOARD TO KIND OF HELP HELP US ALONG IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE ARE IN THE KIND OF FEASIBILITY STAGE RIGHT NOW.
UM, TOMORROW WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA GO TO THE CITY OFFICES AND IN PERSON AND TALK ABOUT FIVE, 10 ACCOMMODATIONS.
UM, RIGHT IN NOVEMBER, WE, WE HAVE THESE MONTHLY MEETINGS AT THE CITY.
UM, THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS DETERMINE HOW TO GET, UM, HOW TO LOAD AND UNLOAD DOWNTOWN FROM A PROFIT PERSPECTIVE.
AND WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT SIX WEEKS, SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS AWAY FROM KIND OF GETTING A REALLY GOOD PLAN IN PLACE FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN BASED ON THAT, IT WILL DETERMINE, UM, KIND OF THE RIGHT-A-WAY FOOTPRINTS THAT WILL BE NEEDED, UH, FOR THE TAP RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING BETWEEN FIRST AND FOURTH AS A, AS A DEFINITE LOCATION.
WE HAVEN'T REALLY GONE INTO A LOT OF OTHER PATIENTS.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER LOCATIONS, I THINK, 11TH AND 12TH, EIGHT TO NINE AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE THOSE COORDINATION MEETINGS GOING WITH MY PREP.
TREMBLE IS LEADING THE EFFORT FOR THAT, UH, IN TERMS OF THE PROPS.
UM, AND HE'S WELL AWARE OF KIND OF THE GIVE AND TAKES THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
I CAN TELL YOU, WE'VE NOT TOLD MIKE OR THE TEAM YET, BUT, UM, WE HAVE THE TERM IN THAT WE WILL BE, UM, SHARING THE, THE, OF FOOTPRINTS, UM, WITH, OR WITHOUT, I MEAN, WITH THE CABIN IN MIND AND IN TERMS OF THE LOCATIONS WE'RE STILL WORKING OUT, BUT, UM, WE WILL BE ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEARING WITH OUR PROJECTS, THE FOOTPRINTS, AND, UH, WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT WE'VE BEEN USING IN A VERY SIMILAR, UM, UH, AREA THE FIRST, BEFORE A FEW YEARS AGO WAS A HUNDRED MILLION JUST FOR THE CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO IF THAT CAN GIVE YOU A BIT OF A, A BIT OF A SCALE, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON, UM, REALLY WHAT OUR PROJECTS, UM, OUR PROJECT MIGHT, UM, REQUIRE A PUMP STATION FOR GRANTED.
SOME THINGS THAT, THAT ONE DIDN'T, SO IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S A ROUGH MAGNITUDE.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE DEFINITELY WORKING OUT A KIND OF A WHITE PAPER TO SHARE, UM, PRELIMINARY, BUT WE DO HAVE IN OUR SCOPE OF OUR SCHEMATIC CONTRACTS TO GET THOSE DETAILED NUMBERS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE WOULD NEED TO GO INTO AN ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY TO INCLUDE THOSE COSTS AND IN OUR, IN OUR CONTRACTS FOR CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE HAVE A WELL LAID OUT PLAN ON TIMING OF ALL OF THAT.
AND SO THE ANSWER TO ALL OF THAT IS YES, IN DUE TIME.
AND, UM, I I'M, I'M REALLY CONFIDENT AND HAPPY.
AND IN THE PLAN THAT WE'VE LAID OUT, WE'RE PLANNING ON ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERIENCE CENTRAL IN MAY OF 2023.
SO WE DO HAVE TIME TO WORK, UM, WITH IT'S MEAN AS, AS, AS THE DESIGN PROGRESSIVE, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS NEXT THING, ISN'T A QUESTION SO MUCH AS A COMMENT, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M HEARING A LOT FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS.
THEY HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
THEY'RE SO CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO WITH SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAY I RECOGNIZE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH 35, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT BUILDING MORE LANES FOR MORE CARS, UM, IS THE ANSWER.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT GETS US TO OUR CLIMATE GOALS, OUR VISION ZERO GOALS OR MODE SHIFT GOALS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT HELPS US TO RECONCILE THE HISTORY OF OUR 35 AS A PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION OF SEGREGATION.
ALL THAT TO SAY, I, I DO WISH THAT THE PUBLIC PERIOD WERE OPEN LONGER.
I I'M STILL GETTING THE KIND OF QUESTIONS THAT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE THE, THE COMMUNITY JUST HASN'T HAD ENOUGH TIME TO WEIGH IN.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION, UM, WE, WE SPOKE WITH THAT METRO AND THEY HAD THE SAME RESPONSE TO US ABOUT COMMENTS, PERIODS OF NEAR TAKING COMMENTS AT THE WHOLE TIME THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THIS IS JUST THE TIME PERIOD THAT THE, THAT THE, THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS REQUIRE US TO KEEP IT OPEN AND THEN DOCUMENT IT.
BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE WON'T BE TAKING QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED THIS SUMMER WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ROLL OUT SCHEMATICS AND SHOW YOU RAMPS AND SHOW YOU ACCESS AND SHOW YOU LANES AND, AND REALLY GET INTO
[01:20:01]
THE DETAILS.AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST NOT QUITE THERE.
WE, HOW ROLLED ARE ALL OF OUR MAPS OUT WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND SOME OF OUR PARTNERS.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET TO A POSITION IN THE SUMMER WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOUR AGENCY AND OUR AGENCY ARE KIND OF IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT WE ROLL OUT.
AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC ON WHY LANES OR EVEN IF IT'S LOCATION.
AND, UM, WE'RE JUST NOT QUITE THERE YET.
UM, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SEVERAL YEAR PROCESS AND WE'RE JUST AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF IT.
AND WHAT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW IS, UM, JUST KIND OF HIGH LEVEL RIGHT NOW, I'M IN THE PROCESS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THE SLIDES ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVES, BECAUSE I THINK I SAW, UH, TWO, UH, UH, TWO ALTERNATIVES IF I SAW THAT CORRECTLY.
AND FOR THE SOUTH PORTION, DID I, DID I SEE THAT RIGHT? THAT ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES DOES NOT HAVE THE, UH, RAISED PORTION, UM, IN THE SOUTH.
SO FOR THE, FOR THE SOUTH PROJECT, UH, WE'RE MUCH FURTHER ALONG, UM, AND WE HAVE A BUILD ALTERNATIVE SELECTED, AND, UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONSTRUCTION ITSELF IN JANUARY.
SO IT'S VERY MUCH FURTHER ALONG.
UM, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS FOR THAT.
AND WE HAVE THE ONE, UM, CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT WE'RE CONSTRUCTING RIGHT NOW IN CENTRAL, UH, THREE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES ON, UH, SOUTH.
AND WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE READING THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND THEY'LL BE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING, UM, HERE.
OKAY, WELL, BUT I THOUGHT I SAW THAT SKETCH ON THE SLIDE.
IT SHOWED ALTERNATIVES FOR SOUTH AUSTIN.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THERE AREN'T ANY ALTERNATIVES? SO, UH, THE, THE SLIDE THAT YOU SAW WITH THE, WITH THE PROFILE VIEWS, THERE WERE THREE AT THE BOTTOM, AND THOSE ARE ALL FOR THE CENTRAL PROJECT, WHICH IS IN, FROM, UM, 45
AND THAT IS THE CENTRAL PROJECT.
AND THAT IS WHAT IS STILL OKAY.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
THIS WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO SEE MORE INTO YOUR PROCESS AND TO HELP DAYLIGHT, HOW PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED AND PROVIDE THEIR COMMENTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING, AND OUR NEXT
[4. Update on the 2016 Bond Corridor Construction Program (25 minutes). Sponsors: Council Member Paige Ellis, and Council Member Mackenzie Kelly]
ITEM ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS GOING TO BE AN UPDATE ON THE 2016 BOND CORRIDOR PROGRAM.I'M MIKE TRIMBLE, DIRECTOR OF THE QUARTER PROGRAM OFFICE.
AND WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS PROVIDE A BRIEF THAT I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING SHORT ON TIME, PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE QUARTER PROGRAM.
AND, UM, ALSO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ADJUSTMENTS WE'RE MAKING TO THE PROGRAM, UH, BASED ON THE PASSAGE OF PROPOSITION A, UH, NEXT SLIDE YOU GO TO THE NEXT ONE TOO.
UM, ONE MORE, WE GOT A LOT OF INTRO SLIDES.
UH, SO JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND, UM, AS YOU RECALL, 2016 MOBILITY BOND PROGRAM FOR THE VOTERS PASSED WAS A $720 MILLION PROGRAM HAD THREE PRIMARY BUCKETS OF FUNDING, 137 FOR LOCAL MOBILITY, 101 MILLION FOR REGIONAL MOBILITY AND LARGEST BUCKET WAS $482 MILLION FOR QUARTER MOBILITY.
AND THAT FUNDING WAS FOR NINE CORRIDORS.
AND THAT WAS BASED ON SEVERAL STUDIES THAT THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT HAD DONE, UH, FOR MAJOR ROADWAYS AND HOW TO IMPROVE AND FOR MULTIMODAL MOBILITY AND SAFETY.
ALONG WITH THE BOND ELECTION ORDINANCE, UH, COUNCIL ALSO PASSED A CONTRACT WITH VOTERS RESOLUTION, AND THIS PROVIDED SEVERAL STIPULATIONS AROUND HOW THE QUARTER PROGRAM WAS TO BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED, UH, NAMELY THAT THE QUARTER PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS WERE TO ACHIEVE SEVERAL MOBILITY, PRIORITIES AND COMMUNITY OUTCOMES AS WELL.
AND SO BEYOND JUST, UH, THE, SOME OF THE MORE STANDARD, UH, REDUCTION IN CONGESTION, UH, LEVEL SERVICE MEASURES, ALSO LOOKING AT HOW IT CAN SUPPORT PRESERVATION OF LOCAL BUSINESSES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND EQUITABLE, COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.
ALSO IT'S STIPULATED THAT WE HAD AN EIGHT YEAR GOAL, UH, TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM.
SO IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS OF THE PROGRAM, UH, STAFF, UH, UH, TRANSLATED ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS OUT OF THE QUARTER STUDIES THAT WERE DONE, UH, DEVELOP, UH, INVESTMENT PACKAGES.
AND THEY CREATED A PROPOSED QUARTER CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM THAT COUNCIL APPROVED IN APRIL, 2018.
AND THIS IS REPRESENTS THAT PROGRAM.
OVERALL, ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS REPRESENT ABOUT $1.4 BILLION.
SO THAT'S THE TOTAL PROGRAM, UH, BUT WE HAVE THE PRIORITIZED PROJECTS THAT WE'RE DOING,
[01:25:01]
UH, WITH THE 2016 BOND FUNDING AND THAT THEY REPRESENT IMPROVEMENTS ALONG EVERY STRETCH OF ALL NINE CORRIDORS IN OUR QUARTER WIDE MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENTS.SO ALL CORRIDORS ARE GETTING IMPROVED CONNECTIVITY, UH, INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, IMPROVE CROSSINGS, IMPROVE BIKE, AND PED FACILITIES.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THERE WERE A SET OF WHAT WE CALL ENHANCED MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH ARE REALLY MORE OF YOUR COMPLETE STREETS, A FULL CONFIGURATION OF THE CROSS SECTION OR THE ROADWAY THAT WAS ENVISIONED BY THE QUARTER STUDIES.
AND SO THAT WILL INCLUDE BETTER SEPARATION OF BIKE AND PED FACILITIES BEHIND THE CURVE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND, UH, TREES AND LANDSCAPING ALONG THE ROADWAY AS WELL.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK THE FULL PROGRAM THOUGH, OUTSIDE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE FULLY FUNDED.
UH, WE HAVE PROJECTS THAT WE INITIATED DESIGN ON THAT WERE NEXT ON THE PRIORITIZED LIST, AND ALSO, UM, WE'RE SEEKING ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN THE PROGRAM.
WE NOW HAVE A FUNDED PROGRAM AT $530 MILLION.
SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, TO LEVERAGE AND RETURN TO THE PROGRAM, 50 MILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, UM, FOR A QUARTER IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, UH, WE GOT TO, UM, ADOPTION OF THE QUARTER PROGRAM BY COUNCIL IN 2018, AND THEN WE QUICKLY PIVOTED TO A FULL DESIGN PHASE.
AND SO WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY IN THAT REGARD, WE ARE NOW THIS YEAR MOVING INTO A CONSTRUCTION PHASE, WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE, UH, SEVERAL OF OUR LARGER PROJECTS, UH, FORWARD INTO BID AND CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND NOTING THAT WE'VE GOTTEN SEVERAL PROJECTS, UM, ALREADY COMPLETED ON SEVERAL QUARTERS.
AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, MY DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SUSAN DANIELS, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE THUS FAR AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, THIS LINE HERE SHOWS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COMPLETE PRIMARILY SAFETY AND MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, SUCH AS SIDEWALKS, ADA IMPROVEMENTS SHARED USE PATHS.
WE'VE ALSO FOUND THEM TRADED ON A LOT OF SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS, UPGRADES THAT ALLOW FOR BETTER OPERATIONS AND REDUCTION IN CONGESTION.
NEXT SLIDE I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HERE ONE OF OUR MOST RECENT RIBBON CUTTINGS.
THIS IS, UH, FOUR DIFFERENT INTERSECTIONS ON NORTH AND MALT NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK UNDERWAY.
UM, THIS SLIDE HERE REPRESENTS OVER $40 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS FOR A VARIETY OF THESE CONTRACTS WILL ALLOW US TO DO WORK, UM, ACROSS OUR DIFFERENT CORRIDORS, AS WELL AS BEGIN ONE OF OUR MOST, UH, ONE OF OUR LARGER, UH, OUR FIRST PROJECT, UM, AS NORTH IS, EXCUSE ME, SOUTH LAMAR PERVERSE ROAD.
WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE BIG PROJECTS COMING UP THIS YEAR FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
WE HAVE TWO INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS SHOWN HERE, SLIDE.
UH, THE RENDERING IS OF SLAUGHTER LANE.
UM, AND THIS IS REALLY ONE OF OUR MOST SIGNIFICANTLY TRAVELED INTERSECTIONS IN OUR WORK.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO BID THIS PROJECT THIS YEAR AND THEN BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN 2022.
NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE THREE ROADWAY PROJECTS THAT AREN'T JUST INTERSECTIONS, BUT IS A LONGER SEGMENT OF ROADWAY.
UM, ON THIS SLIDE, WE HIGHLIGHT TWO OF THOSE.
UM, BOTH OF THESE WILL BE COMING FORWARD AND FOR THE NEXT YEAR FOR BIDDING, UH, THE FIRST PROJECT THAT YOU'LL SEE COME FORWARD IS THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD PROJECT.
IT'S THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THAT ROADWAY, AS WELL AS THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE LINE.
IT IS ALSO A CAMPO GRANT PROJECT AND RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING, UH, TO WIND THAT ROADWAY TO ADD CAPACITY TO GO IN CANADA.
NEXT ONE, THIS IS ANOTHER PROJECT HERE ON SLAUGHTER LANE.
IT RECEIVED KAPPA GRANT FUNDING AS WELL TO GET THEM SOME PERMITS IN PLACE.
UM, IT WILL ALLOW US TO GO FROM A FOUR LANE, DEFINE A ROADWAY TO A SIX LANE DIVIDED ROADWAY.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO ADD, UM, A LOT OF CAPACITY IN THIS ROADWAY AND BUILD UPON SOME OF THE DATA BY, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE TO MOPAC, UM, WITH TXDOT AND OTHER EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN THAT AREA.
NEXT SLIDE, BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS COMING OVER, COMING UP OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF GUADALUPE AND WEST CAMPUS AREA,
[01:30:01]
AS WELL AS A BREAKER LANE, UM, NEAR OUR FERNET CORRIDOR.AND THAT WORK IS GOING IN, IN ADVANCE OF THE AUSTIN FC FIRST HOME GAME.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO GET, UM, ADDITIONAL SIDEWALK AND ADA IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT AREA.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL SHARED USE PATH AND SIDEWALKS COMING, UH, TO SLAUGHTER LANE WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF TUTORS SIDEWALK GAPS.
THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
UM, REALLY THESE ARE INTERSECTIONS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, SIGNAL UPGRADES, PEDESTRIAN HYBRID, BEACONS.
UM, THEY ALLOW US TO GET SOME MUCH NEEDED SAFETY AND VISIBILITY, UM, FOR OUR CROSSINGS ON THESE ROADWAYS.
NEXT SLIDE, UH, OUR GANTT CHART.
UM, WHAT IS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'RE MOVING THROUGH FINAL DESIGN PHASE AND GETTING TO THE END OF THE, THE PROGRAM OF OUR CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THE EIGHT YEAR TIMEFRAME TAKES US THROUGH 2024 AND EACH ONE OF THESE ORANGE LINES REPRESENTS, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL PROJECT.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING ON OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
SO SOME OF OUR KEYS TO SUCCESS, I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS WORK DONE.
WE'VE GOT A FANTASTIC TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS AND CONSULTANTS WORKING ON THIS, UM, PROGRAM AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MIND AS ALL THE CRITICAL ITEMS, UH, SUCH AS REAL ESTATE ACQUISITIONS, UTILITY COORDINATION, RELOCATIONS, UM, PROGRAM RISK FACTORS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA MITIGATE, UM, ANY ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME UP ALONG THE WAY IN ORDER TO STAY ON TRACK FOR THE EIGHT YEAR TIME PERIOD, WE'VE TAKEN AN INTEGRATED PROGRAM MANAGEMENT APPROACH WORKING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND ACROSS AGENCY LINES AS WELL.
UM, AND WE'VE CREATED A ROBUST COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION CHANNELS IN ORDER TO KEEP ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS INFORMED.
EXPLAIN HOW HAS DOES, AND ACCELERATING IN THIS BOND PROGRAM INTO AN EIGHT YEAR PROGRAM.
UH, WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD AND, UH, LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN FIND EFFICIENCIES AND DELIVERING THIS PROGRAM AND PUT A MOUSE FOR ABOUT HALF THE TIMEFRAME OF A TYPICAL CIP AS THE SIZE.
UM, IT TAKES A DEDICATED RESOURCES FOCUSED ON THOSE MOST CRITICAL ITEMS. LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THE REAL ESTATE UTILITIES, THE TECHNICAL REVIEWS, THE PERMITTING, UM, IT ALSO TAKES ROBUST PROGRAM CONTROLS DEDICATED TO ANALYZING THE PROGRAM INFORMATION IN REAL TIME SO THAT WE CAN MAKE EFFECTIVE DECISIONS SO THAT WE CAN MANAGE COSTS AND MANAGE RISK IN OUR PROGRAM.
NEXT SLIDE NOW TO SOME OF THE MORE EXTERNAL FACING EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON OVER THE NEXT YEAR, UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE PIVOTING TO CONSTRUCTION, WE'VE BEEN PUTTING A LOT OF EFFORT INTO, UM, DEFINING AN OUTREACH PLAN FOR CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
AND I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT JUST ONE EFFORT, UH, THAT, THAT FED INTO OUR PLANNING EFFORTS FOR THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM DID WAS TO HOST SEVERAL BUSINESS INFORMATION SESSIONS.
AND FROM THOSE SESSIONS, WE HEARD THREE THINGS, UM, THAT WERE KIND OF THE MOST RELEVANT TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEIR STAFF.
AND WHAT WE HEARD IS THEY WANT AN EFFECTIVE, CONSISTENT COMMUNICATIONS.
THEY WANT A GOOD SIGNAGE, AND THEY WANTED A POINT OF CONTACT.
AN INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY KNEW WAS AT THE READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE, OR THEIR CONCERNS OF WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING ON A DAILY BASIS ON THE CORRIDORS.
NEXT SLIDE, CUTTING EFFORT, UH, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS WHAT WE'VE DESIGNATED OUR CORRIDORS FOR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES EFFORT.
UM, AGAIN, THIS HEARKENS BACK TO THE CONTRACTS WITH VOTERS THAT MIKE SHOWED YOU A SLIDE OF EARLIER, THAT TALKS ABOUT NOT ONLY THE MOBILITY PRIORITIES, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE NEEDED TO, TO BE LOOKING AT.
AND SO THIS, THIS QUARTER FOR COMPLETE COMMUNITIES EFFORT REALLY STRATEGICALLY LEVERAGES THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS TO ACHIEVE THOSE LARGER COMMUNITY OUTCOMES.
AND WE DO THIS BY PARTNERING WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, NONPROFITS, OTHER AGENCIES, ET CETERA, TO EXTEND THE SCOPE OF OUR ALL WITH THE GOAL OF AMPLIFYING THE COMMUNITY,
[01:35:01]
AMPLIFYING THE CULTURE AND THE OVERALL MOBILITY EXPERIENCE.AND OF COURSE, WE WERE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON OUR OUTCOMES.
THESE ARE THE VARIOUS ITEMS THAT, UH, WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS QUARTER CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM BACK TO YOU AND APRIL OF 2018 SAYING THAT IF WE DID THESE IMPROVEMENTS, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF OUTCOMES THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE.
AND SO THIS IS ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS.
SO WE'RE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO MAKE ALL OF THESE A REALITY.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO PASS IT BACK OVER TO MIKE TREMBLE TO FINISH THE PRESENTATION.
SO IT, IT REALLY DOES TAKE A VILLAGE TO, TO GET A PROGRAM LIKE THIS DONE, AND IT DIDN'T WANT TO NOTE ALL THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE, UH, OUR AGENCIES, UH, TXDOT CAP METRO.
AND OF COURSE, ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT WE WORK WITH, UM, TO GET THIS PROGRAM DONE EXCELLENT.
SO WE HAVE CONSULTANT TEAMS WORKING ON EACH OF THE CORRIDORS TO MOVE THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FORWARD FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, A, AN EXTENDED TEAM.
WE USE OUR PHRASE ONE TEAM, ONE GOAL, UH, TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE AND WORKING TOGETHER, UH, TO MOVE ALL THE PROJECTS FORWARD AND TO ACHIEVE THE OUTCOMES THAT WE SEEK TO ACHIEVE.
SO I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE COORDINATION WITH PROJECT CONNECT AND SOME OF THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING NEXT SLIDE.
SO ONE OF THE KEY OUTCOMES FOR THE QUARTER PROGRAM IN THE CONTRACT OF VOTERS IS TO, UM, BE TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE, HAVE TRANS SUPPORTIVE IMPROVEMENTS AND ACHIEVE THOSE OUTCOMES.
AND SO THERE'S SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO OUR PROGRAM THAT HELPED TO ACHIEVE THAT, WHETHER IT'S, UM, CROSSINGS, UH, COORDINATING CAPITAL METRO ON LOCATION OF TRANSIT STOPS AND HOW WE CAN CREATE CONNECTIVITY TO THOSE.
UM, SO ALL THOSE THINGS WORK TOGETHER TO HELP SUPPORT TRANSIT OPERATIONS AS WELL.
AND OF COURSE, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF COORDINATION WITH CAPITAL METRO ON THE PROJECT CONNECT VISION PLAN.
UH, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, OUR TEAMS HAVE BEEN MEETING PRETTY REGULARLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING ALIGNED AND COORDINATED AS THE, UH, PROJECT CONNECT VISION PLAN HAS BEEN DEVELOPED, UH, THROUGH, UH, VOTERS APPROVING PROPOSITION A NEXT SLIDE.
SO WITH THE PASSAGE OF PROPOSITION A THAT ACTUALLY AFFORDED US A NICE OPPORTUNITY, UM, BECAUSE PROJECT CONNECT IS LOOKING AT DOING IT, THE BLUE LINE, UH, THROUGH THE RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR, UH, THAT ACTUALLY ALLOWED US TO LOOK AT, UM, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLOCATE FUNDING OFF OF THAT CORRIDOR TO OTHER PRIORITIES IN OUR PROGRAM.
SO SINCE CAPITAL METRO WILL BE COMING THROUGH, UM, WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT AND DOING THE FULL CROSS SECTION FOR THAT ROADWAY, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO GET SOME CRITICAL SAFETY MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS DOWN ON THAT ROADWAY, BUT THEN ALSO LOOK AT REALLOCATING SOME FUNDING TO PRIORITIES.
SO TO DO THAT, WE WENT RIGHT BACK TO OUR COUNCIL APPROVED QUARTER CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, OUR APPROVED PARTICIPATION MODEL, AND WE JUST WENT TO THE NEXT PROJECTS IN THE LIST, NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO THESE ARE THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE ALREADY GOING INTO FULL DESIGN BECAUSE THEY WERE NEXT ON THE LIST.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO REALLOCATE FUNDING OFF OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR AND ALLOCATE, ALLOCATE THOSE TO, TO, TO ENHANCE MULTIMODAL PROJECTS.
ONE ON AIRPORT BOULEVARD, UH, FROM MLK DOWN TO ONE 83 AND ON NORTH OF OUR BOULEVARD, UH, FROM ONE 83 TO RUN BIRD LANE, IN ADDITION TO HELPING US TO FURTHER ACHIEVE, UM, OUR OUTCOMES AND THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS FOR THE 2016 BOND.
WE ALSO FEEL LIKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT.
THE NORTH LAMAR PROJECT WILL MAKE A NICE, ENHANCED MULTIMODAL CONNECTION TO THE NORTH TRANSIT CENTER AND THE NORTHERN TERMINUS OF THE ORANGE LINE THAT'S, UH, ENVISION AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN FOR AIRPORT BOULEVARD, THIS WILL MAKE A NICE MULTIMODAL CONNECTION AS WELL TO THE, UH, PLAN TO GREEN LINE.
UH, SO AGAIN, SUPPORTING TRANSIT AND SUPPORTING A PROJECT CONNECT HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT AS WELL.
UM, SO COMING UP ON YOUR, UH, MARCH 25TH, UH, COUNCIL, UM, AGENDA, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS RELATED TO OUR PROGRAM AND THESE ITEMS RELATE TO, UM, ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION TO HELP US FINISH OUT OUR DESIGN PHASE, UH, WITH OUR CONSULTANT TEAMS ALSO, UM, TO, UH, CONTINUE OUR STAFF AUGMENTATION AND OUR PROGRAM DELIVERY AND PROJECT DELIVERY SERVICES, UM, WITH OUR QUARTER CONSULTANT HDR.
AND THIS HELPS US TO, TO GET THROUGH DESIGN AND REALLY START TO PIVOT INTO A CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
UM, AGAIN, AS SUSAN MENTIONED, SEVERAL OF OUR KEY SUCCESS FACTORS, WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN FOCUS ON THAT AS ANYONE WHO WORKS IN OUR PROGRAM CAN TELL YOU IT IS A, DAY-TO-DAY A CRIME TO STAY FOCUSED ON, UH, MITIGATING RISK AND, AND, AND STAY AND, AND STAYING, UM, ON, ON THE ACCELERATED PATH TO GET THINGS DONE.
AND OUR MANTRA IS GET IT DONE IN 21 FOR THIS PROGRAM, UH, THAT WE KIND OF LIVE AND BREATHE IT.
[01:40:01]
UH, WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING TO HAVE A BIG YEAR, UM, AS WE MOVE INTO CONSTRUCTION PHASE.AND AGAIN, AS WE DO THAT, KEEPING OUR FOCUS ON OUR MOBILITY AND COMMUNITY OUTCOMES.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, MR. TRIMBLE, AND MS. DANIELS.
UM, IT'S A, IT'S A HEAVY LIFT Y'ALL ARE DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB, KEEPING EVERYTHING ON TRACK AND LETTING PEOPLE KNOW IN THE PUBLIC WHAT IT IS THEY CAN EXPECT FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT IT'S MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE BEFORE WE MOVE ONTO THE NEXT ITEM? I'M TRYING TO SQUEEZE IT ALL IN.
I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT ALL THESE TOPICS.
I PUT A LITTLE TOO MUCH IN THIS TIME.
[5. Update from the City of Austin Project Connect Office on the City's role in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for the Orange and Blue Lines. (20 minutes). Sponsors: Council Member Paige Ellis, and Council Member Ann Kitchen]
LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM THEN.AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AN UPDATE FROM CITY OF AUSTIN PROJECT CONNECT ON THE CITY'S ROLE IN THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT NEPA PROCESS FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE.
SO A NEPA DAY WILL BE JOINING US NOW, UH, HELLO COUNCIL CHAIR, ECO DAY WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
UH, AND I WILL TRY TO RUN THROUGH THIS QUICKLY.
UH, THIS IS NOT TIME SENSITIVE, SO I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK NEXT MONTH IF, UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I RUN THROUGH TOO QUICKLY, I'M HAPPY TO DO THIS AGAIN.
AND I, AND I FIRST HAD TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR APPROVING THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT RECENTLY, UM, THAT IS, UH, PROVIDING, UM, STAFFING, UM, FUNDED BY THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP FOR THE CITY PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
WE ARE IN A SUPPORT ROLE TO CAPITAL METRO AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UM, AS A TRI-PARTY, UH, YOU KNOW, TRIO OF AGENCIES WORKING TO IMPLEMENT, UM, PROJECT CONNECT.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY'S ROLE IN THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT NEPA PROCESSES, UH, FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE LIGHT ARE ALIGNED SPECIFICALLY.
UM, SO NEXT SLIDE, UH, JUST TO GROUND THE PUBLIC AND OUR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, PROJECT CONNECT TO OUR TRANSPORTATION POLICY.
IN 2019, WE ADOPTED THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, ASN P UH, WITH A GOAL OF, UM, A 50 50 MODE CHAIR MEETING TO MANAGE OUR GROWTH.
BY 2039, WE WON 50% OF OUR, OF OUR PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE OTHER MODES TRANSIT, BEING A BIG PART OF THAT SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION PORTFOLIO, WHICH IS CURRENTLY AT ABOUT 4% PRE COVID, UM, AND IS LOOKING TO QUADRUPLE ON HIGH-CAPACITY TRANSIT AS PROVIDED WITH PROJECT CONNECT IS THE KEY TO HELPING TO INCREASE THAT MODE SHARE.
SO, UH, THE PROJECT CONNECTED VISION PLAN IS INCLUDED AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ASAP, UM, AND BOTH INITIATIVES, UM, RIGHT AWAY FORWARD FOR SOLVING OUR MOBILE CHECK CHALLENGES.
NEXT SLIDE, THIS SLIDE, UM, WE WILL SEE A LOT IF I HAVE SEEN A LOT, BUT THIS GOES TO THE PORTFOLIO OF PROJECTS THAT MAKE UP THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM WITH THE GRAY LINE SPECIFIC TO THE NEPA ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES THAT ARE GOING ON FOR EACH OF THE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
SO TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS FOCUSED ON THE VERY TOP, THE LIGHT RAIL, UM, FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS NOW IN 2021, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BEGIN THROUGH 2022.
THESE ARE THE AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE VISUAL ORG CHART.
UM, THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION IS THE LEAD AGENCY.
METRO IS ACTING AS A SPONSORING AGENCY.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS WHAT WE CALL A PARTICIPATING AGENCY.
WE'RE ALSO A STRONG PROJECT PARTNER.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS NEPA GOES, WE ARE OFFICIALLY A PARTICIPATING AGENCY.
AND YOU'VE HEARD SUSAN FRAZIER FROM TECHSTOP.
TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE ALSO A PARTICIPATING AGENCY IN THE NEPA PROCESS FOR ACTIVITY FIVE.
SO, UM, SAME, UM, SAME PROCESS.
AND THEN THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IS, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR POST NEPA PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.
SO WHAT COMES OUT OF THE NEPA, THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEXT LINE.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW ON, UM, NEPA, UH, WHAT IT IS, AND THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE ARE, IT SERVES TO DEFINE THE NEED FOR THE PROJECT D IT DEVELOPS AND SCREENS ALTERNATIVES TO BE CONSIDERED, UM, AND EVALUATE, EVALUATE TO VIABLE ALTERNATIVES.
UM, SO THAT HAS, FOR THE MOST PART, THEN DONE THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS FOR,
[01:45:01]
UM, THE ORIGIN BLUE LINE, BUT WE ARE, UM, BUT THE PROCESS ALLOWS ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, UM, AND VALIDATION OF THOSE DECISION POINTS.SO IT ALSO, UH, INCLUDES, UH, LOOKING AT MITIGATION TO OFFSET ANY IMPACTS THAT ARE, UM, IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EACH FEDERAL AGENCY, AS THEY IMPLEMENT, UH, WHETHER IT'S THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION OF HWA OR THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, FAA, OR FTA, WE HAVE THERE'S DIFFERENT GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTING, BUT BECAUSE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE PROJECTS THAT FALL UNDER THOSE DIFFERENT, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE CATEGORIES ARE MUCH DIFFERENT.
SO THIS PROJECT WILL BE UNDER THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION GUIDELINES FOR NEPA NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS A ROLL-UP OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH NEPA.
WE HIGH LEVEL, IT IS HELPING US LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT AND BETTER DEFINE THE PROJECT.
UM, IT ALLOWS COMMUNITY THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND HELP GUIDE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, AS YOU'VE SEEN IN HER PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
AND THEN IT ALSO IMPORTANTLY FULFILLS REQUIREMENT TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ARE PURSUING FEDERAL FUNDS TO THE TUNE OF ON AVERAGE, ABOUT 45% FOR THE PROGRAM ON THE $7.1 BILLION PROGRAM.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO MEET NEXT SLIDE.
SO THERE'S THREE CATEGORIES OF NEPA, CATEGORICAL, EXCLUSION, ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
UH, THE BLUE AND ORANGE LINE, WE ARE PARTICIPATING AGENCIES IN THE CITY IS IN THAT THIRD BULLET, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, WHICH IS THE MOST ROBUST OF THE THREE EXAMPLES OF WHERE WE'RE DOING CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION NEPA, WHICH IS THE LEAST INTENSIVE.
NOW THERE, THESE ARE IN COMPARISON TO EACH OTHER.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT, THAT THEY SKIMP ON WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
IT'S JUST IN COMPARISON TO EACH OTHER, THEY BUILD ON EACH OTHER, UM, BUT THEY ARE DETERMINED TO BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE SCOPE OF THE TYPE OF WORK THAT'S BEING DONE WITH THE PROJECT.
SO EXAMPLES FOR CATEGORY EXCLUSION ARE, UM, THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT, UH, PROJECTS, UH, EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY THAT ARE UNDERWAY NOW AS THE FIRST OUTS FOR THOSE, AND THEN THE ORANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT.
AND I WILL NOTE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ENVIRONMENT, MENTAL ASSESSMENTS IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, SO THE EIS FOCUSING ON THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LINE, UM, THREE OVERARCHING STAGES, UH, EARLY SCOPING, WHICH IS, UM, TERMED PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL LINKAGES PROCESS HELL PROCESS THAT WAS DONE ON THAT'S BEEN DONE ALREADY.
AND NOW WE'RE IN A PHASE WHERE WE ARE FINE TUNING THAT WE'RE GETTING COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM PARTICIPATING AGENCIES, UH, TO FIND TO THAT, AND THAT'S HAPPENING NOW.
UM, THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, UM, IS PLANNED TO COME OUT IN EARLY 20, 22 WITH THE RECORD OF DECISION, WHICH IS THE FINAL OUTCOME COMING OUT AT THE END OF, UM, OF CALENDAR YEAR 2022.
THIS IS THE UMBRELLA OF THINGS THAT, UM, CAN BE CONSIDERED.
AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, YOU PROBABLY CAN THINK OF, UH, OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
A LOT OF THESE FALL INTO MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UM, HAVE PRIMARY OWNERSHIP OVER SOME OF THESE THINGS.
AND SO THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE IS, UH, COORDINATING AND CREATING A PROCESS BY WHICH TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MEET WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND, UH, GATHER THE THEMES AND THE ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO LIGHT THE SOONER, THE BETTER THAT WE CAN, THAT WE CAN BRING THINGS UP AND WORK THROUGH THEM, UM, TO GET THROUGH THE TIMELINE AND MAKE SURE MOST IMPORTANTLY BEING THOROUGH IN HOW WE LOOK AT ALL THESE THINGS.
UM, AND MORE SO THAT PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE IS COORDINATING, UM, A ONE VOICE RESPONSE BACK TO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, I'M GOING TO SKIP JUST THE OVERVIEW OF THE LINE JUST BECAUSE OF TIME.
I THINK YOU GUYS KNOW THE WHOLE SYSTEM PLAN AND THE INITIAL INVESTMENT.
THAT'S WHAT THESE SLIDES WERE MEANT TO DO, BUT THEREFORE PUBLIC.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST LOOK THROUGH THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST SHOWS THE EXTENT OF THE ORANGE ALARM.
UM, INITIAL INVESTMENT AS THE SOLID LINE, AND THEN WE'LL FULL SYSTEM PLAN IS THE DOTTED.
[01:50:01]
CENTER TO STASSNEY IS THE INITIAL INVESTMENT, BUT WE'RE DOING NEPA FOR THE FULL PROGRAM.SO THAT WAS THE POINT OF THESE SLIDES.
NEXT SLIDE LINE, THIS YOU SEE, UM, FROM THE AIRPORT, UH, NEXT SLIDE UP TO THE NORTH AUSTIN TRANSIT CENTER OR FROM OUR TRANSIT CENTER.
UM, AND AGAIN, THAT THE SOLID LINE IS THE INITIAL INVESTMENT, UM, FUTURE INVESTMENT.
SO, UM, AND AGAIN, A REVIEW OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE EIS, IDENTIFYING A PURPOSE IN ME THAT HAS LARGELY BEEN DONE WITH OUR ESSENCE STRATEGIC MOBILE PLAN, ADOPTED TRANSPORTATION POLICY.
SO I'LL BE VALIDATING THAT WITH ALL OUR DEPARTMENTS AND ISSUING A LETTER TO THE US OR TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP THAT THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM PLAN IS SUPPORTED BY OUR TRANSPORTATION POLICY.
UM, AND THEN GOING DOWN THE LIST, YOU KNOW, UH, LOOKING AT THE ALTERNATIVES, COMMENTING ON THAT, UM, HELPING WITH IDENTIFYING EXISTING CONDITIONS, UH, AND THEN THAT FOURTH BULLET IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LOOKING AT THE FULL SPECTRUM OF ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS WORKING THROUGH THOSE.
AND THEN I REALLY LIKE THIS MANTRA IS, IS OUR GOAL IS TO AVOID ANY IMPACTS, MINIMIZE THEM OR MODIFY IF NEEDED IF WE CAN'T AVOID THEM COMPLETELY.
AND THEN TOO MANY DAYS, OF COURSE, IF, UM, IF WE ARE MODIFYING MINIMIZING AND TO THE EXTENT, UM, WE CAN'T AVOID OR MINIMIZE ME YOU'RE GOING TO MITIGATE.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, JUST REITERATING THAT THE FULL EIS AND THE SPECTRUM OF THE THREE CATEGORIES OF NEBA IS WHAT THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE IS GOING THROUGH NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS, UH, FOR THE RECORD, UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COOPERATING AGENCIES AND PARTICIPATING AGENCIES, THE CITY AS A PARTICIPATING AGENCY, BECAUSE THOSE ARE DEFINED AS STATE LOCAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY ENTITIES, AND THEN COOPERATING AGENCIES ARE ALSO DEFINED PORTERVILLE LAW, AND THOSE ARE, UM, YOUR FEDERAL AGENCIES.
UM, AND SO THEY ARE INVOLVED AS WELL.
AND SO WE ARE AGAIN, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THE AGENCY ALONG WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, UM, HAS ALSO BEEN IDENTIFYING AS IDENTIFIED AS A PARTICIPATING AGENCY AND OTHER NONPROFITS AS WELL.
UH, SO WE ARE UNIQUE AND THAT WE ARE, UM, PLAYING TWO ROLES, WE'RE PARTICIPATING AGENCY OFFICIALLY, BUT WE'RE ALSO ALSO A PROGRAM PARTNER IN THE EXECUTION OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND SO WE'RE PLAYING TWO HATS HERE.
SO IT WAS A PARTICIPATING AGENCY WE'RE PROVIDING INPUT, UM, TO THE PROJECT SPECIFIC TO OUR AFFORDED JURISDICTION ACROSS THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION.
UM, AS I SAID, COORDINATING WITH DEPARTMENTS, UM, IDENTIFYING ISSUES OF CONCERN, UM, FOR PROJECT CONNECT THE EARLIER THE BETTER ON BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC MATTERS, UM, AND PROVIDING INPUT TO DEVELOP MITIGATION, IT'S GOING TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE.
AND AS A PARTNER, UM, WE ARE COLLABORATING, UM, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A STAKE IN THE PROJECT FORWARD AND SHARING AND KEY DECISIONS ONCE AND MILESTONES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, WE ARE THE DEPARTMENTS, UM, WHO HAVE IDENTIFIED SINGLE POINTS OF CONTACT AT THIS POINT.
THERE'S STILL MANY DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE GETTING UP TO SPEED WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT AROUND, UM, AND, UH, WE WILL BE ALLOWING, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENTS TO COME IN AT ANY TIME AND COMMENT AS A ROLE AS A PARTNER, AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO, TO COORDINATE THAT INPUT.
THE NEXT STEPS ARE ESSENTIALLY, UM, GETTING AN INITIAL COMMENTS ON THE SCOPE AND THE PURPOSE AND NEED, AS I SAID, VALIDATING, UM, ASN PEOPLE AND, UM, LOOKING AT THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE SHOULD BE EVALUATED IN THE SKIRT.
AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A COMMENTING AGENCY THROUGHOUT THE NEXT, THROUGHOUT THE END OF THE YEAR AND NEXT YEAR.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT NO WAY OVERTIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, PROJECT CONNECT IS SUCH A, A NEW, INNOVATIVE WAY OF LOOKING AT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME EARLY OUT COMPONENTS THAT ARE QUICKER TO GET OFF THE GROUND, AND THEN SOME OF THE LARGER PIECES OF IT ARE GOING TO HAVE YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES DONE.
AND SO I ALWAYS LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXCITED AND WE GOT TO PASS PROFIT, THAT IT DOESN'T MEAN ON RAILS HERE TODAY.
UM, IT'S GETTING SETTLED, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK INVOLVED IN ADVANCING THE PROJECT AND ESPECIALLY TO A POINT WHERE YOU CAN MATCH WITH FEDERAL FUNDS, WHICH IS, UM, WHAT,
[01:55:01]
WHAT WE'RE AIMING TO DO.UM, SO WE'VE GOT JUST A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT, UM, AND
[7. Update from Assistant City Manager Gina Fiandaca on the City’s Strategic Mobility Outcome. (10 minutes). Sponsors: Council Member Paige Ellis, and Council Member Mackenzie Kelly]
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FEE AND DACA.I KNOW YOU PREPARED THIS LOVELY MOBILITY OUTCOME REPORT.
I KNOW IT'S KIND OF A NEW THING.
AND SO, UM, IF THERE AREN'T MORE QUESTIONS FOR A NEAT, WE MIGHT JUST LET, UM, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FEE AND DOCTOR EXPLAIN THE MOBILITY OUTCOME REPORTS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA USE IT IN THE FUTURE.
AND WHAT'S INCLUDED IN IT CAUSE IT IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLACE FOR ITEMS TO BE, BUT I WANT TO ALSO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S TIME SINCE WE HAD DID IT TO THREE O'CLOCK.
AND I'M SURE CTM, AT SOME POINT WILL TRY TO GET US TO WRAP UP THE MEETING.
UM, I REALLY JUST OFFER THE REPORT AS A SORT OF A FRAMEWORK FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE MOBILITY PORTFOLIO.
UM, YOU'VE HEARD FROM ALL OF OUR GRADE DIVISION AND DEPARTMENT HEADS HERE FROM TRANSPORTATION, FROM FLEET, FROM, UM, AN EQUAL DAY AND FROM MY TREMBLING, THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM OFFICE, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE GOING ON, BUT REALLY THE REPORT IS OFFERED FOR YOUR REVIEW AND FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES.
UM, WE WILL PROVIDE THIS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, UM, IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
AND WE WILL CERTAINLY WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF IF THERE ARE ANY ITEMS OR ISSUES THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE US ADDRESS AND SORT OF AMPLIFY, UM, IN A MORE COMPREHENSIVE WAY, BUT REALLY IT'S A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE AND WHAT IS ON OUR AGENDA FOR, UM, SOME HIGHLIGHTS IN THE, IN THE NEAR TERM.
I KNOW IT TOOK WORK TO PUT IT TOGETHER AND AS I, AS I WAS ABLE TO READ THROUGH IT, IT JUST HAD A REALLY GOOD COMPREHENSIVE DISPLAY OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND THE DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING.
[8. Identify items to discuss at future meetings]
ARE THERE ANY LAST QUESTIONS OR FUTURE ITEMS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO DAYLIGHT HERE? COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR, SORRY, THIS IS KIND OF A QUESTION THAT MIGHT GO BACK TO MR. TREMBLE, BUT IT COMBINES WITH ANY PRESENTATION AS WELL, UM, WITH INTERACTION BETWEEN PROJECT CONNECT AND THE MOBILITY BOND AND EAST RIVERSIDE.UM, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PROJECT CONNECT WORK ON RIVERSIDE IS SUPERSEDING THE CORRIDOR REALLOCATED.
IS THAT WHAT THAT PIECE IN THERE WAS WASN'T THERE? SO THERE'S STILL WORK GOING ON IN EAST RIVERSIDE.
IT'S JUST SWITCHING SORT OF HATS.
IS THAT HOW I SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT? RIGHT.
SO, SO THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THAT IS, UM, THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS GOING TO BE BUILDING OUT THAT MULTIMODAL CROSS SECTION THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BUILDING OUT ALONG WITH THEIR RAIL AND THEIR HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT.
SO IT'S BEING INCORPORATED INTO THEIR DESIGN.
SO YOU'RE BASICALLY GETTING THAT MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENT, A PART OF WHICH WE WOULD BE DOING, AND NOW YOU'RE GETTING THESE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS AS WELL.
SO IT REALLY IS KIND OF A WIN-WIN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, PROJECT CONNECT AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THE BLUE LINE.
AND THEN NOW WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO RETURN TO OUR PROGRAM AND HOW MUCH OF STEM OUT THAT WE WERE RETURNING TO OUR PROGRAM FROM THAT.
SO THE ESTIMATE FOR WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO PULL OFF OF RIVERSIDE IS ABOUT $65 MILLION.
RIGHT NOW, OUR PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE IS IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 25 TO 45 FOR EACH OF THOSE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO REFINE THOSE NUMBERS.
WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR CONSULTANT TEAMS THAT ARE CONTRACT TO FINISH OUT DESIGN AND WE'LL GET BETTER NUMBERS ON THAT.
SO OUR INTENT IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FULL CONSTRUCTION, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE NUMBERS COME BACK LIKE, RIGHT? AND THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT.
WE'VE BEEN APPROACHING THE OVERALL MOBILITY BOND AND TRYING TO LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDING IN ORDER TO DO MORE SINCE THEN, SINCE THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR THE WHOLE, I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO EXCEED WHAT WE HAD FUNDING FOR, UM, IN THE ORIGINAL MOBILITY BOMB.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, AN ADDITIONAL 5 MILLION TO BE ABLE TO, TO FILL THAT OUT AND DO MORE PROJECTS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UH, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, I JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION.
THERE WERE, THERE WERE A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS, A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT INTO THEM.
UM, UH, MY COLLEAGUES PROVIDED GREAT INPUT AND QUESTIONING ALONE.
UM, I COULD STAY AND TALK ABOUT ANY OF THESE TOPICS FOR AN ENTIRE DAY ON THEIR OWN, BUT WELL, WON'T PUT ANYONE UP FOR THAT.
UM, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY.
IT IS NOW 3:02 PM AND I WILL ADJOURN THE COMMITTEE MEETING.