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Old 01-22-2009, 09:35 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
2,357 posts, read 7,896,347 times
Reputation: 1013

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Yes, the RR to Austin connectivity is terrible, especially considering the amount of folks that work in the I35/SH45 corrider and the amount of people who live that way or commute from Austin. A real lack of a long-term view. I just got hired to teach some classes up that way and I'm dismayed by the lack of options. NOTHING.

BUT on the positive side, there are some new rumblings about commuter rail in RR. Read this:

All aboard? Round Rock mulls rail line (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/01/06/0106roundrockrail.html - broken link)

Also, RR is considering some express bus routes to connect itself with Austin's Cap Metro.

http://www.roundrocktexas.gov/home/index.asp?page=1438
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Old 01-22-2009, 10:39 AM
 
3,049 posts, read 8,905,090 times
Reputation: 1174
cool to see fellow public transport users, i hope by the time i move down the metro will be up and running well
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Old 01-22-2009, 10:50 AM
 
Location: Orange County, California
1,016 posts, read 3,055,728 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinajack View Post
cool to see fellow public transport users, i hope by the time i move down the metro will be up and running well
Definitely. The benefits are environmental, psychological and economic.
Gas/wear & tear just don't add up! Especially when you consider that most employers who provide parking will provide a monthly pass instead, making it a free commute to users! And you can avoid all these bad drivers everyone's complaining about! Car insurance is usually less for a car that uses less than 10K miles per year also.
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Old 01-22-2009, 11:08 AM
 
3,049 posts, read 8,905,090 times
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awesome, i live in downtown philadelphia now and i dont have a commute so i only drive on weekends for outings, so i hope i can move to austin, live outside the city and be able ride in on metro and take my bike as well
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Old 01-22-2009, 04:28 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
2,357 posts, read 7,896,347 times
Reputation: 1013
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinajack View Post
awesome, i live in downtown philadelphia now and i dont have a commute so i only drive on weekends for outings, so i hope i can move to austin, live outside the city and be able ride in on metro and take my bike as well
Look, not to be pessimistic about PT here, but things happen sort of slow in this way. Not sure when you're planning on moving but it might not be up and running. Here's a few links to get you caught up to speed as to the recent history of light rail/commuter rail and regional rail here in Austin.

There was a light rail plan that was narrowly defeated in 2000. Here's why(roughly):

News: The Year That Wasn't - The Austin Chronicle
News: Mystery Train: What's Next for Cap Metro After Light Rail's Narrow Defeat At the Polls? - The Austin Chronicle
Box and Horn: Mike Dahmus - Austinist: Austin News, Food, Arts & Events

The line they're building now is commuter heavy rail - meaning that it runs on the same size tracks as freight. Because of this, it will not be able to get far into the downtown where people presumably work(it's too big and can't make sharp turns). The plan got passed because Cap Metro promised that NO new tracks would be built, hence keeping the cost down. Of course that means that instead of the line taking you where you want to go MOW, it takes you where you might want to go in the future after supposed TOD(transit-oriented-development) happens. A bit backwards but that was the way it was sold.

All Systems Go Long-Range Transit Plan - CapMetro

More great sites:
(be sure to look in the archives)
M1EK's Bake-Sale of Bile
This one's over 50 pages dating back 1.5 years
Austin Transportation Thread - SkyscraperPage Forum

In response to Cap Metro's very limited commuter rail plan, the City of Austin is trying to plan a 4-phase streetcar system for the central city which in addition to serving much of the UT corridor, will also run to the airport from downtown:

News: Developing Stories: Who'll Take a Streetcar? 32,000 Riders a Day. - The Austin Chronicle

There are also some ideas for intra-state rail, especially from Austin to San Antonio.
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