Round rock - you asked the city listened

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by Dwayne Lassiter

I think the humor is that Round Rock has finally chosen to grow up. Long seeing itself as a "town" (composed largely of upper middle class people who all had a few automobiles), Round Rock has decided to become a small city, with responsibilities to all social classes.

What the city listened to was the realization that it needed to grow up.

Wow, I don't live in RR, but I am sure they appreciate all the good advice and all. I mean, such an attitude must really make them want to be just like Austin peeps....

I mean, Austin started CM with a population of, what, 700k or so in 1985? RR has 100k or so now? Yeah, pretty backward and all. They really should try the 'if we don't build it, they won't come approach'.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I mean, Austin started CM with a population of, what, 700k or so in 1985? RR has 100k or so now? Yeah, pretty backward and all. They really should try the 'if we don't build it, they won't come approach'.

1) Austin's population in 1985 was approximately 420k

http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/def...istory_pub.pdf

2) When CapMetro started, it took over the preexisting city of Austin bus service that had already been running.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capita...tion_Authority

It looks like Austin has been running buses since at least 1939 (probably earlier)*, when it's population was <90k (RR is currently 120k)


Austin Transportation - End of the Line: The Short and Troubled History of Austin's Streetcar System - News - The Austin Chronicle




3) There's a big difference from starting a bus service de novo and withdrawing from the transit system _you're already part of_ (while your residents continue to use that service).




*with rail based transit even earlier

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by Dwayne Lassiter

I think the humor is that Round Rock has finally chosen to grow up. Long seeing itself as a "town" (composed largely of upper middle class people who all had a few automobiles), Round Rock has decided to become a small city, with responsibilities to all social classes.

What the city listened to was the realization that it needed to grow up.

What is it that you're missing when I state that a majority of the populace itself (which by the way is a mixture of social classes) didn't think that mass transit was more important than all of the other things that are important to a city such as parks, infrastructure, and other services? You keep speaking as if the city is some sort of entity that acts on its own behalf without any involvement from voters. The moment Dell and other employers moved into the area, Round Rock stopped seeing itself as a "small town".

I've been in the area for over a decade and I never once got the feeling that it considered itself a town at all. On the contrary, as a city resident, I feel that my family's needs are adequately addressed in virtually every measure except transit and even I admit that while transit would be a nice perk I enjoy the enlargement of the parks and a new east side fire station. All classes benefit from what the city has done and it's not Round Rock's fault that Austin has become so unaffordable that there are so many people moving here. The city is addressing the transit needs now and that's all that matters. All of this other chatter is just that, chatter. And I find it funny that RR is labeled as being "composed largely of upper middle class people" yet Austin is pricing out many of its working and middle class residents.

Originally Posted by Novacek

1) Austin's population in 1985 was approximately 420k

http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/def...istory_pub.pdf

2) When CapMetro started, it took over the preexisting city of Austin bus service that had already been running.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capita...tion_Authority

It looks like Austin has been running buses since at least 1939 (probably earlier)*, when it's population was <90k (RR is currently 120k)


Austin Transportation - End of the Line: The Short and Troubled History of Austin's Streetcar System - News - The Austin Chronicle




3) There's a big difference from starting a bus service de novo and withdrawing from the transit system _you're already part of_ (while your residents continue to use that service).




*with rail based transit even earlier

I'd wager that much of Round Rock's population doesn't use Cap Metro buses or the rail line. Most drive. As long as I pay a fare, I can use the service. Anyone from anywhere can drive into Austin and use Cap Metro. Having Metro come to your doorstep is another thing and as I stated upthread, I'm pretty certain Metro keeps a cut of the fare revenue or it wouldn't provide the service.

[Tx08]

I'm excited about it!!! It will help transportation problems

[riaelise]

FYI according to the city the bus service project will be paid for using the general funds. And of course there is still a vocal crowd that is against transit of any kind. Let them sit in 35 traffic while I ride the express to downtown