Potential subway/massive transit expansion in Austin?

[ScoPro]

What is really frustrating though, is that a lot of infrastructure around the entire country could have been built/rebuilt with the $1.5 trillion wasted on the development of the military’s F-35 multipurpose fighter jet over the past two decades. And it still doesn’t work as intended - much like the Waller Creek storm drain tunnel fiasco.
Even building an extensive subway system in Austin and bullet trains for the Texas “triangle” would’ve just been a drop in the bucket of that amount.
Ah well.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

What is really frustrating though, is that a lot of infrastructure around the entire country could have been built/rebuilt with the $1.5 trillion wasted on the development of the military’s F-35 multipurpose fighter jet over the past two decades. And it still doesn’t work as intended - much like the Waller Creek storm drain tunnel fiasco.
Even building an extensive subway system in Austin and bullet trains for the Texas “triangle” would’ve just been a drop in the bucket of that amount.
Ah well.

Unfortunately I believe the future of infrastructure for our country is going to be tollroads while the feds continue playing with their new toys with our tax dollars.

[eastriver]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

If nothing else, I like that CapMetro put together a long range plan with an estimated budget. They had dozens of studies, environmental assessments, models, visions, etc. that were never properly compiled into a comprehensive plan.

Austin already has most of the infrastructure in place for fitting BRT along major roadways. It would only take some medians, some covered platforms, new buses, and signal communications circuits. It would be a fraction of the cost of light rail, which involves the installation of all of the above, plus an electrical distribution system and miles of rails that have to be precisely fabricated.

I like that CapMetro isn’t neglecting the potential of BRT, but I’d say they’re missing a few key E-W corridors.



Most people who say this haven’t used full BRT, which involves complete separation from traffic, signal priority, platform boarding, and hydraulic suspensions. Most public buses in the US are indeed uncomfortable, but the BRT lines I’ve ridden in Lima and Brisbane are impressive. The buses (with their own separate roads) I use at Copper Mountain here in Colorado are smooth enough that people standing facing sideways in ski boots barely have to adjust their stance. They’re all as fast and comfortable as rail transit, just with fewer cars. Rail transit is suitable for corridors dense enough to support the investment. Most of Austin isn’t there and has no plan to be, but quite a bit of it is already more than dense enough to support BRT and busways.

Try Boston's Silver Line dedicated easement through South Station and into the Seaport District sometime and then announce your findings.

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by eastriver

Try Boston's Silver Line dedicated easement through South Station and into the Seaport District sometime and then announce your findings.

It’s not like Boston’s subways or even their roads are known for their smoothness or quality either. The silver line doesn’t have quality buses, platform boarding, or dedicated right of way apart from that short section of bus tunnel you mention. Austin’s rapid bus routes have more BRT features than Boston’s silver line.