Kirk Watson is pushing a bill in Austin that would allow an urban rail line, whether its light rail or a streetcar without a vote. The bill would specify that Austin or any other entity could build a line and have Capital Metro operate it but Capital Metro would have to go to referendum to expand the commuter rail network if greater than one mile.
This seems fair to me considering the 2000 election for light rail passed overwhelmingly inside of the City of Austin. Ok. Now get it passed and get building already. Preferably from the Triangle to Riverside to start.
2 comments:
I sure hope this passes. By having to give all expansions and transit plans to referendum, Austin's potential hasn't been unleashed, mainly because of naysayers from the suburbs (saying this as a resident of said suburbs.)
Where is Austin in comparison to Portland (admittedly a high standard), or especially, to DFW or Houston? At the true bottom! All we have is a joke of a commuter line.
Hopefully this will pass, somehow. Austin needs State pols to finally get themselves out of its progress.
It'd be nice of UT to realize that more transit would be good for it too.
I personally believe we need a true regional transit system that has the power to run rail and bus service anywhere in the region. Right now we have a horrible patchwork system that I think includes only the city of Austin proper and outlying Leander. Those of us in Williamson County, but outside the city limits, have no say and no choices.
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