This year marked the first annual “Transie” awards.  The awards were presented at last weeks “Holiday Party” to community members and Alliance for Public Transportation volunteers who showed exceptional leadership in providing a range of transportation modes for Austin and it’s surrounding neighbors.  Congratulations to the winners and thank you for all your effort!

The recipients (from left to right):

Transportation Journalism Excellence: Charla Lovelace on behalf of John Garrett with Community Impact

Government Leadership: Mike Martinez with Cap Metro

Community Leadership: Charlie Betts with the DAA

APT Volunteer of the Year: Jace Deloney on behalf of Christine Freundl

Business Leadership: Craig Staley on behalf of Bart Knaggs with Capital Sports and Entertainment

After six years of research, public discussion and city meetings, the Austin City Council has unanimously approved the implementation of the Downtown Austin Plan, an outlined process designed to facilitate, shape and manage Austin’s growth within its downtown sector….READ MORE.

The new map of Austin’s subway system calls to mind a beetle, with two antennae up Williamson County way and an anatomically incorrect seven legs branching off to places like Manor, Circle C and Oak Hill.

Central Texas has, according to the map, six subway lines totaling about 130 miles with just more than 100 stations. Based on this map, you can live here without owning a car, no sweat. New York, Paris and London should have such a system……………..READ MORE.

A recently regenerated plan to develop long term solutions to Austin’s transportation troubles is getting public input Tuesday evening.

The rise in tolls on Port Authority of New York and New Jersey bridges and tunnels in September may have caused many commuters to leave their cars at home and switch to public transportation, early reports from the agency show……..READ MORE.

A first round of public involvement projects is scheduled for December and APT needs to make sure we get a good and diverse turnout at these meetings scheduled for next week.

As an organization, we made sure CAMPO knew how strongly we felt about Central Texas having a discussion about how all of the potential transit projects connected to one another as well as to other transportation solutions in our region.  It is now time for APT to help get the word out about the meetings and find the not-so-usual suspects to attend and engage in this conversation.

Project Website:

http://connectcentraltexas.com/

Brief info on the meetings (open house format):

• 5-8 pm, Tuesday, December 6, 2011 – Bowie High School Cafeteria, 4103 Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX 78749

• 5-8 pm, Thursday, December 8, 2011 – Anderson High School Cafeteria, 8403 Mesa Drive Austin, TX 78759

• 11 am-1pm, Friday, December 9, 2011 – Austin City Hall Atrium, 301 W. Second Street, Austin, TX 78701

Airport Boulevard Mobility Corridor Study

Community Presentation and Open House

Tuesday, November 29 • 6–8 pm
Center61, 2921 East 17th Street, 2nd Floor
(the PeopleFund building @ the MLK MetroRail station)

Presentation: 6:15 — 6:45 pm
Open House: 6:45 — 8 pm

Come see the latest ideas for near- and long-term ways to make Airport Boulevard work better for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users. This is your opportunity to learn and provide hands-on feedback on design concepts, cross sections, intersection improvements and more before the study is finalized in early 2012.

For more information,
contact Alan Hughes
at 512-974-7186 or alan.hughes@austintexas.gov,
or visit the Corridor Study page at airportboulevard.com.

Although Lee Leffingwell all but announced it will happen at last week’s TWG meeting, Ben Wear reports today that the city is considering helping CapMetro with the costs of Friday and Saturday Red line Service.  This is a big issue.

We (APT)  have been pushing for the City to help Capital Metro with weekend service for months now.  Now that it is coming together we need to make sure and post positive comments about the virtues of GROWING ridership for a variety of reasons…….READ MORE.

Thursday afternoon a big announcement is expected concerning the boardwalk over Lady Bird Lake.

The Trail Foundation will announce it has raised $2.4 million in just eight months and is ready to uphold their commitment to the city……….READ MORE.

Capital Metro, still digging out of a financial hole and facing new costs for buses and federally mandated train controls, is considering borrowing $20 million.  A board committee approved the measure Tuesday, and the proposed loan will probably come before the agency’s board early next month…...READ MORE.