The Austin Transit Partnership unveiled five options on Tuesday for a potential light rail. ATP presented the options at a community open house at the Austin Central Library that demonstrated a range of possibilities for what the core system could look like, how and where it would operate, and what the potential system could entail.
“This is an exciting day for Austin because our city is close to building a core Austin Light Rail that is equitable and helps our growing mobility needs,” Greg Canally, executive director of ATP, said. “After decades of failing to make progress on light rail, in 2020 nearly 60% of voters sent a clear message that they want to invest in transit and specifically, light rail. I am proud of the transparent and data driven process ATP has conducted over these last months to develop these options. I encourage people to share their opinions with us because that will inform ATP’s decision-making process as we move towards a staff recommendation in mid-May.”
The proposals include:
On-street: 38th Street to Oltorf Street to Yellow Jacket Lane
- On-street from 38th Street on Guadalupe Street to Oltorf Street on South Congress Avenue and Yellow Jacket Lane on East Riverside Drive
- Potential to extend endpoints to 45th Street to the north or St. Edwards Drive to the south
- Lady Bird Lake crossing options at South 1st Street or Trinity Street.
On-street: North Lamar Boulevard to Pleasant Valley Road
- On-street from North Lamar Transit Center on North Lamar Boulevard to Pleasant Valley Road on East Riverside Drive.
- Lady Bird Lake crossing options at South 1st Street or Trinity Street
On-street: 29th Street to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- On-street from 29th Street on Guadalupe Street to east of Yellow Jacket Lane on East Riverside Drive
- Mainly elevated from State Highway 71 to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- Lady Bird Lake crossing at Trinity Street
Partial elevated: 29th Street to Oltorf Street to Yellow Jacket Lane
- On-street from 29th Street on Guadalupe Street to south of 8th Street
- Elevated from south of 8th Street on Guadalupe Street to east of Auditorium Shores with elevated stations
- On-street from east of Auditorium Shores to Oltorf Street on South Congress Avenue and Yellow Jacket Lane on East Riverside Drive
- Lady Bird Lake crossing at South 1st Street
Partial Underground: University of Texas to Yellow Jacket Lane
- Underground from 20th Street on Guadalupe Street (UT) to south of 8th Street with one underground station
- Elevated from south of 8th Street on Guadalupe Street to east of Auditorium Shores with elevated stations
- On-street from east of Auditorium Shores to Yellow Jacket Lane on East Riverside Drive
- Lady Bird Lake crossing at South 1stStreet
“Austin has always been a city fueled by the power and passion of its people,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said. “This light rail system is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help folks throughout Austin access jobs, healthcare, childcare and everything that our city has to offer. Light rail has been an elusive goal for Austin for well over two decades and now, thanks to the community working together, it’s really going to happen.”
A final option will be chosen by the ATP Board of Directors in June.
