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Jared Padalecki may be spotted more around town as he stars in "Walker," a reboot of the popular 90's crime series "Walker, Texas Ranger," that could be filmed in Austin.
KVUE reports, the city of Austin and Eye Productions are negotiating an incentive agreement which would allow "Walker" to start filming in Austin as soon as later this month until April 2021. The $141,326 incentive will allow the filming of 13 episodes.
Padalecki will be the title character "Cordell Walker" and the executive producer in the reboot of the original CBS action crime series which starred Chuck Norris for eight seasons.
On Michael Rosenbaum's podcast "Inside of You," Padalecki revealed he received a blessing from Norris to create the reboot.
In the new series Walker is a widower with two children who moves to Austin after working undercover for two years. Padalecki's wife, Genevieve Padalecki, will play his on-screen wife, Emily Walker.
Production for "Walker" was supposed to start in April but was pushed back due to the pandemic. Fans looking forward to the reboot will have to wait for the expected premiere in 2021 on the CW.
Padalecki is a San Antonio native and currently lives in Austin, frequently spotted around town, from the Austin City Limits music festival to 6th Street.
The actor rose to fame after appearing in the 2000's television series "Gilmore Girls" and is best known for his role as Sam Winchester on the popular Warner Bros. series, "Supernatural," along with Jensen Ackles, another Texas native. In 2008, Mayor Steve Adler proclaimed June 23 to be "Supernatural Day" in Austin. "Supernatural" finished filming its 15th and final season finale and is set to air on Oct. 8.
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(Project Connect)
The planned stations that have gotten the latest focus include Waterfront, Travis Heights and Lakeshore stations past Lady Bird Lake.
At the Waterfront station, the preliminary design aims to prevent visual obstructions and save on costs. This is accomplished by a transit guideway that will lower from the bridge to a level station.
Heading onto East Riverside Drive, the light rail faces a curve requiring a slow down to about 10 miles per hour.
The Travis Heights station could involve relocating a pedestrian crosswalk zone at Alameda Drive to Blunn Creek. Since light rails can't effectively operate on a steep grade, this allows the transit guideway to avoid that.
From there, the rail will extend to the Norwood Park area, and though it will reach along the right-of-way zone, the park will be able to remain open.
A view of the Blue Line by Lady Bird Lake. (Project Connect)
The line involves some coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation. That's because the department is working on an intersection that will have to be built before the phasing of the section of the Blue Line involving an I-35 crossing.
When it comes to the safety of cyclists and walkers, design ideas include a pedestrian hybrid beacon by East Bouldin Creek that would provide a protected signal to cross. And for the intersection TxDOT is carrying out, Project Connect is working with them on pedestrian access across the intersection. It could involve shared use paths along the street and crossings beneath it.
This summer, the public can expect 30% of design and cost estimates to be released. Though the project was $7.1 billion when voters approved it in November 2020, the latest estimates factoring in inflation and supply chain constraints show it could ultimately be upwards of $10 billion.
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