Austin Transit Partnership gears up for key decisions on light rail design

The Austin City Council and the two transit organizations implementing Project Connect are gearing up to make decisions about the design of two light rail lines that could shape the geography of Austin for generations.

Planners have been working toward completion of a key milestone, the 30% design for the new Orange and Blue rail lines. They aim to hit that milestone in November, with final board approval in December, according to a timetable presented at a March 2 work session of the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP), a local government corporation.

In early 2023, ATP will submit the plans to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for environmental vetting and evaluation for matching funds. ATP hopes for a final grant agreement by mid-2024. That means that this year is really the last chance for community input on design choices that will be difficult or impossible to change later.

Read the full story at The Austin Bulldog.