Capital Metro is workshopping ideas for the new Blue Line, a proposed transit system connecting ACC Highland and Austin’s Airport ABIA.
Cap Metro’s Jackie Nirenberg said the Blue Line will have dedicated pathways. But what those paths will look like is still being debated. She said, “there are some areas where we won’t be able to put this on the street level, it may have to go up in the air, or it could go down underground.” Nirenberg said South of the Colorado River, the Blue Line will likely run along Riverside all the way to ABIA, as it has alot of right of way the transit agency can work with. However where it crosses the river and what route North to ACC Highland has yet to be determined. She believes the line could run North along Trinity, Red River or San Jacento.
Capital Metro is hosting workshops to find out what residents think about the Blue Line. What mode of transit, be it bus, rail or ect., has yet to be determined, Austin mom Meredith Gauthire fears too many stops along the Blue Line will limit its appeal against other transit options like ride shares, “If it takes a full hour to get to ABIA, it might be easier sometimes…I hate to say it, but just to take an UBER or Lyft because sometimes you’re running late for a flight and you don’t have an hour and 15 minutes or so. That being said, the option to not have to park at the end is wonderful.”
ACC Professor Robert Foster said he typically bikes around town but likes the idea of the Blue Line and what it offer the area. “I think it would be great for us to have some serious transit alternatives and some dedicated right of way. With the transit and the bus or the train…might actually get somewhere a little quicker.”
Cap Metro is hosting open houses to get some community feedback Today (July 31st) and tomorrow (August 1st) from 5-7pm, to learn more from residents in person what they think about the Blue Line and how it should look.
- July 31, 2019 5-7pm Austin Energy Town Lake Center, 721 Barton Springs Road, Austin, 78704
- August 1, 2019 5-7pm Ruiz Branch Library, 1600 Grove Boulevard, Austin, TX 78741
You can also give them feedback via email at Feedback@projectconnect.com
(Photos:KLBJ 590am/99.7fm/Jon Cooley)
