Each day this week I am serving up one item, with non-politically correct candor, that Downtown Austin needs to become a model of re-urbanization, as I see it.
Politicians love to talk, form task forces, and spend time doing everything except for making decisions as they are needed. So, this is an appeal to Downtown Austin stakeholders that know how to get things done: the residents, developers, retailers, and land owners.
I want Urbanrail
Take me to the drag. Take me to South Congress. Take me to Zilker. Take me to the airport. 90% of the time I don’t need, or want, to go anywhere else in Austin. An urban rail (pdf) benefits not only downtown, but ALL of the urban core. Complemented by the commuter rail, with an urban rail system in place we can begin to reduce (if not remove) minimum parking requirements for new developments. Reduced parking requirements translates into improved streetscapes, less congestion, and more economically productive land use (more sales taxes, more ad-valorem taxes).
CAMPO TWG you can make this happen.
“Page 9” in the pdf linked in your entry is THEE best visual of the need/benefit of urban light rail.
Provocative. If my general interests had ears, this series would have pricked them.
Nice series, jude.
Glad to see you’ve added (true) urban rail to your wishlist. Rail — specifically light rail with exclusive right-of-way — through the urban core is my number one priority for this city.