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Day six, becoming a model urban neighborhood: what does Downtown Austin need?

Jude Galligan | February 20, 2009 |

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.

Filed Under: austin transit, downtown austin, life, urban planning

About Jude Galligan

Jude Galligan is Principal at TOWERS.net.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. NThomas says

    March 19, 2009 at 7:44 pm

    “Page 9” in the pdf linked in your entry is THEE best visual of the need/benefit of urban light rail.

  2. chumpstyles says

    February 22, 2009 at 12:38 am

    Provocative. If my general interests had ears, this series would have pricked them.

  3. austincontrarian says

    February 20, 2009 at 7:44 pm

    Nice series, jude.

  4. jareha says

    February 20, 2009 at 4:08 pm

    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.

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