Bike Share: Not Until End Of Year
Bike share is late, but better late than never. After KUT News and the Statesman both did spotlights on the fact that Bike Share had all but dropped off the map in Austin, City Council approved approved a contract last week with B-Cycle to purchase the equipment needed to operate the Austin bike share system.
Included in this purchase will be approximately 400 bicycles, 600 docks, 40 kiosks, and other miscellaneous accessories including the hardware and software to operate the system.
The Public Works Department promises that next month it will release an online location-suggesting tool that will enable citizens to choose where they would like a kiosk to be located, and vote for already chosen locations. Stations will be on average two or three blocks apart. The stations will be located in close proximity to local attractions, transit stations and other popular destinations.
The City aims to have the bike share program operable by late 2013.
Fairmont ground breaking imminent?
The 10,000 square foot surface level parking lot across from the convention center will soon be gone. Though not an official “groundbreaking,” crews will never the less break ground soon at 101 Red River St, the site of the planned Fairmont Hotel, which will anchor the lower Waller Creek District (btw, the design plan was approved by council).
Permits were just granted for the crews to begin to tear up the concrete there, so don’t be surprised if you see activity out there. (But also don’t confuse it with general construction, which is slated for October)
Seaholm Central Library Construction Started
This was covered to death around town, thanks to a pretty aggressive PR push from city hall. Construction has started, and will go through Fall 2015. I’m not going to belabor you with the details. They are all in this PDF presentation.
Instead, I’m just going to show you this little comparison photo of development along the north shore, west of City Hall…
Hi Jude, thanks for sharing this post. Great to hear about the developments on bike share, central library. Really great news. Awaiting for more post like this.
Are they going to be allowed to close the east-west sidewalk on the north side of Cesar Chavez? it’s been a mess since they closed the south sidewalk, people will just start fully walking in travel lanes if you have no sidewalks on that block, too many people cross I-35 there on foot to not get across to Red River, 1 block detours aren’t going to cut it.
The comparison view is awesome!
It’ll be interesting to see if and how the prices of the western facing 360 units are affected.
I can’t wait for the Fairmont to be completed. Any ideas what the plans are for that patio that is about 40 floors up?