Light Rail

An artist's rendering showing on-street rail at East 3rd Street and San Jacinto. Tracks run down the middle of the street. Blue and orange rail vehicles are going by with the words "CapMetro" on their destination signs.

Project Connect recommendation revealed: Light-rail would stretch 10 miles at street level

Nathan Bernier

Austin's light-rail system would be entirely at street level and travel in three directions — north, south and east — under a new plan now being recommended by the Austin Transit Partnership.

Transit planners envisage a three-level system that includes a concourse allowing people to walk for blocks underground.

Transportation

Light-rail tunnel under downtown Austin might not happen after all

Nathan Bernier

The Austin Transit Partnership is considering what to cut or delay as Project Connect costs soar amid high inflation.

An illustration showing an imagined light-rail system on a non-descript Austin street. The tracks are in the middle of the street with a blue rail vehicle facing toward us, stopped at a light-rail station. On either side of the tracks are busy two-lane streets.

Transportation

How much should it cost to ride Austin's light rail?

Nathan Bernier

Years before anyone can board the train, people are pushing Capital Metro to commit to keeping bus and light-rail fares the same.

A cross-section illustration of what a subway station could look like. At the ground-level, a small structure is surrounded by trees. On the level beneath that is the "back of house" infrastructure needed to keep the station running. The second level down is a concourse and the bottom level is a station platform. Escalators are shown connecting each level.

Transportation

Here's what Austin's subway stations could look like

Nathan Bernier

The vision presented by the Austin Transit Partnership previews a future where Austin would join the ranks of American cities with their own iconic subways like New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

A cutaway view of a CapMetro light-rail vehicle

Transportation

This is what Austin's light-rail trains could look like

Nathan Bernier

The Austin Transit Partnership has unveiled more details about the trains it wants for a multibillion dollar light-rail service set to be up and running as soon as 2029.

Guadalupe Street with Dirty Martin's in the foreground and other business affected in the background

Austin

Dirty Martin's is among a cluster of businesses slated to be forced out by light-rail line

Nathan Bernier

Project Connect's Orange Line will run from Stassney Lane through the UT campus and up to the North Lamar Transit Center. Maps show how Guadalupe Street would be redrawn between 29th and 27th streets to accommodate the rail.

An aerial view of Lady Bird Lake where a light-rail bridge would cross.

Transportation

A new light-rail bridge over Lady Bird Lake could allow buses for an extra $60 million, agency says

Nathan Bernier

Designers would build a bigger light-rail bridge to accomodate CapMetro buses under a proposal being presented tonight.

Transportation

Inflation and design changes are pushing the cost of Project Connect over $10 billion

Nathan Bernier

Officials say they don't expect more tax hikes, but the higher cost could delay a full rollout of the transit expansion.

A view down South Congress Avenue near Wasson Road

Transportation

Left turns will be restricted along Austin light-rail routes

Nathan Bernier

Cars and trucks will lose easy access to driveways and smaller streets to reduce the risk of crashes and slowdowns.

Where on South Congress Avenue a light-rail tunnel should emerge is the focus of planners working on the $7 billion transit expansion approved by Austin voters.

Transportation

Underground Light-Rail Tunnel Could Be More Than A Mile Longer Than Expected

Nathan Bernier

Engineering constraints are forcing the tunnel to emerge farther south in a change that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Transit planners vow to fit it into their existing budget.