CATC Mobility Headlines

Segment 4 of the SH 130 project was opened today following a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the SH 130/SH 71 Interchange. Segment 4, from SH 71 to US 183 near Mustang Ridge, is the final segment in the Central Texas Turnpike System 2002 Project (CTTS). With the opening of this Segment, all portions of the CTTS–the Loop 1 Extension, SH 45 North, and SH 130–are now open to traffic.

Tolls will not be charged on this 8.7 mile section through June and drivers with electronic toll tags will receive a 50% discount in July and a 10% discount thereafter.

Segments 5 & 6 of SH 130, which is being constructed by a different team under the state’s first privately-funded concession agreement, is expected to begin construction in 2009.

SH 130 Segment 4 Opening - TXDOT Press Release

Texas 130 in Austin area opens final stretch today - Austin American-Statesman

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) has chosen JPMorganChase as its financial partner on the outstanding toll road projects. CTRMA expects to develop a combined public/private financing package for under 6%. As construction costs are projected to increase by 10-12%, moving forward expeditiously on these projects should be a net gain financially, as well as as for Central Texas mobility. Financing will be comprised of non-concession, non-privatized lending of public and private funds supported solely by revenue from tolls. Details regarding which roads roads get built and when must still be worked out , but it does portend well for getting things back on track and placing Central Texas on the cutting edge of self-sustaining local transportation funding.

The Governor’s office announced today that Rick Perry has appointed his former Chief of Staff Deirdre Delisi of Austin and Ft. Worth executive William Meadows to the Texas Transportation Commission. Meadows replaces the late Ric Williamson, who died in late December 2007. Delisi will replace Hope Andrade and will serve as Chair of the Commission. Delisi and Meadows’ terms expire Feb.1, 2013.

Governor’s Press Release

Downtown Austin Plan (DAP) consultant ROMA Design Group outlined a light rail proposal for Central Austin at a public meeting on Apr 22. The proposed 14-mile system would run from downtown Austin to the airport, through the UT campus and then east towards Mueller, primarily in dedicated lanes.

Estimated costs range from $5 to $40 million per mile. As proposed, the line would be built the City of Austin rather than Capital Metro, though financing is undetermined. City Council Member Brewster McCracken envisions a partnership between the City, Travis County and Cap Metro.

ROMA will make a recommendation to the Austin City Council May 8 and to the CAMPO Transit Working Group May 12.

New commuter rail plan to be unveiled Tuesday - KVUE
It’s baaack: A proposal for light rail - Austin Business Journal
ROMA to recommend 14 miles of light rail in Central Austin - Austin American-Statesman
Light Rail Route Outlined - Austin Business Journal
New light-rail plan rolls into Austin - Austin American-Statesman

Save room on your calendar for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of SH 130 Segment 4 (SH 71 to US 183 / Mustang Ridge) on April 30. Details regarding location to be announced. For additional information or to RSVP, call the Pflugerville Project Office at 512-225-1473.

As with other segments of SH 130, tolls will initially be waived - all drivers may drive on Segment 4 free through June.

Segment 4 will eventually connect to Segments 5 and 6 (Mustang Ridge to I-10 in Seguin), which are being built via a public-private partnership between TXDOT and Cintra-Zachry. Construction on the last two segments is expected to begin in 2009 and be complete by 2012.

Southern half of SH 130 to open - Austin Business Journal

Last piece of tollway around Austin to open April 30 - Austin American-Statesman

New portion of highway nearly completed - News8 Austin

Sen. Kirk Watson has announced that Joe Cantalupo has accepted the offer to become CAMPO Executive Director and will officially start work on April 28. CATC will co-host a reception in early May (date to be announced) with the Real Estate Council of Austin (RECA) and the Austin Chamber to welcome and congratulate Cantalupo.

NOTE: The April 21 CAMPO Board meeting has been cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for May 12.

The Austin City Council gave preliminary approval for zoning within half-mile radius around future CapMetro commuter rail stations within the city. Final approval is expected within a few weeks.

The city of Georgetown and Williamson County will jointly finance the expansion of 3.5 miles of RM 2338, which was left in question after TXDOT’s financial crisis left it unfunded.  TXDOT has to use funds intended for new road capacity for maintenance.

The state agency’s financial crisis is prompting other local governments to consider banding together to pay for new expansion  Round Rock and Georgetown are  considering widening part of FM 1460, along with the county and private developers, are considering taking over a project that would widen part of FM 1460.

Williamson County will pay for the project from its 2006 and the jurisdictions are working out a timeline for Georgetown to reimburse the County for about $14 million (65 % of the project).

Sen. Kirk Watson has proposed improvements for a dangerous segment of SH 71 using a newly-created “safety fund.” Watson wants to establish a long-term safety fund which would initially set aside $30 million of the $65 million from TXDOT’s allocation for toll road projects on SH 71 and US 290, and get matching funds from local governments. Eventually the fund could be sustained by toll revenues via the CTRMA. The plan will require approval by the CAMPO Board.

TXDOT has already implemented short-term improvements, including adding water-absorbent pavement and roughening the pavement. In addition, the Texas Transportation Commission reduced speed in the area from 65 to 60 mph.

TXDOT hopes to get environmental approval for the $850,000 barrier project by Jul 1 and have them in place by the end of the year or early 2009. A public hearing for environmental approval is scheduled for Apr 24.

Plan pitches barriers for dangerous part of 71 - Austin American-Statesman 

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization has named Joe Cantalupo as the agency’s new Executive Director, replacing Michael Aulick who resigned in January 2008 after 15 years on the job.

Cantalupo, a senior planning manager with Parsons Brinckerhoff, was chosen out of six candidates for the position.

CAMPO names new exec dir - Austin Business Journal