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Posted on June 14, 2010
Mobility Bond Package Brings Together Near-Term Congestion Relief and Plans for Long-Term Regional Solutions
AUSTIN, Texas – Austin City Manager Marc Ott today unveiled an $85 million comprehensive draft bond package that includes both short-term congestion relief projects and down payment investments for long-term improved regional mobility.
“This bond package represents a balanced approach to improving mobility and connectivity – via roads, bicycle paths, trails, sidewalks and transit infrastructure,” City Manager Ott said. “It also plants the seeds for regional advances that will help us respond effectively to future growth.
“Improving our transportation infrastructure was one of my top priorities from day one, and I think this sets us on a positive path to address some persistent needs throughout Austin,” Ott said.
City officials will gather public comment before the City Manager’s final bond package recommendation goes before Council July 29. The bond package could go before voters in November.
Immediate construction (implementation) projects totaling $70.8M (83%) represent the bulk of the $85M proposal, and another $14M (16%) is included for design and preliminary engineering to develop additional projects for future construction. Road reconstruction projects totaling $19.5M and $10M for Americans with Disabilities Act projects are included in the totals above.
Developed as part of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, the draft bond package takes into account a number of criteria, including: severity of need, cost-effectiveness, environmental impact, safety, sustainability, the relationship to regional projects, speed of project delivery, and the potential to leverage state and federal aid. The ASMP offers a way for city decision-makers and the community to evaluate transportation options in line with these and other criteria, aligned with community objectives and developed with extensive citizen input.
Citizens can learn more and share ideas with City Transportation staff and members of the City Council-appointed Transportation Bond Citizen Task Force at an Open House 4 – 8 p.m. Thursday June 17 at City Hall, 301 West 2nd St. Comments about the proposed package will be accepted at the Open House, via U.S. mail, or online at ctf@austinstrategicmobility.com until July 18.
“The variety of mobility improvements included in the bond package proposal reflects the importance of multiple forms of travel to reduce congestion and our reliance on cars alone,” said Assistant City Manager Robert Goode. “The City of Austin should build the infrastructure that supports walkable and cycling environments and promotes long-term sustainable mobility that is better for our pocketbooks and the environment.”
Projects in the draft bond package include studies that will be conducted in conjunction with regional partners and that aim to develop regional funding solutions. All projects on the “A” list of prioritized mobility needs will be addressed using general obligation bonds or other means of available funding.
The ASMP developed a methodical, transparent and accountable process to evaluate and prioritize more than 3,000 transportation needs and potential projects, gathered from the community through an extensive outreach process since last October.
These “gap” projects were evaluated using a matrix that weights each project’s performance on a number of key community objectives, approved by the City Council in April and rooted in community values and principles of sustainability. These objectives include:
Each of the projects also received technical evaluation by Transportation engineers and planners. Projects were ranked in levels of A, B, C priority levels, and help inform the development of the bond package. View the complete prioritized project list and the ASMP prioritization model here at AustinStrategicMobiiity.com
The Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) is a comprehensive and responsive community-driven approach to mobility. The ASMP equips the City of Austin to make smart, strategic mobility investments and leverage resources to create sustainable transportation systems that reflect the shared values of the community.