Referendum's Passage Sets Capital Metro Plans in Motion
For Immediate Release
For More Information Contact: Libba Letton, 369-6595 Web site: www.capmetro.org
AUSTIN, Texas, November 3, 2004 - Passage of the commuter rail referendum yesterday sets in motion a series of activities aimed at bringing to fruition the will of the voters: building a passenger commuter rail service and ultimately, implementing the overall All Systems Go Long-Range Transit Plan.
Project Management A Capital Metro Program Management Team, consisting of key planning and engineering staff, will lead the effort in charge of planning, designing, engineering and building the projects contained in the All Systems Go plan, including Rapid Bus and commuter rail. Preliminary work will begin in 2005 on Capital Metro's existing freight tracks, followed by station design and construction. Daily urban commuter rail service is expected to begin in 2008.
Reviewing Vehicles Selecting the appropriate vehicles for the commuter rail service will be a key activity over the next several months. Prospective vehicle manufacturers will be asked to propose vehicles with a proven track record that can serve the unique nature of Capital Metro's urban commuter service. Vehicles will be required to assure efficient service in suburban areas where stations are spaced far apart, while also being able to start and stop quickly at more stations located in closer proximity along the central, more urban portions of the line. Vehicles will be required to meet or exceed all Environmental Protection Agency standards and operate with minimal noise and vibrations in the urban portions of the line adjacent to neighborhoods. Vehicles being considered are smaller in scale than traditional commuter rail trains and will be self-propelled with diesel motors. Requests for proposals for the vehicles are expected to be released as early as March of 2005.
Advance Towards Federal Funding Capital Metro will also advance the process to obtain federal transit funding for both commuter rail and Rapid Bus projects with the intent of preparing and submitting a formal New Starts Application for federal funding assistance to the Federal Transit Administration early next year. Capital Metro also is nearing completion of the Alternatives Analysis for the Downtown/Northwest urban commuter rail line. An Alternatives Analysis is required for any transit project seeking federal funding under the classification of "fixed guideway" such as commuter rail. As a first step towards finalizing the Alternatives Analysis for commuter rail, on November 15, the Board is expected to officially adopt the Downtown/Northwest line as the locally preferred alternative (LPA).
The LPA will be officially submitted the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization for their subsequent adoption early next year. Capital Metro will then submit its commuter rail project to the FTA for federal funding and request their approval to enter into the next phase, the preliminary engineering phase of the project. Capital Metro will then begin preparation of the New Starts Application for federal funding.
Forming Public Involvement Groups "The referendum could not have passed without participation from the public including the many hours of volunteer time already invested by area citizens in outreach and public education efforts that began in May, 2004," said Capital Metro president and CEO Fred Gilliam. "Capital Metro will continue to rely on the involvement of area citizens as we plan and design the system."
Responding to the citizen requests prior to the referendum to extend or expand the rail system, Capital Metro will convene citizen advisory boards to assist in planning and development of the Downtown and Mueller circulation areas.
Citizen input will not only help Capital Metro determine routes, alignments and types of service in the downtown and Mueller circulation areas, but citizens will continue their involvement in developing a master plan for Plaza Saltillo a transit-oriented redevelopment area on 11 acres of Capital Metro property in East Austin. Citizens also will be invited to comment and provide input on stations along the new urban commuter rail line as well as the new Rapid Bus Routes through a series of public workshops.
Establishing Contracts To assist the management team, Capital Metro will seek and hire the best-qualified planning, engineering and design talent to make the All Systems Go elements the very best that they can be. Several Requests for Qualifications will be issued over the next several months. Local businesses will have an opportunity to compete for projects associated with the plan and Capital Metro will continue its commitment to ensure that businesses certified as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), as defined in CFR 49 part 26, have an equal opportunity to receive and participate in federally funded contracts. Capital Metro works to develop DBE firms and will continue to monitor nondiscrimination in the award and administration of these contracts. Information will continue to be posted to the Capital Metro web site as it becomes available.
Work with CAMPO Capital Metro will forward the All Systems Go Plan to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) for inclusion in CAMPO's new Mobility 2030 Plan, an updated long-range transportation plan scheduled for formal adoption in Spring 2005. In order to expedite efforts to obtain federal funding, Capital Metro has also submitted an immediate request for CAMPO to amend the current CAMPO 2025 Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to cover the Downtown/Northwest Commuter Rail service and the North Lamar/South Congress Rapid Bus service. Finally, Capital Metro will request that CAMPO endorse the Downtown/Northwest Commuter Rail service as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) following action by Capital Metro's Board of Directors later this month.
About Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority provides bus service on flexible, convenient schedules at more than 3,000 bus stops throughout Central Texas, providing riders with an average of 130,000 one-way trips each day. Capital Metro's fixed route bus service includes 66 metro and flyer routes, seven downtown circulator 'Dillo routes, seven express routes and 22 UT shuttle routes. Capital Metro also offers 30 AISD school routes, van and carpooling coordination, shuttles to special events and special transit services for the disabled. Plans are underway to begin urban commuter rail service in early 2008. For more information, call (512) 474-1200 or visit the Web site at www.capmetro.org.
DATE: November 3, 2004
Tentative List of Requests for Qualifications to be released for All Systems Go
- Railroad Engineering Design Services: Design of improvements to the railroad track and railcar maintenance facility.
- Engineering Design Services for Commuter Rail Trainstops: Design of the nine rail stations, may be awarded in multiple contracts.
- Transit Planning Services: Corridor studies for the Mueller and Downtown Corridors, as well as a downtown bus transfer facility.
- Rapid Bus Traffic Signal Priority System Design Services: Design services for Intelligent Traffic System for buses.
- Rapid Bus Engineering Design Services for Bus Stops: Design for as many as 44 bus stops.
- Environmental Studies: Studies needed to support commuter rail and Corridor Planning.
- Transit Oriented Design (TOD) Market Studies: Studies for the commuter rail station areas.
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
2910 East 5th Street | Austin, Texas 78702 | (512) 389-7400
Specific Route Information | (512) 474-1200