On December 11th,
2000, the Capital Metro Board of Directors voted to complete the light rail
planning study.
The Preliminary
Engineering/Environmental Impact Statement (PE/EIS) is the study on the future
feasibility, usefulness, and possible alignment of a light rail system in
Austin. The Federal Transit
Administration is our federal funding partner for the project, paying
80-percent of the total cost. The study was halted after the light rail
referendum failed by 1,956 votes November 7th.
Capital Metro received
dozens of calls, letters and emails urging the agency to move forward with the
PE/EIS planning project. Some of the
groups and people recommending the PE/EIS continue include: the Capital Area
Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Capital Area Transportation Coalition,
the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce, the Downtown Austin Alliance, the Texas Campaign for the Environment,
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos, State Representative Glen Maxey, State
Representative Elliott Naishtat, Mayor Kirk Watson and many others.
The Capital Area
Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) urged Capital Metro to finish the
study since CAMPO’s 2025 mobility plan includes light rail and commuter
rail. CAMPO believes the light rail
PE/EIS study is critical to good long-term transportation planning for this
region.
The PE/EIS should be
finished by fall 2001.