Austin: light rail?

[the futants]

i'm just curious if any of you austin folks are supporting light rail. i, personally, skipped it on the ballot last week. i live (own) centrally so i'm not as directly affected by it as others are in the outer reaches of the community. also, i'm not convinced that folks in the Cedar Park area, with their expensive homes and expensive suv's, would be willing to ride a train to (near) downtown.

[bejezuz]

I voted for it. My theory is that you've gotta start somewhere. Getting downtown sucks, parking sucks worse.

I think the logic of putting light rail where they want to is that this is where the traffic is the worst. 183 is a MESS during rush hour. It's only going to get worse.

[Baqui99]

It would be nice to get rid of some of the drunk drivers leaving 6th St.

[cson]

voted for it. Wanting Austin not to become a big city isn't going to stop it from happening...might as well prepare

[Faos]

You guys need something. I can't stand driving in Austin and I live in Houston.

You have the shortest on-ramps in the country. I usually just mash the pedal to the floor and close my eyes when I try to get on I-35 from any ramp downtown.

[rubytuesday]

four years ago, i voted for it in austin and it BARELY lost. i was sad. for such an up and growing awesome city, i thought the people would embrace it. i was wrong. since the city is constructed in a mostly north-south manner (unlike Houston's huge circle), i thought the light rail was a clear way to go. it would ease some traffic on 35 and mopac.

[DaDakota]

I voted for it, too, got to start somewhere and the city is the right size to start the plan.

DD

[Cohen]

AGAINST. Against making Austin 'Toll Road City USA'.

An e-mail that I rec'd:

Alternative Way to Help Fund Roadway Projects Other Than Tolling as the Major Source of Funding

I think there is finally a real movement to look at reconsidering the tolling of the Loop 1 South/Wm. Cannon bridge exchange. According to last weeks Austin American-Statesman Metro/State (Thurs., 10/28/04) article there seems to be a glimmer of hope for removing this particular piece from the toll plan IF*an alternative revenue source could be identified and accepted. So, here's my pitch - instead of allowing Cap Metro to go forward with spending tens of millions of dollars on a Commuter Rail System (that by the way, if you live anywhere other than on or very near this Leander to the Convention Center downtown rail line you will probably never get to use it) this community should demand that we use those millions to help fund not just the Loop 1 South exchange but any other toll road that has a great amount of pubic controversy.

When you hear that transit dollars cannot be used for building roads it is absolutely not true. Cap Metro has been doing it for almost 10 years through the Build Greater Austin program. If Commuter Rail is passed that will almost guarantee a stop to that program.

In my opinion, if the Cap Metro Commuter Rail system is passed, this community will never again have the ability to effectively use sales tax money to offset the need for tolling every time we need additional roadways.

PLEASE VOTE AGAINST THE COMMUTER RAIL REFERENDUM

If you agree with my assessment, please forward this to anyone you think would consider doing the same.

Thank you.

Gerald Daugherty
Travis County Commissioner
Precinct 3


Shame on you DaDakota! ;)

[halfbreed]

Voted for it...maybe it will get so many of these STUPID drivers off the road...but prolly not :(

[SamCassell]

Voted against 4 years ago, when I lived in Austin. Too bad I don't live there now to do the same. Putting the money into upgrading the freeways would go alot further towards reducing traffic than a half-baked rail scheme. Austin's public transportation system, Capital Metro, is actually much better than Houston's.

[sLaNd B a L L a]

i voted for it...traffic in austin is horrible...

[DaDakota]

Cohen,

You do know that Mayor Wynne asked that the bridge at William Cannon be removed from the toll road plan, right?

DD

[KingCheetah]

I supported light rail ~ I believe it is a big winner tonight. :cool:

[Cohen]

Originally posted by DaDakota
Cohen,

You do know that Mayor Wynne asked that the bridge at William Cannon be removed from the toll road plan, right?

DD


Nope. I've been out of town, when did he say that?

Maybe it has something to do with the effort to recall him? That the State-level politicians distanced themselves from this horrible plan, leaving the locals hanging?

What does this have to do with the topic at hand? Just because winn says that, is it assured?

And what about all of the other toll roads? We'll still be 'toll road city USA' without this one toll.