Transportation
BY ELLE BENT, GRACE DICKENS & KATY MCAFEE
Lawsuit over Project Connect moves forward A lawsuit aiming to thwart Project Connect, a plan to build a 9.8-mile light rail system throughout Central Austin, could be resolved by this spring. What happened In November, five plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Austin Transit Partnership, the organiza- tion tasked with building and financing Project Connect. The lawsuit argued ATP’s funding struc- ture, which allows it to receive a stream of cash from the Project Connect tax rate hike approved by voters in 2020 without annual oversight, violates the state constitution. It also argued ATP pulled a “bait and switch” on Austin voters after the project costs increased by $4 billion and subsequently scaled back the plan. In response, ATP filed a bond validation petition Feb. 20. The petition allows for an expedited review of its bonds funding process without direct Ramp project on MoPac nearing completion The Barton Skyway Ramp Relief Project along southbound MoPac is set to wrap up this spring. The details Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority offi- cials expect this to ease congestion and improve travel times by up to 40%.
"Our job here at Austin Transit Partnership is to work day in, day out advancing the project. We do have a vocal few in this community that have tried to try to stop it, and over this past year they have not been successful in that." GREG CANALLY, ATP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
SAWYER RANCH RD.
DARDEN HILL RD.
ENCHANTED OAKS DR.
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Dripping Springs roundabout opens Dripping Springs and Hays County officials celebrated the completion of a $3.2 million project at the intersection of Darden Hill Road and Sawyer Ranch Road Feb. 26. The gist The new roundabout replaces what previously was a three-way stop, and it now includes medians, pedestrian crossings and sidewalk ramps compliant with the Ameri- cans with Disabilities Act.
approval from the attorney general. In Texas, all government bonds must typically pass attorney general review. What’s next Approval of the ATP’s funding structure and resolution to the lawsuit filed against them could wrap up in the coming weeks as the trial is slated to begin late May or early June. If the ATP gets the green light, they hope to break ground on the rail in just over two years, ATP Executive Director Greg Canally said.
pavement widening ramps new traffic patterns
The project will add: 1 An auxiliary lane from Barton Skyway to Loop 360 on MoPac South 2 An additional through-traffic lane at Loop 360 3 A left-lane exit-only ramp for southbound Loop 360 4 Room to accelerate for drivers entering from the southbound Barton Skyway on ramp
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1
2
360
MOPAC
MOPAC
BARTON SKYWAY
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N MAP NOT TO SCALE
SOURCE: CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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