AUSTIN, Texas — Sitting in traffic around the I-35 corridor can take a toll on drivers.

• 2 new transitways proposed
• Costs range from $3.2B to $10.3B
• Light rail with tunnel is most expensive option

With the population in Austin projected to double in the next 25 years, city leaders and Capital Metro are envisioning a multi-billion-dollar public transit plan called Project Connect. While federal dollars could cover part of the costs, city staff will still need to have a dedicated, local funding source, which will likely require voter approval.

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Cap Metro officials said they have seen 15 straight months of increased ridership, and therefore see a need to address current and future capacity needs. The expanded system would include transitways, which are dedicated spaces to allow transit vehicles to move freely from traffic, improved and faster bus service, additional and higher-frequency commuter rail lines, as well as new and upgraded transit hubs and park-and-rides.

As part of a long-term vision, Cap Metro staff members are initially proposing two new transitways or lines. The Orange Line would travel along North Lamar Boulevard and Guadalupe Street, and cross Lady Bird Lake to South Congress Avenue. The other, The Blue Line, establishes a transitway from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, East Riverside Drive, Trinity Street, and up to Austin Community College’s Highland Campus.

Cap Metro leaders have laid out several scenarios that include different options for bus rapid transit and light rail rapid transit. Depending on the option, costs range from $3.2 billion to $10.3 billion. The most expensive option would be a light rail with a downtown tunnel. Staff estimates bus rapid transit would reach capacity by 2040, and they are still conducting an analysis of the light rail and subway options.

Staff said federal grant funding could pay for 40 percent of the costs. While they have identified several local investment strategies like fare and parking revenue, it is likely going to take a referendum in November. The city could hold a bond election, which previously failed in the past for proposed rail lines, ora tax rate election. 

Lourdes Zuniga has lived in Austin for nearly 20 years and has largely relied on her $42 monthly bus pass to get around. She does not own a car. As the executive director of the nonprofit Financial Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, she has on average three different meetings to attend a day, but does not mind having to travel on the bus from her home in northwest Austin to as far as downtown Austin, the University of Texas campus, or East Austin. She also welcomes the exercise.

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“You have to leave your home early so you can have enough time to get to the bus stop. But the tradeoff is you have a lot more productive time while you are not driving. You save money because you’re not paying as much money as parking and different fees you have to pay when you have car, but you also have a very mindful and intentional way of saving our environment,” she said.

Carrying her laptop, Zuniga said she will answer emails, read, or practice any presentations while riding the bus. She understands, however, not everyone has the same flexibility when it comes to schedule, and she believes the current system could be improved when it comes to accessibility. Zuniga points to how transit is difficult to access in different parts of the city, in particular, southeast Austin. She said in order to start changing habits, people will need to have a “mental adjustment.”

“I really would encourage the community to think about how we are growing as a city because I think that it’s not going to get any easier to get this infrastructure in the future. If anything this is the time to do it,” Zuniga said.

During the next few months, Austin City Council and Capital Metro Board of Directors will decide how to invest in Project Connect. In March, Cap Metro staff will make recommendations regarding preferred projects and will then conduct community outreach, as they are seeking public input and participation. The proposed system could be approved as early as May.