The Project Connect: North Corridor study team has unveiled plans for the future of transit in the rapidly growing North Corridor.
“By 2035, half the population of Williamson and Travis counties will reside in the North Corridor – more than 1.3 million people – and 66 percent of all jobs in Williamson and Travis Counties and 55 percent of all jobs in the five-county region will be located there,” Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw said. “The North Corridor is growing rapidly and we can’t wait any longer to do something about it. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and tackle these transportation and related issues together.”
The Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the North Corridor calls for several different types of services, including the extension of existing MetroRapid lines to Round Rock, Georgetown and Plfugerville; Express service linking Hutto and Pflugerville to Austin via the MoKan Corridor; Connect bus service from Hutto to Round Rock, from Round Rock to Cedar Park, and from Manor to Tech Ridge and the emerging transit hub of Highland Mall; New Park & Ride facilities in Round Rock, Hutto, Pflugerville, Webberville, and more.
“Project Connect has partnered with communities in need of transit solutions to come up with a plan for the North Corridor that will provide more connectivity within Central Texas,” Capital Metro President/CEO Linda S. Watson said. “We now have a plan to develop real, attainable, high-capacity transit tools that can give North Corridor commuters more options for getting around within this most congested area in our region.”
The projects in the LPA, which provides for a scalable and expandable transit network, can be completed in phases depending on funding sources. If completed fully, the LPA would cost an estimated $164 million, less than the cost of a typical highway interchange.
Capital Metro and the Project Connect team will next work with communities and local governments to identify funding sources, conduct the necessary environmental studies and establish project timelines.
The City Council approved Dec. 5, 2013, a resolution supporting the Project Connect regional planning initiative. You can watch the presentation and discussion on Round Rock Replay.
ABOUT NORTH CORRIDOR
With half the population of Williamson and Travis counties projected to reside in the North Corridor by 2035, the cities of Austin, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Hutto and Georgetown, along with the Project Connect partners, have joined together to improve long-term mobility and access in the North Corridor area. This collaboration will support regional growth objectives and meet community needs in a way that promotes access to transportation and affordable housing and creates better connections to jobs and schools.
A team led by Round Rock Mayor Alan McGraw, with members from Austin, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Hutto and Georgetown, provided guidance to the study team during the course of the 18-month effort. Public involvement also shaped the final Locally Preferred Alternative.
ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT
Project Connect is the vision for Central Texas’ high-capacity transit system, endorsed by the Transit Working Group, as a subcommittee of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO). Linking activity centers within the fastest growing region in the country, Project Connect aims to connect people, places and opportunities in an easy and efficient way.
