Mass Transit - 8

EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK

What's Next? Better Mobility.

The passage of two mobility referendums in Austin this November
may be a sign of what the future of urban mobility could become.

T

he Nov. 3 elections in the U.S. delivered several high-profile " wins " for
transit, including a measure passed in California that will deliver Caltrain
its first source of dedicated funding. The Mountain Line in Missoula,
Mont., will see additional funding from an approved mill levy increase
that will support its Zero Fare program, as well as additional and expanded
service. But the crown jewel of the transit measures passed was Proposition
A (Prop A) in Austin, Texas.
Through passage of Prop A, Austin voters opted to increase property taxes and dedicate 8.75
cents per $100 of the city's operations and maintenance portion of the tax rate to the transit system, which will use the revenues toward the Initial Investment of Capital Metro's Project Connect.
Prop A is estimated to raise $175 million annually for the $7.1-billion mega program that includes
27 miles of new rail, a light-rail tunnel in downtown Austin, expanded bus service on both rapid
and commuter routes, as well as new facilities such as Park & Rides and a transit center.
" With the passage of Proposition A, voters have given the green light to a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revolutionize our transportation infrastructure and provide people in our
community with a safe, reliable way to get around. Project Connect will be better for our residents' health, the environment, our safety and our economic prosperity. Now, in partnership with the community, we are ready to begin the hard work to make this vision a reality, "
said Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk.
The passage of Prop A would be great news on its own, but Austin voters also passed a second measure, Proposition B (Prop B), that will raise $460
Austin's Prop A million through bond sales for a series of transportation
infrastructure projects such as sidewalk improvements,
and Prop B are two urban trails, bikeways, transportation safety projects and
complementary $19 million in local transit enhancements not covered in
measures with Project Connect.
These local transit enhancements include projects that
the same end goal: address improvements in local bus services, transit access,
better mobility. expansion of the shared micromobility fleet, first and last
mile connections and communications technology.
The city's efforts delivering on the projects funded through
Prop B will improve access to and possibility increase use of
the projects delivered through Project Connect.
Austin's Prop A and Prop B are two complementary measures with the same end goal: better mobility. I look forward
to reporting on the progress of Project Connect and Austin's
transportation infrastructure projects and I hope these
programs can provide an example for other cities and transit
agencies of what is possible when efforts are harmonized.

Mischa Wanek-Libman, Editor
 mwanek@masstransitmag.com  224-324-8532  linkedin.com/in/mischawaneklibman

8|

Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | NOVEMBER 2020

Editorial
Advisory Board
Gary Thomas
President/
Executive Director
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Keith Jones, P.E.
General Manager
DC Streetcar
Matthew Tucker
Executive Director
North County
Transit District


http://www.linkedin.com/in/mischawaneklibman http://www.MassTransitmag.com

Mass Transit

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Mass Transit

Ad Index
Editor's Notebook: What's Next? Better Mobility
People & Places
New Ransomware Attacks Pose Costly Threat to Transit Agencies
2020 Transit Safety and Security Report
Planning the Right Zero-Emission Fleet Conversion from the Beginning
AVs Pave the Way to Future Mobility
A New Age for Streetcars
Products: In Focus - Shelters, Stops & Stations
Best Practices: Creating a Safer, More Secure Ride on Metro Transit in the St. Louis Region
Mass Transit - 1
Mass Transit - 2
Mass Transit - 3
Mass Transit - 4
Mass Transit - 5
Mass Transit - Ad Index
Mass Transit - 7
Mass Transit - Editor's Notebook: What's Next? Better Mobility
Mass Transit - 9
Mass Transit - People & Places
Mass Transit - 11
Mass Transit - 12
Mass Transit - 13
Mass Transit - New Ransomware Attacks Pose Costly Threat to Transit Agencies
Mass Transit - 15
Mass Transit - 16
Mass Transit - 17
Mass Transit - 18
Mass Transit - 19
Mass Transit - 2020 Transit Safety and Security Report
Mass Transit - 21
Mass Transit - 22
Mass Transit - 23
Mass Transit - Planning the Right Zero-Emission Fleet Conversion from the Beginning
Mass Transit - 25
Mass Transit - 26
Mass Transit - 27
Mass Transit - AVs Pave the Way to Future Mobility
Mass Transit - 29
Mass Transit - 30
Mass Transit - 31
Mass Transit - A New Age for Streetcars
Mass Transit - 33
Mass Transit - 34
Mass Transit - 35
Mass Transit - 36
Mass Transit - 37
Mass Transit - Products: In Focus - Shelters, Stops & Stations
Mass Transit - 39
Mass Transit - 40
Mass Transit - 41
Mass Transit - Best Practices: Creating a Safer, More Secure Ride on Metro Transit in the St. Louis Region
Mass Transit - 43
Mass Transit - 44
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