Volume 4, Issue 5 | March 30–April 26 - Community Impact Newspaper

CitY notes
Austin
Bicycle and pedestrian
bridges to be built over
Barton Creek and Loop 360
On March 8, the Austin City Council
authorized the design and construction
of bicycle and pedestrian bridges in the
MoPac Expressway corridor over Barton
Creek and Loop 360. The project would
provide a 14-foot wide trail extending
from Southwest Austin to downtown
separated from MoPac.
Construction of the project’s first
phase, a larger bridge over Barton Creek,
is slated to begin in November 2013,
while construction on the second phase,
Council extends train service
On March 1, the Austin City Council
approved a $5.7 million interlocal
agreement with the Capital Metropolitan
Transportation Authority to extend the
hours of the MetroRail Red Line service
on weekends beginning March 23.
The expanded service allows trains to
run every 60 minutes between 7 p.m. and
midnight on Friday, and every 30 minutes
between 4 p.m. and midnight on Saturday.
While service on Friday will run to
the Leander station, Saturday service will
start and end at the Lakeline station.
Under the agreement, the City of Austin
is paying for the service up front on a
quarterly basis. Capital Metro will reimburse
the city and is also responsible for
costs associated with rail service outside
the city limits.
The deal ends Jan. 1, 2014, when the
option of a second term will be available.
By mutual agreement, Capital Metro
may operate additional services during
special events.
Austin officials shift vote
on utility rate hike to May
The Austin City Council set a timeline
March 1 detailing 11 work sessions to
examine rate increase options for Austin
Energy with a vote on a final plan projected
for May 24.
City Council discussed a proposed
interim 3.5 percent system-wide increase
targeted to begin in June. The proposal
was a result of the utility’s claim that if
new rates were not in place by this summer,
it would lose $77 million this year.
However, AE General Manager Larry
Weis told City Council the proposal
would not be sufficient. He said the utility
actually preferred no interim increase and
for council to instead focus on working
on a final rate plan.
On Feb. 22, council ordered a review of
AE’s proposed revenue requirements. The
results of the audit are expected in late
April.
Mitzie stelte
Pedestrians and bike riders will soon be able to
cross over Barton Creek in the MoPac corridor.
City approves Trail of Lights
Festival cosponsorship
The Austin City Council approved a
cosponsorship deal March 1 with the
RunTex Foundation for the Trail of
Lights Festival. The holiday event had
been canceled for the last two years due
to a lack of funding. The foundation
would lead a fundraising campaign to
cover all aspects of the event, which it
estimates will cost at least $700,000.
Paul Carrozza of the RunTex Foundation
said the goal is to raise $500,000
within the next three months from
major corporations, businesses and
individual donors.
Block 21 ranked among
most eco-friendly buildings
Block 21, the building housing the W
Hotel and Residences and the Austin
City Limits Live studio at 200 Lavaca
St., was awarded Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED)
Silver Certification as well as a four-star
rating in green building from Austin
Energy on March 6. Beau Armstrong,
chairman and CEO of Stratus Properties,
the project’s developer, said achieving
LEED certification was the goal
from the start of the project, which was
completed in 2010.
Meetings
Compiled by Mitzie Stelte
a smaller bridge over Loop 360, is scheduled
to begin in November 2014. The
entire project’s expected completion date
is December 2015 at a cost of more than
$10 million.
Austin City Council
austin City Hall, 301 W. second st.
974-2497, www.ci.austin.tx.us/council
April 5, 12 and 26, 10 a.m.
City Council meetings are aired live on
cable Channel 6 and webcast live at
www.ci.austin.tx.us/channel6.
Travis County
Commissioners Court
314 11th st., austin
854-9425, www.co.travis.tx.us/
commissioners_court
Meetings are every tuesday at 9 a.m.
impactnews.com • March 2012 | NEWS | 9
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