Austin Transit Partnership briefs Tourism Commission on light rail route, timeline and rider projections

Austin Transit Partnership officials on May 14 briefed the Austin Tourism Commission on the agency’s plans for the city’s Phase 1 light rail project, the transit corridors it will serve and how the system could affect visitor access to downtown attractions.

Darren Lozano, senior vice president for environment and project development at Austin Transit Partnership, told commissioners the Phase 1 alignment is being advanced through environmental review and is intended to operate on city streets with a dedicated guideway. He said the initial segment will be about 9.8 miles with 15 stations serving major destinations including the University of Texas, South Congress, downtown (including a station near the Austin Convention Center) and the Hike-and-Bike Trail. "We're really excited to present our update on the Austin light rail project," Lozano said.

The presentation emphasized travel-time reliability, frequent service and station-area design intended to be people-centric, with new pedestrian and bike connections and a proposed bridge across Lady Bird Lake. Sean Berry, vice president of design and construction, described station…