Austin Transit Partnership presents draft environmental impact statement for Phase 1 light rail, asks for public comment

Austin Transit Partnership representatives on Feb. 4 told the Urban Transportation Commission that the draft environmental impact statement for Phase 1 of the Austin Light Rail project is published and the agency is seeking public comment through March 11.

The DEIS describes a roughly 10‑mile alignment with about 15 stations and recommends a range of design options for downtown station locations, a new light‑rail bridge over Lady Bird Lake and an elevated approach south of the river. Lindsay Wood of Austin Transit Partnership said the document is a federal‑process draft and the project team expects to publish responses to comments in a final EIS later this year.

Why it matters: The DEIS is a major federal milestone that documents environmental effects and proposed mitigations and is required for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding. ATP told the commission it expects engineering to start next year and construction in 2027, with an opening forecast around 2033. The committee heard that the final EIS timeline depends on the nature of public comments.

ATP’s presentation and design highlights

Darren Lozano of Austin Transit Partnership said the Phase 1 alignment was adopted in June 2023 by ATP’s board, the CapMetro board and the City of Austin. ATP…