More Than a Radio

The ambitious police radio project goes far beyond merely acquiring and installing a new network. Additional initiatives being spearheaded by the Austin-Travis County RDMT Coalition include a new computer-aided dispatch, a global positioning system, new mobile data transfer units, microwave tower replacements, an automatic vehicle locator system, and a new combined communications center to house the hardware and dispatch for all the new systems. The 11 partners (including the Texas Dept. of Transportation, which is not involved in the radio project) ­ are each following a different timeline based on their own set of needs and the amount of cash available to spend on the initiatives. The radio initiative alone was designed as a $70 million system; the $38 million from Austin's 1997 Prop. 1 bond represents the city's share. These are the 11 area entities represented on the 911 RDMT Coalition:

City of Austin

Travis County

Austin Independent School District

Austin Community College

UT Austin

Capital Metro

City of West Lake Hills

City of Pflugerville

Texas House of Representatives

Texas Legislative Council

Texas Dept. of Transportation*

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*(TxDOT's interest in the project centers on mobile data and the combined communications center.)