Transportation Planning Briefs

Several important bits of planning news in the hopper this week:

• Project Connect is zeroing in on a final recommendation for an urban rail plan to present to Council. They'll present it to the Central Corridor Advisory Group this Friday, April 11, 1:30-3:30pm, at City Hall Council Chambers, 301 W. Second; see that presentation at www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=207393. The next day, they'll hold what they euphemistically call a "Public Workshop," to present the plan to the public: Saturday, April 12, 9am-12:30pm at Midway Field House (the former Antone's), 2015 E. Riverside.

• The Austin Transportation Department released the final report from their Airport Boulevard Corridor Study (see "Preparing for Takeoff," Oct. 21, 2011). The report is available online at www.austintexas.gov/department/corridor-studies.

• TxDOT quietly announced this week that they've dropped I-35 Super Streets from their I-35 improvement plan, after getting universally negative feedback on the inane scheme to eliminate direct east-west travel on virtually all mid-city cross streets. An online "neighborhood survey" is still available through this Friday, April 11, at www.mobility35.org.