Public Notice: Coming Soon to a Corridor Near You
Hopefully in fewer than four score years ...
By Nick Barbaro, Fri., Feb. 9, 2018
On Wednesday, the city released a proposed Corridor Construction Program that would implement the $482 million authorized in the 2016 Mobility Bond for corridor projects – major construction on nine different corridors (Lamar North and South, Burnet, Airport, FM 969, Guadalupe, E. Riverside, Wm. Cannon, and Slaughter), plus Preliminary Engineering and Design work on eight more (Lamar/Guadalupe, Rundberg East and West, Colony Loop, E. MLK, S. Congress, Manchaca, and S. Pleasant Valley). See the full plan at data.austintexas.gov/stories/s/gukj-e8fh.
The construction would include about 30 miles of pavement rehabilitation; 120 traffic signal upgrades; 30 intersection improvements; transit signal priority and better connections to transit; 75 miles of ADA-compliant sidewalks or paths, and 40 miles of bicycle lanes, creating continuous pedestrian and bike routes along the entire length of each corridor; as many as 40 new mid-block signals for pedestrian crossings as well as other improvements.
To that end, the city Transportation Dept. is running a bustle of open houses and community engagement meetings – three within the next week – on specific projects being funded by the bond money. This week's meetings represent three different phases of the bond program:
• Sat., Feb. 10, 10am-noon, Anderson Mill Road Regional Mobility Project Open House, Hope Presbyterian Church, 11559 Spicewood Pkwy. This is one of six projects being funded as part of the $101 million Regional Mobility Program; you can view the draft recommendations, and provide feedback. See www.austintexas.gov/andersonmill.
• Tue., Feb. 13, 4:30-6:30pm, Davis Lane Open House, Cowan Elementary School, 2817 Kentish. Davis Lane is being evaluated for possible upgrades as part of the bond's Substandard Street Project, though there's no construction funding at this time. See www.austintexas.gov/davislane.
• Sat., Feb. 17, 10:30am-12:30pm, South Pleasant Valley Public Open House and Resource Fair, Dove Springs Rec. Center, 5801 Ainez. This is one of the second wave of Corridor Construction projects – those getting funding for engineering and design only, with construction funding expected to come from the next major transportation bond, as construction is ending on the first nonet. www.austintexas.gov/SPV.
Austin Cave Festival brings together the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, the City of Austin, the Texas Cave Management Assoc., and Texas Speleological Assoc., among others, to bring "cave-focused fun" to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on Sat., Feb. 10. Learn stuff, but also test your caving skills through virtual, simulated, and real caves!
AHS Car Raffle is a major annual fundraiser for the Austin Humane Society: Buy a chance to win a new Mazda Miata, and as a Valentine's special, the buyer of the 500th ticket gets a free trip to the Texas wine country for a private winery tour for up to 12 people. See www.austinhumanesociety.org for info.
TEMPO 2018 will commission 10 public artworks, offering local artists or artist teams a budget of up to $10,000 for each piece. See full info at www.austintexas.gov/department/art-in-public-places; artist info meetings are Thu., Feb. 15, 6-7pm, Georgetown Art Center, 816 S. Main in Georgetown, and Wed., Feb. 21, 5:30-6:30pm, Big Medium Gallery at Canopy, 916 Springdale in Austin.
Sarah Marloff covers Tuesday's Zoning & Platting Commission meeting in this issue ("CodeMESS," Feb. 9). I would just add that the meeting concluded with Vice Chair Jim Duncan noting that the Feb. 12 CodeNEXT release date is also Abraham Lincoln's 209th birthday, and reading what he called "Ode to the Code ... with apologies to Abe":
"One score and 14 years ago our city fathers brought forth upon this community a new zoning code, conceived in consensus, and dedicated to the proposition that all end uses are not equal. Now we are engaged in a long-overdue revision of that code, testing whether that city can effectively determine its future by regulating its land use. It is altogether fitting and proper that we do this. This community will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what we do here. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that this code, aka CodeNEXT 3.0, shall have a proper review, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall prevail in its adoption."
At 136 words, it's exactly half the length of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address – a tribute to Vice Chair Duncan's continued emphasis on concision and precision.
It's furthermore worth noting that Feb. 12 is also Charles Darwin's 209th birthday; seems like a perfect setup for Evolve Austin.
Favorite press release of the week: "The Biggest cover up ever!" reveals that in or around 1986, "Christ made himself known to the BBC in London" and "spoke to the BBC top brass." And yet: "No announcement or press conference was arranged by the BBC," and the entire matter was dropped. And indeed, the cover-up continues: neither Christ nor the BBC were available for comment on this story.
Warrant Amnesty Program starts Fri., Feb. 9 at Austin Municipal Court and Downtown Community Court: Anyone with an active warrant can have fees waived if they come in voluntarily by March 4. Walk-in dockets have judges available to address cases; no appointment needed: Municipal Court, 700 E. Seventh, Mon.-Fri., 8:30-11am and 1:30-3:45pm. Community Court, 719 E. Sixth, 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri. Payment plans, community service, or waivers may be options. Or pay by mail or online: www.austintexas.gov/department/municipal-court. Anyone not needing to speak to a judge can visit a substation weekdays, 8am-4:30pm, North at 12425 Lamplight Village or South at 5700 Manchaca (at Stassney).
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