Downtown Austin Park and Ride (DAPR) - the Quick Connection
Downtown Austin Park and Ride (DAPR) - the Quick Connection
During summer 2007, RECA's Downtown Mobility Task Force began studying the issue of congestion in downtown Austin. The primary goal of the task force was to come up with an affordable solution that could be quickly implemented to head off gridlock downtown. Toward that end, RECA hired HNTB to conduct a study and assist with formulating a solution. The study revealed that Austin has a growing parking shortage and a number of severely congested intersections coming into downtown from all directions.
Several mobility plans ranging from commuter rail to circulators to street cars to improved bus routes are in the works. All may be important to downtown in the long-term, but are not likely to yield significant congestion relief for several years. Because RECA feels strongly that Austin needs a quicker connection solution, we are recommending the Downtown Austin Park and Ride (DAPR).
The DAPR is a proposed solution for traffic congestion and lack of parking spaces in downtown Austin. In summary, the problems addressed and possible solutions are as follows:
- Two major issues confront us today: a deficit of 2,500 parking spaces, growing to 7,500 over the next five years; and serious congestion, resulting at this moment in having as many as 10 ‘failing’ intersections in the downtown area.
- DAPR is a proposal to quickly alleviate parking issues, reduce traffic, and move people around downtown efficiently.
- The DAPR plan is simple: construct five parking garages around the perimeter of downtown capable of holding an average of 1,000 vehicles each, coupled with a rail-like, green technology, rubber-tire vehicle system capable of carrying passengers around the entire CBD in 15 minutes.
- DAPR stations would incorporate GPS technology to provide real-time transit information to riders who would wait about 5 minutes on average.
- DAPR is a quick connection. In less than two years, and for a total, affordable cost of about $100 million, we can have DAPR up and running. It can serve as an important connector for people and to other long-term transit plans.
COST ESTIMATES:
The estimated cost to construct the five garages, including land acquisition, is $87.2 million. The initial capital investment for the BAT system is $13.9 million,making the total capital cost for the DAPR system $101.1 million. The first phase of the system could be operational within 24 months. All five garages, depending on financing, could be open as early as 2011.
Annual operating costs for the five garages are estimated at $1.6 million per year. These conservative estimates assume no joint use of the garages, no ground floor retail or related facilities, and no donated or reduced land acquisition costs of the sites. The annual operating cost of the BAT system is $4.8 million, for a total annual operating cost of $6.4 million.
A preview of DAPR was initially presented at the RECA Membership Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel on January 10, 2008. RECA President Tom Terkel and Board Member Mike Weaver presented an overview of DAPR to CAMPO's Transit Working Group on Monday, January 14, 2008.
In the coming months, RECA's Downtown Mobility Task Force will be working with government entities and others to shape this proposal into an achievable plan. The task force is anxious to receive comments, suggestions, and ideas for improving the DAPR proposal. Please send your feedback to RECA Executive Director Janice Cartwright.
NEW Downtown Austin Park and Ride Micro Site
NEW Executive Summary and Report
NEW Photo of the BAT ("Boogie Around Town") - the rail-like, green technology, rubber-tire vehicle
The exhibits below are very large files, and take several minutes to download.
NEW Exhibit 1 - Downtown Austin Destinations and Conceptual Garage Sites
NEW Exhibit 2 - Central Business District Streets AM Peak Level of Service (2005)
NEW Exhibit 3 - Central Business District Streets PM Peak Level of Service (2005)
NEW Exhibit 4 - Major Roads Level of Service (2006/2007)
NEW Exhibit 5 - Downtown Austin Emerging Projects
NEW Exhibit 6 - City of Austin Zoning
NEW Exhibit 7 - Conceptual "BAT" Route
NEW Exhibit 8 - Capital Metro Downtown 'Dillo Routes
- Table 7 - Garage Constructed on Public Property (Sites 3, 5, and 17)
- Table 8 - Garage Constructed on Private Property (Site16A or 16B)
- Table 9 - Garage Constructed on Private Property (Site 18)
- Table 10 - For Five Garages (Sites 3, 5, 16A or 16B, 17, and 18)
NEW Downtown Austin Park and Ride - December 2007 (This is a pdf file, and takes several minutes to download. You may prefer to read the report and view each of the exhibits separately; links are provided above as an alternative to viewing the full report as a pdf.)
NEW CAMPO Transit Working Group Presentation - January 14, 2008
