Welcome to the Milwood Neighborhood Association - Austin, Texas 78727
Cap Metro Changes Proposed
Following is a list of proposed Cap Metro changes in bus and Metro Rail service. Note several proposed changes that will increase and improve serves to and from our Milwood Neighborhood and surrounding connector areas, including adding weekend service on the Parkfield 240 route. At the bottom, there is a list of meeting dates and places for public input.
January 2011 Proposed Service Changes
Capital Metro is seeking public feedback on several proposed changes to its transit system. These changes are in accordance with Capital Metro’s Service Standards and are based on recommendations from ServicePlan2020, a 10-year plan to improve bus service. The proposed changes will improve route directness and connectivity while increasing efficiency of the system.
We are aware that there is concern about the changes to Routes 984 and 986 and have organized a community conversation about this proposal in Leander for Thursday, August 26, at 6:30 PM in the Leander Public Library at 1011 South Bagdad Road . This will be an opportunity for MetroExpress Riders and CapMetro Planners to discuss the proposal and get their questions answered.
Click the link to download the Proposed January Service Change Brochure.
Route Modifications/Improvements
· 1M North Lamar/S Congress (via metric)
Realign route from Rutland to Rundberg to improve route directness and reduce transfers. This change would reduce transfers between Route 325 Ohlen and Routes 1L/1M.
· 142 Metric Flyer
Realign route from Lamplight to Amherst and adjust schedule to reflect ridership patterns.
· 214 Lago Vista Feeder & NW Dial-a-Ride
Consolidate both routes and begin flexible service. Route 214 Lago Vista Flex would improve efficiency and offer new and improved service to Cedar Park and Lago Vista.
· 240 Parkfield
Realign route from Parkfield and Braker to Rutland and Burnet. Improve frequency and add weekend service.
· 243 Wells Branch
Shorten Route 243 at Howard Station and increase frequency to maximize efficiency and ridership potential in high density areas.
· 333 William Cannon
Realign service along Bluff Springs and William Cannon and extend route further east to Thaxton Rd.
· 987 Leander/NW Express
Add three morning trips and three afternoon trips to provide additional commute options for 984 and 986 riders. Schedule would also be adjusted.
· 990 Manor Express
Realign route from I-35 to Lamar and Guadalupe to provide improved access to major employers; and remove service from Harris Branch due to low ridership. Add one morning and afternoon trip and adjust schedule.
· Capital Metro is planning a new Manor Park & Ride to meet demand and offer more capacity. CARTS will continue to operate this route and begin the service in Elgin before connecting to the Manor P&R.
· Capital MetroRail
Schedule adjustments and possible trips added to MetroRail service. Adjustments would also be made on rail connector routes (460-466) to coincide with the new proposed rail schedule.
Route Eliminations
· 174 Burnet Limited
Remove route due to low ridership and service duplication. Alternative service would be provided by Routes 1M, 3, and 240.
· 984 Northwest Direct/ 986 Leander Direct
Eliminate routes due to duplicative service in Northwest US 183 corridor. Alternative service would be provided by Route 987 and MetroRail.
Community Outreach
With any service change, Capital Metro seeks feedback on the proposed changes before submitting a final proposal to the Capital Metro Board of Directors for approval. Customers and the community are welcome to attend the following meetings:
Neighborhood Meetings
Leander Public Library, 1011 South Bagdad Rd.
Thursday, Aug. 26, 6:30-8pm
Public Meetings
Capital Metro Transit Store, 323 Congress
Tuesday, Sept. 7, 12:00-1:30pm
Served by downtown routes
Tech Ridge Park & Ride, 900 Center Ridge Rd.
Tuesday, Sept. 7, 4:30-6:00pm
Served by Routes 1L, 1M, 243, 392, 935
Capital Metro Transit Store, 323 Congress
Wednesday, Sept. 8, 12:00-1:30pm
Served by Downtown routes
Austin Community College Northridge, 11928 Stonehollow Dr .
Wednesday, Sept. 8, 5:30-7:00pm
Served by Routes 1M, 142, 174
Leander Station, 800 N. Hwy 183
Monday, Sept. 13, 5:00-6:30pm
Served by Routes 983, 986, 987
Lakeline Station , 13701 Lyndhurst St.
Tuesday, Sept. 14, 4:30-6:00pm
Served by Routes 214, 383, 983, 984, 987
Public Hearing
Capital Metro Headquarters, 2910 E. 5th St .
Monday, Sept. 20, 11:00-12:00pm
Served by routes 17, 300
Based on feedback from customers, employees and the community, Capital Metro will refine the proposed changes and seek final approval from the Capital Metro Board on Friday, Sept. 24. If approved these changes would take effect Jan. 16, 2011.
The Domain celebrates the holidays
If you were like me this past weekend you may have wondered what all the noise was Saturday night around 8pm. If you walked outside to find out what was going on and were in the right spot you may have seen the fireworks overhead. Seems like our new neighbors down at The Domain are kicking off the holiday season with a bang this year.
From their website,
Throughout the holidays, enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides under the lights, story-time with Santa on the weekends, special holiday performances and a spectacular fireworks display every Saturday night.
Letter to Council on North Burnet Gateway
I sent this today, based on a request from the Planning Commission:
Members –
The Planning Commission had asked that I submit comments on your consideration of the North Burnet Gateway (NBG) plan. I apologize that I have other commitments today that will not allow me to attend your meeting, I hope written comments will suffice.
I am the president of the Milwood Neighborhood Association, and a recent addition to the Urban Transportation Commission. I have been involved with planning for the NBG plan for a long time, and Molly Scarborough is a great ambassador of the city and I commend her leadership on this project. I want to acknowledge the many positive aspects of this plan, and the need to plan to accommodate our future growth, and the logical role that NBG can and should play in our city.
The prime reason for my involvement in the project is interest in the impact of increasing density to accommodate upwards to 80,000 people into a slice of land that has three freeway exits, two of which are characterized by very dangerous and traffic sensitive weaving patterns. Closest to the heart of my neighborhood, the current entrance to the Domain off of the Duval exit approaches comically unsafe in the weaving patterns it requires. If this is to be a major residential property, someone will eventually die in this weave. The Domain could consider alternate entrance locations in their expansion, and you could help facilitate that conversation. This topic is a particular interest of the Milwood Neighborhood if you have interest in learning more.
Functional commuter rail, including commitment to new feeder bus routes into the nearby neighborhoods, will be a strong determiner on the capacity of these roadways to absorb some but certainly not all of this traffic. I am unaware of actual current plans to extend bus circulators into neighborhoods like Milwood, although there may be the intent. Commuter rail cannot accommodate all of the cars in the new planning zone, but the lack of success will certainly ensure a traffic disaster.
Another critical aspect of this plan we would ask you to please focus on and be our advocates for is the contemplated buildout of a flyover connecting 183 and 360 you will find in the plan. Today, 183 from Burnet continuing north is all but impassible at the end of the workday. Residents of the neighborhoods north and west of the 183/Mopac interchange would simply ask that you help us get home after work. Not addressing this issue – while adding zoning that is effect establishes of a second downtown – makes us envision a future of snarl on 183 that makes us long for the pain of today. Please consider early commitment to finding a way to make that a reality.
Finally we would ask for you to consider how the TIA process for future TODs considers not only the designated planning area, but the neighborhoods that surround the planning area. While Molly Scarborough accommodated our interest, the city must realize you cannot create a gravity well with 80,000 people in a piece of land and not have impacts on the surrounding pieces of land. The TIA process should also be opened in some way to allow neighborhoods to express concerns or observations based on their experience. Today in my experience the TIA does not involve community input, and once it is delivered is used as a reason for why there is no longer reason for community input. I’m not proposing that the TIA cease to be an engineering document, but given the political reality that it is often used as the reason why there is no longer the need for discussion, it cannot only be an engineering document.
The other aspect the Planning commission asked me to forward to you was the importance of this area to bike commuters. The primary bike route north is Shoal Creek. At the point one gets to Steck and Shoal Creek, a variety of unsafe and probably illegal actions have to be taken to get north of 183 and MoPac. If this plan had a way to emphasize making Burnet or a similar path bike friendly early, and accommodate a logical connection of a route from Shoal Creek to that solution, you could truly establish a corridor that encourages multimodal transportation.
Thank you for your service and your commitment to our city. If you have questions for me I’d be happy to work with you in the future.
Best Regards,
Dustin Lanier
President, Milwood Neighborhood Association
Member, Urban Transportation Commission
General Meeting, General Thoughts
Despite warnings of torrential rain, 40+ people came out to the General Milwood Meeting on the 24th. Many thanks to Molly Scarbrough, the city planner for the North Burnet Gateway Plan and Ben Bufkin from the Domain for giving updates and answering questions. They did an excellent job answering questions, and we should all appreciate and respect their passion for what they do.
The goal of the meeting was to start to raise awareness of neighbors about potential services, parks, and transit opportunities that may be coming, as well as increased density that these dissimilar but overlapping efforts will bring.
The material presented was a good overview of the two efforts. From the City we learned about proposed density zoning overlays, likely sites for commuter rail transit stations in the development area, and recommendations for some highway improvements providing some traffic relief at the 183/360 interchange, and the likely inclusion of bike connectivity through the zone. From the Domain we learned about density in the next phase, their emphasis on mixed use, and the likely inclusion of parks and connecting trails in future buildouts.
An equally important goal was to begin to help them understand the neighborhoods in the North Travis Triangle have concerns about the traffic impact on Duval that predate them – and the calls for more comprehensive traffic planning only get louder with the potential for a second downtown at the mouth of Duval.
An easy regional map
Google has a new mapping tool that lets you quickly add overlays to Google maps. With about 10 minutes of work, it was possible to lay out nearby neighborhood associations and the North Burnet Gateway and Domain areas and add hyperlinks. Its worth a look if you are interested in what’s around us.
(note 1: We’re still validating the borders of the other neighborhood associations, so it may not yet be fully accurate.)
(note 2: I’m using a phrase North Travis Triangle to denote the triangle formed by Mopac/183/Parmer because I don’t know of another name that exists for this area and I think it needs a shorthand name. If you know of a historical name that is better/more accurate please let us know.)
The Duval Dynamic
People have asked me what do the Domain and North Burnet Gateway have in common that affects the neighborhood. At the end of the day, it all really boils down to the impact on Duval, and reasonable access to our homes. I don’t consider our neighborhood to be particularly interested in being heavy activists, but I have never had more people mention an issue to me as often as during the Domain launch when the big TxDOT marker was blinking “Domain, exit Duval.”
I expressed concern a year ago about the northmost entrance/exit to the Domain being too close to both the on and off ramp of the freeway, and the weaving it was (and is) going to cause. But it is very difficult to make traction on expressing concern when you have at least 3 players in the game – the city, TxDOT, and the developer (which itself is split between two companies and multiple teams within those companies).
The North Burnet Gateway plan both accentuates the traffic concern, and gives a clearer venue to express that concern, so potentially now we can have a bigger voice in shaping how traffic related to this “second downtown” flows. Also we can get involved in issues such as looking at commuter bus lines closer to the neighborhood and bike access to downtown from North Austin.
In my opinion, Parmer is basically unpassable at the end of the workday, and if Duval is not well planned, and is set up to be one of the main mouths to the “second downtown,” it will reduce the value of our properties, and raise the daily agitation level of everyone trying to get home. Conversely, if it is planned for, and we can still get home without waiting and waiting and waiting at the last leg, we have a lot to look forward to in what Domain and North Burnet Gateway will bring.
Your chance to be involved is our general meeting on the 24th at 7:00 at the Milwood Library. Andy Pastor from the Domain will attend, and Molly Scarborough from the city is going to try to attend. I’ve also mentioned the meeting to Brewster McCracken and Mark Strama. Please come out and give us a good showing and get involved in an issue that affects you.
The Domain Project
The Domain is being billed as a “second downtown.” Development of the project will be of substantial interest to our neighborhood both for the new services it will make available and the traffic it is likely to generate. This page will serve as a clearinghouse of information on the project.
Nordstroms as a new anchor tenant in Domain
3/08 Statesman article on the Domain
Community Impact article on the Domain
Nordstrom to be future anchor tenant at Domain
According to the Austin American Statesman, Nordstrom is planning to announce a letter of intent to open a store in the new Domain development by 2011. This would be Austin’s second Nordstrom store.