Capital Metro approves Project Connect power-sharing agreement

The Capital Metro board of directors unanimously approved the Project Connect joint-powers agreement during a special meeting Nov. 10. The document lays out the responsibilities of the three government entities, Capital Metro, the Austin Transit Partnership and the city of Austin, overseeing the voter approved $7.1 billion public transit expansion.

Capital Metro board chair Wade Cooper said during the meeting that the passage of the agreement shows how the three entities have effectively worked together.

“The success of this project will be dependent upon us continuing that great spirit of collaboration, and I'll say this is a very good document; it is not a perfect document. It does not contemplate every set of circumstances that may come up into the future. We'll have to continue to work together as we evolve into this project,” Cooper said.

During a joint meeting among the three parties Oct. 29, officials ran out of time to pass the joint-powers agreement.

Since then, the Austin City Council approved the document during a Nov. 4 session. In that session, council addressed some concerns raised by the community, which included allowing the ATP to select an executive director and the possibility of protecting the Waller Creek Boathouse.

The ATP has yet to vote on the document and has its next meeting scheduled for Nov. 17.