On Aug. 8, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization transportation policy board, which comprises local elected officials, approved a resolution initiating steps to conclude the environmental impact statement, or EIS; cease funding; and remove the $2.09 billion rail plan from CAMPO’s 2040 long-range transportation plan. The final decision to end LSRD will be taken during CAMPO’s Oct. 10 meeting.
Removing LSRD from the plan requires an amendment to the 2040 plan. As part of the amendment process, CAMPO will host several public open houses, and the comment period will be through Sept. 26. A public hearing on 2040 plan amendments is set for Sept. 12.
Halting LSRD comes after Union Pacific Corp. terminated an agreement with LSRD in February that would have allowed the rail project to use the freight company’s existing lines and relocate regional UP freight to a new line to be built east of I-35.CAMPO officials met with LSRD in the spring to see if there were any other viable routes, but board members expressed concern about a lack of progress in the project despite the spending of $30 million in state and federal funds.
Upcoming open house events
The public is encouraged to participate in several upcoming open houses and comment on changes to the 2040 long-range plan. All open houses are hosted in a come-and-go format, and there will be no formal presentation. Events will be from 4-7 p.m.
• Aug. 31: Pflugerville Public Library, 1008 W. Pfluger St., Pflugerville
• Sept.7: Cepeda Library, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Road, Austin
• Sept.8: Buda Public Library, 303 Main St., Buda
• Sept.13: Lake Travis Community Library, 1938 Lohmans Crossing, Austin
• Sept.14: Taylor Public Library, 801 Vance St., Taylor
• Sept.20: Cedar Park Library, 550 Discovery Blvd., Cedar Park
