The city of Austin is nine months into its eight-year 2016 Mobility Bond Program, and so far, it is on time and in budget.
Here are three things to know about what is happening.
1. A new interactive website launched Tuesday
The site, available at
http://capitalprojects.austintexas.gov/projectss, allows users to search for projects included in the $720 million transportation bond approved by voters in November. Projects are broken into three main categories for regional, corridor or local mobility, but users can also look up projects based on City Council district, status and project type, such as urban trails, sidewalks and Safe Routes to School.
“One of the things this allows us to do is put out a lot more information than we’ve been able to in the past,” said Mike Trimble, capital planning officer and director of the corridor program office.
Users can get an overall view of the bond’s progress and see if projects are on time.
To see the latest status of projects or find out what will be constructed next, users can search based on whether a project is still in design or scheduled for construction.
“Folks will be able to see in real time where these projects actually are,” Trimble said.
On Aug. 8, the city launched an interactive website for residents to get updates on projects in the $720 million mobility bond.[/caption]
2. Get monthly updates on the program to your inbox
Each month, the corridor program office sends out newsletters with general updates and upcoming projects. Sign up
here.
Updates include recently completed projects, such as some of the Safe Routes to School and sidewalk projects.
Money dedicated to Safe Routes to School in the mobility bond include adding sidewalks on Colony Creek Drive near Padron Elementary School.[/caption]
3. More high-priority projects near schools are coming soon
Safe Routes to School projects include sidewalks, intersection improvements and other measures designed to help children walk and bike to school safely, Trimble said.
“We’ve got a couple of the contracts in place now to move forward with some of the high-priority safety improvements,” he said. “The program has been working with several schools around the city to see those are critical, high-priority safety improvements.
“We now have the largest Safe Routes to School program in the nation from a funding standpoint. That requires us to do some good upfront planning and project development to get those projects in place.”
Sidewalks are being installed near Blazier, Gullett, Harris, Langford, Padron and Wooten elementary schools this summer.
Money dedicated to Safe Routes to School in the mobility bond include adding sidewalks on Colony Creek Drive near Padron Elementary School.[/caption]
3. More high-priority projects near schools are coming soon
Safe Routes to School projects include sidewalks, intersection improvements and other measures designed to help children walk and bike to school safely, Trimble said.
“We’ve got a couple of the contracts in place now to move forward with some of the high-priority safety improvements,” he said. “The program has been working with several schools around the city to see those are critical, high-priority safety improvements.
“We now have the largest Safe Routes to School program in the nation from a funding standpoint. That requires us to do some good upfront planning and project development to get those projects in place.”
Sidewalks are being installed near Blazier, Gullett, Harris, Langford, Padron and Wooten elementary schools this summer.
