What you need to know
The agency will hold an informational community open house at the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex on Oct. 10 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will be family-friendly, offering complimentary pizza, bowling and roller skating.
Those interested may RSVP here.
For those unable to attend in person, a virtual webinar will be held on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. Those wanting to participate can register here.
Austin area residents may also take an online survey—open now until Oct. 18—to provide feedback on CapMetro’s metro-wide transit system.
The survey will prompt responders through a series of questions related to barriers in using services, desired destinations and a general review of current services.
Many of the preliminary comments viewable within the online survey indicate a need for a bus or train route to the airport.
CapMetro will review public input through the end of the year. A proposed draft, including commuter feedback, will be presented to the public in early 2025, with a final adoption of the transit plan expected by Fall 2025.
Some context
CapMetro updates its transit plan about every five years to ensure it meets the needs of riders and the growing community in Central Texas, according to the agency.
This plan can impact when and where transit services are available.
Frequency and reliability are essential to the community for daily transit use, according to CapMetro. The creation of Transit Plan 2035 provides an opportunity for the transportation provider to evaluate the entire system and recommend network improvements.
The planning document evaluates not only Austin, but the entire Central Texas region, including current service areas, regional partner cities and other communities surrounding the service area.
Also of note
Once the Transit Plan 2035 analysis is complete, residents can expect an update on the Gold Line. MetroRapid current operations along the Gold Line extend from Highland Station in north Austin to Republic Square in downtown.
The Gold Line could potentially be converted to light rail in the future and then extend from Republic Square to South Congress Transit Center as part of the Orange Line, according to CapMetro documents.
