Included in Austin City Council's unanimous approval June 26 of its 2014 Strategic Mobility Plan is the 9.5-mile urban rail project that would connect East Riverside Drive with Austin Community College's Highland campus.

The vote came three days after the Capital Metro board of directors also endorsed the urban rail proposal at its June 23 meeting. Both entities needed to approve it because the city would serve as the owner of the route, and Capital Metro would serve as the operator.

The next step before the urban rail proposal could come before voters is the Aug. 7 City Council meeting at which council members will decide on whether to place a $1 billion bond on the Nov. 4 ballot. Voters would need to give the city approval to sell bonds to fund the Strategic Mobility Plan.

The plan outlines $400 million in road projects and corridor studies throughout the city as well as $600 million for the urban rail proposal. Because this is less than half of the total $1.38 billion cost, the city could need to seek alternative funding to make up the $100 million difference.

The city plans to seek the remaining half of the cost for urban rail from the Federal Transit Agency. Receiving federal dollars, however, will be contingent upon the city producing the remainder of the funds. The route is part of the Project Connect regional transit plan.

Councilwoman Kathie Tovo said she would like to see more detail about urban rail's operations and maintenance, or O&M, costs, which are estimated to be $22 million per year.

"It's critical for the public [for council] to determine what the O&M costs will be and where funding will come from because it likely will come from city sources," she said.

Councilman Chris Riley said council needs to further discuss which road projects would be included in the bond. Mayor Lee Leffingwell said council was not setting those projects in stone June 26 because they could change before theelection.

City Attorney Karen Kennard said she is working on having the specific ballot language prepared for the Aug. 7 meeting.

The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce's board of directors also voted June 26 to endorse the $1 billion Strategic Mobility Plan.

"This plan will fund regionally significant road improvements and provide design and engineering funds to accelerate start dates for priority corridors," chamber Chairman Jack McDonald said in a statement.

The chamber board indicated the endorsement was contingent upon a 60/40 split for rail and road funding, respectively. During a June 10 City Council work session, city staff presented a $1 billion Strategic Mobility Plan with $700 million for urban rail.

The chamber indicated it would like to see the Strategic Mobility Plan further tweaked to reduce the overall cost of the urban rail route to $1.2 billion.