Building a Neighborhood

compiled by Audrey Duff

Proposed Passenger Rail Network in Austin Metropolitan Area circa 2020s Photo courtesy of Capital Metro and ATS

Here's a hot New Urbanist theory for those promoting light rail. Through transit-oriented development around its stations, light rail could regenerate or even create the life of a neighborhood, community, city, or region. There are approximately 46 proposed station locations for passenger rail in the Austin metropolitan area, including light rail, and commuter or inter-city rail. The following images and copy, taken from a recently released Austin Transportation Study portfolio of several different architects' plans of six of the proposed stations, highlight the kind of transit-oriented development that could benefit the stations' surrounding neighborhoods.

• South Congress Avenue at Monroe Station

• Seaholm Depot at Town Lake

• East 5th Street at Chicon Station and the Plaza Saltillo Project

• University Station and the Drag project

• Airport Boulevard Station and Mueller Airport Redevelopment Project

• Brushy Creek Road Station in Cedar Park

• Sidebar: Star Crossed Planners