compiled by Audrey Duff
![](/issues/vol17/issue13/pols.lightrail.small.gif) Proposed Passenger Rail Network in Austin Metropolitan Area circa 2020s Photo courtesy of Capital Metro and ATS
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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.