Public Notice: Connecting with Project Connect

Capital Metro this week announced the next major round of public input sessions on the Orange and Blue line projects, the two light rail lines that will form the backbone of the planned Project Connect transit system. The live virtual meetings will be held July 27 through Aug. 5 in two-hour sessions, with breakout sessions to discuss the projects at a neighborhood level. In the middle of that run is an in-person open house at Austin Central Library, Sat., July 31, 10am-2pm, that will cover both the Orange and Blue lines (come and go at your convenience). Plus, a virtual open house will be available on demand from July 27 to Aug. 27. Here's the schedule of live virtual meetings:

Blue Line: Tue., July 27, 5:30-7:30pm; Mon., Aug. 2, 11:30am-1:30pm

Orange Line, north from Downtown: Wed., July 28, 11:30am-1:30pm; Tue., Aug. 3, 5:30-7:30pm

Orange Line, south from Downtown: Thu., July 29, 5:30-7:30pm; Thu., Aug. 5, 11:30am-1:30pm

See capmetro.org/get-involved to register, or projectconnect.com for more info.

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Meanwhile, the Project Connect team has been putting together working groups to help study specific areas along the routes. Eleven such groups have been established – seven covering sections of the north-south Orange Line, three covering the Blue Line from Downtown to the airport, and one focused on Downtown itself, including the critical subway stations connecting the two lines – and they're still inviting volunteers to participate in the process, with the idea being that local residents and business owners get to talk with the design team about the section of the line that passes through their neighborhood. Want to get involved? See capmetro.org/project-connect/groups to find out more and to sign up for a group. Here are the working groups/areas:

Orange Line working groups:

North Line (Tech Ridge to Rundberg; future extension)

North Lamar (North Lamar Transit Center to Koenig)

North Guadalupe (Triangle to Hemphill Park)

Drag (29th to MLK)

SoCo (Auditorium Shores to Oltorf)

St. Edward's to Stassney

South Line (Wm. Cannon to Slaughter; future ext.)

Blue Line working groups:

South Shore (Waterfront to Lakeshore)

East Riverside (Riverside to Montopolis)

Metro Center to Austin-Bergstrom

Downtown working group: Orange Line (MLK to Lady Bird Lake) and Blue Line (Republic Square to Rainey)

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In unrelated news,

Capital Metro will suspend MetroRail Red Line service for nine days starting this Sat., July 10, through the following Sun., July 18, to do required maintenance work on the track – excepting, of course, the special soccer trains to and from Q2 Stadium for the Austin FC match on Tue., July 13. I kid you not; see capmetro.org/austinfc for more info. Normal service returns Mon., July 19.

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Here Comes the Budget! City Manager Spencer Cronk will present staff's fiscal year 2021-22 proposed city budget to City Council at 2pm this Fri., July 9, at Mobile Loaves & Fishes' Community First! Village Unity Hall, 9301 Hog Eye. Watch it on ATXN or at austintexas.gov/atxn. Thus begins city budget season, with community input meetings, Council work sessions on July 27 and Aug. 3, and final budget adoption scheduled for Aug. 11. See austintexas.gov/budget for more info.