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Stories by Samuel Stark
Cap Metro deploys 'tricked-out' electric vehicle to help drum up community enthusiasm
MEEP isn’t just the sound made by a popular Muppet; it’s also Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new portable community engagement vehicle created to involve Austinites in programs like Project Connect, the expansion of Austin’s municipal transit system. The Austin Transit…
Transportation • By Samuel Stark • Jun 24, 2022
Cap Metro courtesy-stop pilot program likely to be codified
After a successful trial run, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority hopes to extend the expanded version of its courtesy stop pilot program, which was started earlier this year. Capital Metro first implemented the initiative to help riders with mobility impairments deboard…
Transit • By Samuel Stark • Jun 17, 2022
Cap Metro makes progress with equitable transit-oriented development project
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority updated the Urban Transportation Commission last Wednesday on the progress it has made on the equitable transit-oriented development project. The eTOD project uses $1.65 million in federally awarded grant money to study ways to reduce gentrification and…
Planning • By Samuel Stark • Jun 16, 2022
Historic trestle bridge on Third Street could get a new life
Hidden among the glimmering towers in Austin’s downtown district is a quaint trestle bridge that serves as a window into a bygone era. The bridge, located on Third Street, rests 35 feet above Shoal Creek and was constructed nearly a…
Transportation • By Samuel Stark • Jun 13, 2022
Car blocking a bike lane? You might be able to report it and make some money soon.
In an effort to help city employees cite vehicles for illegally blocking bike lanes, the Urban Transportation Commission unanimously approved a “bike lane bounty” program at its meeting Tuesday night. The program, inspired by one in New York City, would…
Bicycles • By Samuel Stark • Jun 9, 2022
Plan to update urban trails, sidewalks and bike lanes prioritizes equity
At the City Council Mobility Committee meeting last month, representatives from the ATX Walk Bike Roll program spoke about their commitment to achieving equitable outcomes when updating Austin’s urban trails, bike lanes and sidewalks. ATX Walk Bike Roll, a joint…
Transportation • By Samuel Stark • Jun 3, 2022
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Why your bus may be delayed and what Cap Metro is doing about it
As Covid-19 cases wane and people return to the office, bus ridership is back up to 65 percent of its pre-lockdown levels, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority said. But many folks who rely on the bus say delays and cancellations make…
Transit • By Samuel Stark • May 27, 2022
Cap Metro board approves new interim CEO as Clarke says farewell
At its Monday meeting, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors unanimously approved Dottie Watkins, deputy CEO of Capital Metro, to step into the role of interim chief executive officer of the transit organization. Watkins will lead Capital Metro…
Transit • By Samuel Stark • May 25, 2022
Moving encampments off public streets has made it more difficult to provide medical support to Austin’s unhoused
The camping ban set back years of progress local emergency services made in serving people experiencing homelessness, making it harder and more expensive to respond to an increase in emergency calls, according to a top emergency services official. The ban…
EMS • By Samuel Stark • Dec 14, 2021
Equity study attempts to mitigate long-standing health disparities
A new report by a city-appointed firm found that local medical and emergency service providers could do more to help address sharp health disparities in East and West Austin. The equity study, which was completed this summer by Public Consulting Group,…
Public Health • By Samuel Stark • Nov 19, 2021
Commission’s move to support PAC deemed an ethical slippery slope
At its monthly meeting Oct. 12, the Community Development Commission unanimously passed a recommendation to endorse the No Way on Prop A political campaign and join the list of endorsing organizations on the campaign’s website. The author of the endorsement,…
City Hall • By Samuel Stark • Oct 28, 2021
Fire season may be winding down but officials urge Austinites to stay wary of wildfire
A winter freeze and a wet spring may not conjure concerns of wildfires, but fire officials say the combination of those events and forecasted weather patterns create an environment ripe for more significant blazes, including in residential areas not normally…
