GREEN LINE LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS - CAPMETRO
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Green Line Long-Term Investments
Enhancements Investments
Short-term improvements to Long-term projects to
keep Austin moving. support our future.
Mobility Hubs MetroRapid MetroRail MetroExpress Commuters Connectors Circulators
Project Connect Commuters Key Terms
Project Connect is the Central Texas In Phase 1 of Project Connect, the project HCT
high-capacity transit plan that will team studied potential Investment High Capacity Transit
create real, tangible transit projects that Corridors – roads and rail lines – in the
offer an alternative to mind-numbing metro region. We grouped them into ROW
traffic congestion. It’s not about a single three categories – Commuter, Connector Right-of-Way
train or bus route, but a robust transit and Circulator – and advanced them for TOD
system that improves travel into, out further evaluation in Phase 2. Commuter Transit Oriented Development
of and around Central Austin from the Corridors extend beyond Central Austin
Park & Ride
surrounding region. and serve as alternatives to personal auto
Basic facilities typically designed for
It will provide options that build upon travel along highways/expressways that
transferring from cars to transit
one another and create a system to move regionally connect with Central Austin.
more people, more quickly. The end The Commuter Corridors that are being
result will connect residents, businesses, evaluated in Phase 2 include the existing
schools, services, and shopping through a MetroRail Red Line between Downtown
high-capacity transit network. Austin and Leander and the proposed
MetroRail Green Line between Downtown
Austin and Manor/Elgin.
• Red Line
• Green Line
Green Line Long-Term Investments Project Overview Flip Book - DRAFT
Commuters
Corridor Summary
Elgin
183A Round Rock Elgin
The proposed Green Line Investment would provide a new commuter 45
rail service to connect Downtown
LeanderAustin, East Austin, Manor, Elgin, and
Pflugerville
Travis and Bastrop counties. The Green line is proposed along Capital
Metro’s existing freight line between Austin and Elgin. The proposed
corridor could catalyze and guide future regional growth to East Austin,
Cedar Park 130
eastern Travis County and beyond. As an “equity corridor,” it could
offer unique opportunities for more affordable housing options for Manor
the minority and low-income households along the corridor that could Manor
benefit from new high-capacity transit access to jobs and services Wildhorse
within Central Austin and beyond. The Green Line would link up to the 35
Red Line, other potential high-capacity corridors and 620 Capital Metro’s
high-frequency bus network.
Loyola
Corridor Quick Look 183
Downtown Austin to Manor;
Corridor Start and Endpoints:
extension between Manor and360Elgin 1
US 183
Corridor Length: 27 Miles
Downtown Pleasant Valley
Existing Transit Services: MetroExpress
Lakeway 990 Westlake
Plaza Saltillo
Current Bus Ridership: ~ 100 daily weekday boardings
Jobs (1/2 Mile from Stations): 47,637 Jobs Legend
Commuter Corridors
Residents (1/2 Mile from Station): 19,877 Residents
Bee Cave Green Line
Zero-Car Households: 662 Households 290 Green Line Station
Households Below Poverty: 6,305 Households
71 Green Line Extension
Major Roads
2016 Mobility Bond Eligibility? No 183
Capital Metro Service Area
Adjacent Red Line Trail (Highland to
Bike Lanes
Crestview)
N
ROW Constraints No
1
Green Line Long-Term Investments
Project Overview Flip Book - DRAFT
Commuters
Corridor Character
Saltillo
Between Plaza Saltillo station
and I-35, 6 blocks along 5th
Street are being converted into a
new live-work-play development
with 800 units and office space
for approximately 700
employees.
Source: Endeavour 2018
East Austin Development
New and existing single-family
homes dominate the land use
patterns in East Austin.
Source: Google Street View 2018
N
2
Green Line Long-Term Investments Project Overview Flip Book - DRAFT
Commuters
Light Maintenance
Facility
To maintain and service the Green
Line, a new maintenance facility
Wildhorse Ranch
Wildhorse Ranch is a 1,450 acre
similar to the Red Line’s North
master planned community
Operations or Denton County
located in northeast Austin
Transportation Authority’s facility
along the Green Line. The
would need to be built. There are
community will include office,
many potential sites for this,
medical, retail and homes along
including one near Loyola Lane.
Source: Herzog 2018 with a potential train station.
Source: RVI Planning 2017
Colony Park
Colony Park is a new transit-oriented
development site in Far East Austin
owned by the City that has been
master planned to include affordable
housing, offices, retail, parks, and
civic centers.
Source: City of Austin 2014
3
Green Line Long-Term Investments
Project Overview Flip Book - DRAFT
Commuters
Corridor Character
Manor
Capital Metro currently operates a
Park & Ride in the heart of Manor with
70 spaces. The site is located next to
the railroad tracks and in the heart of
downtown Manor. Single-family and
multi-family households dominate the
Source: Google Street View 2018 land use of the area.
N
4
Green Line Long-Term Investments Project Overview Flip Book - DRAFT
Commuters
Elgin
Elgin is located in north Bastrop
County and is the largest
city in the county. Elgin has a
historic downtown with shops
and restaurants adjacent to a
potential train station.
Source: City of Elgin
5
Green Line Long-Term Investments
Project Overview Flip Book - DRAFT
Commuters
Short-Term Green Line Investment
Elgin
Commuter Rail 183A Round Rock
45
Leander
The project team considered two investment alternatives for the Pflugerville
Green Line Corridor. The first alternative would be a Short-Term
Green Line Investment between Downtown Austin and Manor. The
second alternative would be the Long-TermCedar
Green
Park Line Extension 130
between Manor and Elgin.
Manor
The Short-Term Green Line Investment would provide an Manor
additional commuter rail line to the MetroRail system beyond
Wildhorse
the current Red Line. It also would connect the eastern portion of 35
Capital Metro’s Service Area with rail access to Downtown
620 Austin.
The Short-Term Green Line Investment would provide a car-free,
reliable transportation alternative for communities east of Central
Austin. This area contains higher proportions of minority and low- 183 Loyola
income residents that would benefit from new transit access that
links jobs, housing, and services.
360
1
US 183
Downtown Pleasant Valley
Westlake
Lakeway
Plaza Saltillo
Peak Frequency 30 Min
Legend
Off Peak Frequency 60 Min Commuter Corridors
Bee Cave Green Line
Peak Person Capacity ~ 200 passengers/train 290 Green Line Station
71 Major Roads
Capital Metro Service Area
183
N
6
Green Line Long-Term Investments
Project Overview Flip Book - DRAFT
Commuters
Long-Term Green Line Extension
Elgin
Commuter Rail 183A Round Rock Elgin
45
Leander
The Long-Term Green Line Extension would provide commuter Pflugerville
rail service to the City of Elgin. Elgin is currently outside the
Austin urbanized area and also outside Capital Metro’s Service
Area. Therefore, Capital Metro would need to negotiate
Cedar Park funding 130
agreements with the City of Elgin, Bastrop County or other
Manor
potential funding partners in order to provide rail service to Elgin.
Manor
For these reasons, the Green Line is proposed as an extension
from Manor to Elgin. Downtown Elgin businesses and residents
35
could benefit from a dependable, congestion-proof alternative
that connects to Austin and the region. 620
183
360
1
Westlake
Lakeway
Peak Frequency 30 Min
Legend
Off Peak Frequency 60 Min Commuter Corridors
Bee Cave
Green Line Extension
Peak Person Capacity ~ 200 passengers/train 290
Green Line Station
71
Major Roads
Capital Metro Service Area
183
N
7
Green Line Long-Term Investments
Project Overview Flip Book - DRAFT
Commuters
Performance Metrics
Capital Metro evaluated the performance metrics for the tracks for passenger rail is relatively high due to the length of the
considered alternatives to further inform the evaluation process. corridor and the number of bridges.
Estimated costs are based on recent and similar modal and
infrastructure investments in other U.S. cities. Anticipated The Green Line travels through what is known as the “Eastern
ridership was obtained using FTA’s Simplified Trips-on-Project Crescent”, an area of low-income housing in need of many
Software (STOPS) model. Travel time was estimated using community amenities. A train through this area would provide
assumptions for roadway speed limits vs. grade separated speed a reliable option to access downtown and other activity centers.
limits. Throughput capacities are based on assumed vehicle Unfortunately, much of the corridor is still undeveloped or
capacities and service frequencies. ROW and travel lane impacts underdeveloped and the potential ridership is modest.
are based on the street sections analysis and are rated as low,
moderate or high. While ridership to Manor is slightly below current Red Line ridership,
estimates for the extension to Elgin show a low ridership given the
The Green Line is one of the least invasive projects with limited current population projections and land use regulations in place
impacts to ROW and travel lanes due to it being on Capital Metro along the Elgin Extension of the corridor.
owned tracks. However, the cost to repurpose those existing
Short-Term Long-Term
Construction Cost (2018): $264M $98M
Annual Operations &
$19M $20M
Maintenance Cost:
Anticipated Ridership (2025): 1,800* 1,900*
Travel Time (Minutes): 36 min 52 min
Peak Period Person Throughput
1,200 1,200
Capacity:
ROW Impacts: LOW LOW
Travel Lane Impacts: LOW LOW
*Transit supportive zoning and growth needed for higher ridership.
8Green Line Long-Term Investments Project Overview Flip Book - DRAFT
Commuters
Station Evaluation Metrics
The draft station analysis utilizes information collected from the The Green Line corridor contains stations that generally score
FTA’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program, Capital Metro’s low overall or score higher in select criteria categories. All
TOD Priority Tool, U.S. Census Bureau, CAMPO, and other sources stations east of Plaza Saltillo lack walkable environments, density,
to evaluate potential station locations along Project Connect’s affordable housing, market strength, and connections to other
two Commuter Corridors. Seven metrics were chosen to rate modes of travel - all of which are highly conducive to successful
the station areas according to national best practices and local HCT performance. However, there are pockets of affordable
conditions. An Overall Score of High, Medium, or Low was housing along the line, development potential for the Wildhorse
assigned based on the evaluation of these seven metrics. Ranch and Colony Park PUDs; and transit connectivity at Pleasant
Valley provide opportunities for improvement with additional
investment.
Pleasant Valley
Plaza Saltillo
Colony Park
Downtown
Wildhorse
High Medium Low
Loyola
Manor
US 183
Elgin
Overall Score
Population Density
Employment Density
Major Destinations
Transit Accessibility
Affordability
Walkability
Market Strength
9Additional Information Want to learn more? Go to www.projectconnect.com to read more about the work we’re doing through Project Connect. Tell us what you think, take the Phase 2 Survey! https://www.capmetroengage.org/en/provide-input Additional Project Connect briefing books: High Capacity Transit 101 briefing book Investments program briefing book and project flip books Enhancement program briefing book and project flip books Project Connect Funding and Financing briefing book
Led by Capital Metro
with support from the City of Austin.
Prepared by AECOM, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting
Associates, and Alliance Transportation Group with
support from Bronner Group and Robin O’Connell DesignYou can also read
