Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 (Agenda)
Item 21
>> mr. Manila, are you nearby?
steven manila?
21 is consider and take appropriate action regarding an interlocal agreement with the city of Austin for the Austin to manor rail with trail project in precinct 1.
>> good morning, judge and Commissioners.
>> good morning.
>> steve manila from t.n.r.
we were planning on having a member from the city of Austin come in and make a brief presentation to you.
okay.
he's here.
steven parks.
and -- you need some help with this?
>> you didn't believe anybody was going to show up?
>> judge Biscoe, members of the Commissioners court, I'm steve parks, project manager with city of Austin.
and I'm the project manager on this manor -- Austin to manor trail project.
and as you know, the city of Austin has a pretty aggressive program in place to build roads or bicycle roads and trails, and this is a particular project that we're proud, it's a multi use trail that will -- that will run from approximately the intersection of -- oops.
I have a couple of boards here.
I kind of wanted to show you where it was going.
I'm not sure what's in your agenda package.
there may be a exhibit in there.
>> you did bring --
>> I do have smaller versions.
would you like me to hand those out?
okay.
>> judge, we went on a tour of that trail the other day with the city of Austin and it's pretty extensive and very intriguing.
a lote
>> I think folks really need to be exposed to the gravity and the very intense schematic, all of the other attributes that go along with the trail.
if you just go and hit on those points, and things like that.
>> I will be happy to.
>> the trail is -- is planned to be a multi-use trail.
a paved trail, either we're looking at either concrete surface or asphalt surface.
it will be -- it will be a.d.a.
compliant.
it will provide transportation corridor really for bicyclists who want to -- to be able to commute from the manor area to -- to the Austin area.
it will also provide a lot of recreation and a safe passage basically for folks that are going to and from home.
there's a couple of schools out there that it will definitely be beneficial for, for the students there to be able to use that to -- to move around the neighborhood a little bit easier.
the project should be completed by this time next year.
the design should be completed.
the construction was -- would start shortly after that.
should be completed by the beginning of 2013.
that would be just for the phase 1 portion, which would -- which you see there's a -- there's a label, there's an in phase 1, that's all that we have funding for, we are hoping to get additional funding that would allow us to go to the city of manor.
>> phase 1 will cost how much?
>> phase 1 is going to be a little over $2 million.
>> that's the amount that you have already?
>> yes.
>> so phase 2 will cost an additional?
>> about 2.5 million.
or about actually a little bit more than that, about 3.5 million.
>> where do you hope to get that money from.
>> well, we'll be either seeking some, you know, some federal funds or some -- or -- or bond funds of -- of or -- one of those two sources most likely.
this -- the money that we have at this point in time is -- is a -- is a federal grant, 80% federal grant, 20% city bond money.
>> what you are asking Travis County for is authorization to use right-of-way?
>> that's correct.
>> no cash.
>> right, they will also maintain and operate it as well.
>> we believe that there's enough right-of-way there to build this trail and allow vehicular traffic?
>> we do.
>> we toured that, judge, it looks straightforward, of course, we're not
>> [indiscernible] accept the right-of-way as far as what the county own and it appears that it's a positive thing and the city appears to have put the money where their mouth is and it's -- in this particular case.
I'm just glad that steve could come down and kind of lay it out.
of course put the type of map together that -- that we have displayed to us this morning.
where we can actually see exactly what this is.
and of course there will be a lot of need for that ending up at ben fisher park over in manor and even have a little pull off points I guess for people, a person that want to take advantage of that could really pull in on any particular segment of this trail and actually start their activity whether they're walking or riding a bike or jogging or whatever.
and it just appear to be a very -- very friendly type of -- of quality of life thing that -- that is very necessary and in that part of the community.
so I have no qualms about it, of course.
I want to make sure that the county attorneys and all of those folks have looked over everything to make sure that the interlocal agreement between the city and the county is something that they have gone through with a fine toothed comb and they have.
so I have no problem with this.
I would like to move approval of it.
>> second.
>> as soon as -- so we can go ahead and move forward.
I would like to thank the city for involving themselves, but keep us abreast and apprised of what's happening with this project as we proceed.
of course I made a motion to move approval and I guess a got a second.
>> seconded by Commissioner Gomez.
>> mr. Priest?
>> I wanted to make one public question.
is it a possibility that a citizen can see backup on this item at this Commissioners court today?
here?
>> it's all online if you can get access to that.
>> can I get a hard copy.
>> com for doesn't do that anymore.
thank you.
>> make sure that mr. Priest gets this map, also, that's attached to that to show the layout of this particular project as well.
>> the part of
>> [indiscernible] lane that's east of johnny morris road, that curve before you get to the -- that residential subdivision, is a real dangerous curve.
>> it is, that's right.
>> but we think we will be able to go in there and make it safe.
>> yes.
>> as well as those on the trails?
>> the right-of-way in there is a little bit wider, so we can move the trail away from the road and keep it safe there.
>> okay.
any more discussion on the motion?
>> yes, I have two questions.
>> Commissioner Eckhardt.
>> in what way does this trail detract from or enhance the possibility of the elgin line being made a commuter line?
>> we've been working with the capital metro to make sure that the placement of this trail will be the -- at a spot that will allow them to add the number of rails that they think they need to make this a -- a commuter rail in the future.
I think they're looking at adding, you know, either one or two different -- one or two additional rails to what's there.
we are working with them to make sure that it does -- that it does work that way.
>> it does seem that the inclusion of a bicycle route would actually enhance the usefulness of the commuter rail.
you have got to get to the rail station somehow.
>> it does, I agree.
but -- but, you know, you have to have a certain amount of right-of-way there and so we're just making sure that we utilize that right-of-way correctly to make everything safe.
>> one other item, the toll road covenants with regard to the manor roadway do require, require, that the ctrma utilize any revenue above and beyond their debt service and other various buckets of financing to do enhancement projects within the corridor.
I would strongly suggest, as you are looking for that second phase funding, that additional 2.5 million, that you get with the ctrma, unfortunately the bucket of money available for those sorts of projects is not as large as it should be because their toll covenants are so restrictive.
their bond covenants.
but it's certainly robust enough to assist in supporting of this project.
particularly in light of the fact that this project is right up against the minor expressway at benny fisher park.
>> that's an excellent idea, thank you.
>> mr. Reeferseed.
>> just a brief comment.
that is that it sounds great and the bike trails, sufficient like that, is really fantastic, of course I'm ronnie reeferseed, but I'm just wanting to point out what I was afraid of, the back door method to try to legitimate the incredibly wasteful and harmful rail schemology where we would be paying out the wazoo forever to service just a tiny number of people with expensive machinery.
it's all about scam.
if we can avoid the -- listen to the people, we voted it down time and time again.
please let's stick with keeping that money losing situation out of the -- I mean, I'm all in favor of bike trails.
but not for the -- for the secret thing of it, advancing the rail project.
>> this is definitely --
>> thank you, mr. Reeferseed.
>> this is definitely a trail project.
it's not addressing --
>> all in favor?
that passes by unanimous vote.
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