Metrorail Update
Metrorail Update
Written by Rachel Youens Tuesday, 07 August 2007
Station move from Howard to MoPac worries residents.
Since the MetroRail and the All Systems Go program were approved by voters in 2004, Capital Metro has shown three north Austin rail stations on their maps, dubbed Lakeline, Burnet and Howard. Although Capital Metro had generally decided on the location of each, they had not settled on the exact site or design.
Robinson Ranch, 6,000-acres bordered by Parmer Lane and MoPac and bisected by the rail, had long been considered for the Howard stop.
Capital Metro was already building an overpass on Robinson Ranch to allow the MetroRail to cross over the Union Pacific rail line, and in 2003, Envision Central Texas conducted a study complete with site plans and renderings for Robinson Ranch’s possibility as a transit-oriented development.
This summer, however, Capital Metro reached a stalemate in negotiations with Robinson Ranch for the rail station site. In June, Capital Metro began drawing up a new plan located not along Howard Lane, but instead along MoPac and McNeil Drive near the Hidden Estates neighborhood and accessible from the Scofield Ridge exit.
Residents of the secluded neighborhood met July 31 with Capital Metro representatives to voice their concerns that the location of the station could significantly affect the traffic around their area.
“Our options with Robinson Ranch have been exhausted. Every way we tried to go there was a roadblock,” said Capital Metro Community Involvement Coordinator Julie Martin, who headed up the meeting. “In order for us to stay on time, we had to move forward.”
The current plan accommodates approximately 95 parked cars and a bus stop, and according to Capital Metro TxDOT has given its blessing to the design. Although the plan is just a concept and is likely to evolve, Capital Metro engineer King Kaul says there are factors limiting how much control Capital Metro has over the location.
“Two of the main reasons we ended up not selecting Robinson Ranch were drainage and land negotiation,” Kaul said. “The intersection of McNeil and Howard has drainage from the north side that crosses Howard Lane causing a flood situation. In Robinson Ranch lots of the land is a fill area with geotechnical problems. In some areas we would have to excavate 14 feet, so there are more costs.”
Neighbors pointed out that MoPac drivers looking to avoid the last toll plaza often stick to the feeder road, which causes them to speed past McNeil.
“If traffic comes north down MoPac, they’ll have to cross McNeil Drive to get to the rail station entrance. There are already delays in getting out of the neighborhood on the Howard side due to traffic and in heavy rain the intersection becomes blocked,” said one resident. “The construction of this stop would be changing the character of our neighborhood.”
State Rep. Mark Strama, Leander Mayor John Cowman, Austin City Council member Mike Martinez and County Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt were present at the neighborhood meeting.
Since the meeting, Capital Metro and the Hidden Estates neighborhood have formed a group to discuss their concerns, and Capital Metro is looking at other locations in the area. The station plan has been temporarily put on hold until a decision can be reached.
“This is not just a budget issue, (to use Robinson Ranch) the private landowner has to agree to the development,” Martinez said. “We’re willing to hear all suggestions, but there are other factors. We generally want to come in on budget. The taxpayers have granted Capital Metro the money to do this, but only a finite amount.”
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