References for Project Connect Fact sheet

Traffic and air pollution in Austin

Traffic congestion and VMT in Austin: 

• Katy Hall, “Austin traffic worsens, now ranking 14th most congested city in nation,” The Statesman, 22 August 2019. 

• Capital Area Metropolitan Planning organization, Regional Transportation Demand Management Plan, August 2019, 32.

Greenhouse gas emissions in Austin and Travis County. 

• City of Austin Open Data Portal, 2017 State of Our Environment Report Climate Change. 

Increase in carbon dioxide emissions:

• New York Times analysis of data released through Boston University’s Database of Road Transportation Emissions.

Nitrogen oxide pollution: 

• Capital Area Council of Governments, 2018 Air Quality Report for the Austin Round Rock-Georgetown Metropolitan Statistical Area, July 2019, 27. 

• See also Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) trends emissions inventories produced by Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Aug 2015.

Ozone health problems: 

• Capital Area Council of Governments, 2018 Air Quality Report for the Austin Round Rock-Georgetown Metropolitan Statistical Area, July 2019, 11.

Ozone link to premature deaths:

• 8,700 premature deaths from fine particulates: Irene C. Dedoussi, “Air Pollution and Early Deaths in the United States: Attribution of PM2.5 exposure to emissions species, time, location and sector,” Master’s thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014. 

• 2,100 deaths from ozone: Fabio Caiazzo, et al., “Air Pollution and Early Deaths in the United States. Part I: Quantifying the Impact of Major Sectors in 2005,” Atmospheric Environment, 79: 198-208, dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2013.05.081, 2013.

Project Connect

Jobs and households in proximity to transit stations:

• Capital Metro, Project Connect: Phase II Findings and Summary Report, 5.

Highlights of the Project Connect plan:

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Program Costs & Ridership, October 30 2019.

Orange Line: 

• Capital Metro, Orange Line Ridership Forecasting: Draft for Public Review & Comment, October 2019, 4. 

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Program Costs & Ridership, October 30 2019, 3. 

• Project Connect, Mobility Options, Light Rail, Capital Metro homepage. 

Blue Line: 

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Program Costs & Ridership, October 30 2019.

• Capital Metro, Blue Line Ridership Forecasts: Draft for Public Review and Comment, October 29 2019, 1.

MetroRapid bus service:

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Program Costs & Ridership, October 30 2019, 3.

Red Line:

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Program Costs & Ridership, October 30 2019, 4.

MetroRail Green Line:

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Program Costs & Ridership, October 30 2019, 4. 

• Jackie Nirenberg, Manager, Community Involvement, Capital Metro, Personal Communications, 10/3/2020

MetroExpress bus routes.

• Austin City Council/Capital Metro Board Joint Work Session, March 9, 2020, 8.

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Program Costs & Ridership, October 30 2019, 4.

Gold Line: 

• Mike Clark-Madison, “Trains! Tunnels! Billions! Austin Gets First Look at Proposed Transit Plan,” Austin Chronicle, 6 March 2020. 

• Jackie Nirenberg, Manager, Community Involvement, Capital Metro, personal communications, 10/3/2020.

Park and Ride facilities: 

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Program Costs & Ridership, October 30 2019, 4.

• Austin City Council/Capital Metro Board Joint Work Session, March 9, 2020, 8.

Neighborhood Circulators:

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Program Costs & Ridership, October 30 2019, 5.

Electric bus fleet.

• “Capital Metro Takes Major Steps Toward a More Sustainable Fleet,” Capital Metro homepage, 2 August 2019. 

Impact on air pollution and carbon emissions

Passenger trips on Capital Metro transit:

• 29,491,269 trips per year (/365 = 80,797.99 per day). Source: Federal Transit Administration, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority dba Capital Metro: 2018 Annual Agency Profile.

Red Line: Fourfold increase in ridership: 

• “Project Connect: Ways to Move: Commuter Rail,” Capital Metro homepage.

• 4,400 extra vehicle trips: 10,000 (projected)-2600 (current) =7400 new riders. Assuming 1.7 riders per vehicle.

Blue Line: 42,200 new riders: 

• Capital Metro, Blue Line Ridership Forecasts: Draft for Public Review and Comment, October 29 2019, 12.

• 25,000 vehicle trips per day: assuming 1.7 riders per vehicle. 

Orange Line: 

• 74,000: Capital Metro, Orange Line Ridership Forecasting: Draft for Public Review & Comment, October 2019, 3.

• 43,000 car journeys: Assuming 1.7 riders per vehicle. 

Electric buses: 

80 by 2024, and future plans: 

• “CapMetro to buy 2 more electric buses,” KVUE, 28 January 2020.

Greenhouse gas reduction projection:

• Alana Miller, Frontier Group, et al., Electric Buses: Clean Transportation for Healthier Neighborhoods and Cleaner Air, May 2018, 32.

Project Connect and Austin’s Future

159 new residents and 115 new cars: 

• Capital Metro, Long Range System Planning Phase Executive Summary, May 2016 – December 2018, 1.

Doubling of vehicle travel:

• Capital Metro, Project Connect Draft Purpose and Need Memorandum, 31 October 2016, 18.

4 million:

Capital Metro, Project Connect Draft Purpose and Need Memorandum, 31 October 2016, 7.