Austin Streetcar Plan Floated

A transportation consulting group has proposed a 15.3 mile streetcar system in Austin that would cost $550 million to $614 million to build and $21 million to $23 million a year to operate.

The plan outlined to the city by the ROMA Design Group contains no information on how the system would be financed. The proposal now will be reviewed by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is the principal transportation planning group for Austin and central Texas.

The proposed route would stretch from the city’s old airport on the east side of town, and terminate at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport south of town. The line would serve the sprawling University of Texas campus and the state office complex in downtown.

The consultants estimated the streetcars would carry more than 32,000 passengers a day, and promote development of more than 2,800 acres of vacant land along the route.

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Transportation industry
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