Transportation
Austin Wants to Build a Light Rail-Streetcar Hybrid
Austin Urban Rail couples the best part of streetcar and light-rail transit to connect urban and suburban commuters.
It could be the teaser for a sweet new Ford pickup: Tighter turning for city driving. Faster speeds for country commuting. But Austin's new hybrid project is meant to get drivers out of their vehicles.
Last month, Austinites got a first look at Austin Urban Rail, the light-rail project at the heart of a high-capacity transit vision for Central Texas. The 9.5-mile track extends from East Riverside Drive north over Lady Bird Lake (via a new, to-be-constructed bridge) through east downtown to Highland Mall north of the city.