04 Sep Urban Rail: The District 9 Candidates Weigh In

Last week at the Capital Factory, three city council candidates from District 9 met for the AURA candidate forum, focusing around transportation and urban rail issues. The candidates, which included, Erin McGann, Chris Riley, and Kathie Tovo, talked about Proposition 1, the merits of rail versus bus rapid transit and importance of sidewalks. What follows is a recording of that discussion. 

And if you don't have your headphones on, below is a brief synopsis of the major differences between Chris Riley and Kathie Tovo that were raised during the forum, followed by a summary of the forum's highlights: 

Riley and Tovo sparred over their urban density and affordable housing bona fides, eagerly pointing to these issues as the major difference between them. 

On density, Riley talked about the importance of increasing density in order to encourage sustainability and the growth of a city where people can realistically ditch their cars and walk or ride to where they want to go. 

“There is a strong interest among many people in living smaller, living closer and driving less than we have allowed in the past,” Riley said. 

Although this will be a major change, he continued, it is an important one for the city’s future. 

“I think it’s very important to have a council member in District 9 that places some value on having residential density in the central city,” Riley said, explaining that this is an issue that Tovo and him have disagreed on. 

Tovo countered by saying that she does support downtown density, but that she also supports several other factors that make a city a great place to live. Public space and open space, she said, need more attention. 

“If you’re going to live in close proximity, you really do need the ability to get out and access public spaces, green spaces…” Tovo said. 

She also highlighted the importance of affordable housing downtown, calling out Riley for voting to allow developers to essentially opt out of a program that would have forced them to build affordable housing units. This program, called the downtown density bonus program, Tovo said, was never used while Riley was in office. 

“If we’re serious about affordable housing we need to use the tools we have available,” she said. 

Riley also stressed the importance of affordable downtown housing, saying that allowing greater density downtown would increase supply and suppress prices. He also said that there need to be more housing options, like micro-units/granny flats to help deal with affordability issues. 

AURA District 9 Forum Questions and Answers:

Proposition 1? Do you support it? Why is it better than a metro rapid bus style route?

Riley – 

• Riley said that he does support the rail proposal that’s on the ballot. The current proposal offers a lot of opportunity, he said. There are 100,000 people living within a half mile of those transit stops today and there is huge potential for even more people to live there in the future, Riley explained. 
• “I don’t think we would see the same results there with a bus rapid transit line,” Riley said, explaining that while he does support rapid bus lines, he doesn’t believe they produce the same kind of results that you see with rail investments.  People just aren’t willing to invest the same kind of growth around the transit stops with buses as they do with rail, he said. 
• The capacity served by bus rapid transit bus lines would not be what Austin needs or could get with rail, Riley said. 
• He wrapped things up by saying that he does support a rail investment in November, but more importantly, that he supports any alternative transportation that Austin can get. This is the one we have an opportunity to get now, Riley said, and it’s is a long time coming. 
• “This is the opportunity we have now to get started on a comprehensive network and I’m voting for it,” he said.

McGann – 

• McGann said that she does not support the current rail proposal. Austin’s rail is going to be really expensive, substantially more expensive than the two rail lines that have recently been built in Houston and Denver, she said. It isn't going to substantially change the look of traffic in the city because it won’t be ready for at least 10 years, McGann continued, and by that time the city will have at least one million people.
• She said that she does think that bus rapid transit would be better than the current rail proposal.
• If she could design her own transportation system for Austin, McGann said that she would create park and rides and a network of buses all over the city.

Tovo – 

• Tovo explained that she was part of the unanimous council decision to support putting urban rail on the ballot and that she does plan to vote for it. 
• Austin needs to look at all the ways to improve transit and traffic problems, she said.
• The city also needs to invest in sidewalk infrastructure, bike lanes, and staggered work schedules, Tovo said, explaining that Austin needs to look at the transportation problem from all angles. 
• “I do believe it will make a difference,” Tovo said, about the current rail proposal. “I understand it’s not the route everybody wanted to see be the first route, but I believe it will be a good start in that direction and that we can build on it and that it will ultimately be one part of an improvement plan for our city.”

How do we create a true constituency for better transit service? 

Riley – 

• It’s all about changing the transit experience, Riley said, explaining that that is the thing he is most excited about. 
• “For the first time, at the end of the year, CapMetro will actually know where all of its buses are,” Riley said. “You would think we would have known that some time ago.” But, he explained, it is still a great development because it means that there will be a GPS on each bus and that the data from those buses will be available for people who make apps so that riders will be able to look at their phone and see where the bus is. “I believe that is so going to change the transit experience…,” Riley said.

McGann – 

• McGann agreed with Riley that transit has to be convenient.
• She also said that the city needs to work with the largest downtown employer, the state, to get their employees to ride the bus to work, and utilize other public transit options.

Tovo – 

• Tovo said that convenient, accessible public transportation is the key to success. 
• Cost is also a big issue, she said, explaining that she has heard concerns from people who ride the bus regularly and are worried about recent rate hikes.
• Some of those who are the most supportive of public transportation don’t feel like their voices have been heard, Tovo said, explaining that Austin needs to continue to have public discussions in order to rebuild what should be a natural transportation constituency.

Should there be variable pricing for on street parking downtown? 

Riley – 

• “I love that question,” Riley said. “It is a very exciting time in the world of parking.”  
• He said that he has read “The High Cost of Free Parking” by professor Donald Shoup, and has been committed to moving forward with his principles (which include variable pricing). Riley said that he has even provided a copy of the book to anyone who has agree to read it.
• The most important thing, Riley said, is to be open to change on parking. 
• Parking is the single major land use in any city, he said, explaining that variable pricing can be one part of a solution to move forward. 

McGann – 

• Variable pricing for parking is a great idea, McGann said.
• She also added that if Austin adds more park and rides from outside the city, then there will be less people who need to park downtown.
• McGann also said that Austin should make deals with empty downtown lots that are owned by the state and are often vacant at night, in order to increase parking downtown. 

Tovo – 

• Tovo was much less enthusiastic about variable pricing, saying that it needs more discussion and study.
• It is already becoming more expensive for people to come downtown, she said. 
• The price of parking downtown is already hurting businesses, Tovo added, saying that many have come to her, worrying that they are losing customers.
• Austin needs to be appealing not just for visitors, she said, but also for the people who live here. 
• Instead of variable pricing, Tovo said that she would prefer to continue to encourage daytime businesses to open up their lots in the evening, and to look for more ways to create more public parking.

What would you prioritize in the next term in terms of transportation?

McGann – 

• McGann said that Austin needs to focus on basic infrastructure, like sidewalks, lights, bike lanes, and roads. People aren’t safe right now, she said, explaining that it’s really easy to trip and fall. 

Tovo – 

• Tovo said that the biggest thing that people always talk about is sidewalks. We have millions of dollars of missing sidewalks, Tovo said, quoting Austin’s public works director.

Riley – 

• Most of the work we need to be doing is with alternative transportation, Riley said, because that is the key to the future. That includes biking and sidewalks, he said, explaining that sidewalks are absolutely a huge issue.