Austin's growth led to problems. Can a public-transit plan solve them?

City officials and Austin's transportation authority, CapMetro, are proposing a solution for some of these woes: Project Connect, a now-$11.6 billion public-transportation plan that includes a network of light-rail lines, an underground subway, and an expanded bus system. The Austin Transit Partnership, the independent government corporation tasked with implementing the plan, believes that increasing public transit will make Austin safer, easier and faster to navigate, and more sustainable.

Critics say Project Connect is too expensive, outdated, and might cater to residents with higher incomes, a coalition of business owners, community activists, and current and former elected officials, argues that the project costs too much and the new rail system that's being proposed will quickly become outdated.

"Rail users tend to be on the higher side of income," Bhat said."If we build these rail lines, some of which are intended to serve low-income and people of color, the ridership might not be great." identify as whiteBhat said this disparity is likely because rail rides tend to be more expensive than other forms of public transportation, such as buses, and that can be a barrier to lower-income people using the system.

Take Austin resident Michael Hill, who doesn't own a car. He takes three buses and spends an hour and 15 minutes each way commuting to work,But on a larger scale, Project Connect supporters say that public transportation provides better access to healthcare, education, employment, and affordable housing. There is evidence that cities with mass-transit systems tend to beMore than just winning over opponents, the ATP may need to once again convince voters of the merits of its proposal.

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