Downtown Transit Tunnel

Downtown Tunnel
to North Lamar
Government Center/
Capitol West
Republic Square
Congress Avenue
Downtown
 Rainey/MACC
Lady Bird Lake
Auditorium Shores
     Blue Line
to AUS
     Orange Line
to Stassney
For the tunnel under downtown Seattle, see Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel.

The Downtown Transit Tunnel is a planned light rail tunnel in Downtown Austin, Texas. It is a core feature of Project Connect, the transit expansion plan being undertaken by the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The transit tunnel would serve the Orange, Blue, and (eventually) Gold light rail lines.

Route

The tunnel is planned to initially facilitate both the Blue and Orange Lines. The tunnel would run under Guadalupe street from Cesar Chavez street to at least 14th street, as well as under 4th street from Guadalupe to Trinity street. If the project is eventually built out to its full plan, another tunnel would be dug under Trinity street from Cesar Chavez street to 14th street to serve the Gold Line.[1]

Tunneling length was initially anticipated to be 1.6 miles (2.6 km) in length.[2] By 2021, planners were considering moving the Orange Line's southern portal to near Lively Middle School at Leland Street, potentially adding a further 1 mile (1.6 km) in length, citing engineering challenges with emerging close to Lady Bird Lake and the topography of South Congress hill.[3]

Stations

The plan proposes multiple underground stations for the light rail lines, at locations including Republic Square, Downtown Station, Government Center,[4] Auditorium Shores,[3] Congress Avenue, and Rainey/MACC.[5][6]

The underground stations will vary in size, with Republic Square or Downtown Station being the largest, and all other stations being smaller. Large stations such as Republic Square will have three levels/floors (sorted from shallowest to deepest): a level containing a food court, mezzanine with a performance stage for local music, and pedestrian tunnels to provide access to other buildings in Downtown, a middle level containing small shops and restaurants, public restrooms, and seating, and the deepest level containing the platform for boarding trains. All underground stations will be fully climate-controlled, and will utilize technologies such as platform screen doors on the platform level to assist with climate control and enhance passenger safety.[7][8]

Station Services
Government Center/Capitol West      Orange Line

     Blue Line

Republic Square      Orange Line

     Blue Line

Congress Avenue      Blue Line
Downtown      Blue Line

     Red Line (surface)
     Green Line (surface)

Rainey/MACC      Blue Line
Auditorium Shores      Orange Line

References
  1. Jankowski, Philip. "Cap Metro recommends downtown subway system in multibillion-dollar light rail system". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  2. "Proposed CapMetro project includes subway system in Downtown Austin". kvue.com. March 6, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  3. Bernier, Nathan (July 22, 2021). "Underground Light-Rail Tunnel Could Be More Than A Mile Longer Than Expected". KUT 90.5. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  4. Project Connect, Capital Metro (July 30, 2020). "Project Connect System Plan" (PDF). Capital Metro. Retrieved August 18, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. Thompson, Kelsey (November 11, 2021). "40-year-old Austin Rowing Club in search of new home amid Project Connect plans". NBC. kxan. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  6. Graham, Benton (July 14, 2021). "Capital Metro unveils initial plans for six underground rail stations in downtown Austin". Community Impact. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  7. Bernier, Nathan (July 16, 2021). "Here's What Austin's Underground Light Rail Could Look Like". NPR. KUT 90.5. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  8. "ProjectConnect". capmetro.org. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
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