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2003
Austin-San Antonio Commuter Rail District Board of Directors holds its first meeting February 2003, with 14 members: Austin (elected official and business community representative), San Antonio (elected official and business community representative), Bexar County, Travis County, Alamo Regional Transit, Capital Area Rural Transportation System, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, VIA Metropolitan Transit, Capital Area MPO, San Antonio-Bexar County MPO, and 2 representatives of the general public appointed by the Texas Transportation Commission
Staffing agreement with Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council executed
Organizational Bylaws adopted
Procurement and DBE/HUB policies adopted
Applied for and received authorization for $5.7 million Federal grant for studies related to rail implementation
Applied for and received $1.4 million as 20% local match in toll credits from TxDOT
Negotiated agreements for local funding with cities, counties, and metropolitan transportation authorities in the region to cover operations and staffing of the District
Rail project approved in Austin (CAMPO), San Antonio (SA-BCMPO), TxDOT Transportation Improvement Plans
Executed Advanced Transportation Funding Agreement with TxDOT
Selected and executed contract with Project Management Team
Published three white papers: Project Funding, Railroad Coordination, Project Workplan
Approved Public Involvement Plan
Proposed potential relocation plan with TxDOT to Union Pacific
Formed Board Committees:
- Finance
- Freight Rail Relations
- Program Management Oversight
- Public Involvement
- Rules and Procedures
Conducted initial staff organizational meetings with:
- Federal Highway Administration
- Federal Transit Administration
- Federal Railroad Administration
- TxDOT Multimodal & Senior Management Staff
- State legislation approved granting District Exclusive Development Agreement Authority
2004
Created Rail District web site: www.asarail.org
Developed public information brochure
Selected and executed contract with federal legislative consultant
Participated in joint meeting of Austin and San Antonio metropolitan planning organizations
Completed macro-level economic impact study: The Regional Implications of Regional Passenger Rail
Created Executive Committee of the Board
Completed 2004 Feasibility Study Update
Selected and executed contract for planning and preliminary engineering services
Participated in UP Relocation Task Force
2005
Worked with TxDOT and Bexar County on relocation negotiations with Union Pacific (MOU signed between State and UP March 2005)
Established cost/alignment parameters for Union Pacific relocation
Conducted 9 public meetings throughout the Corridor
Created speakers bureau and gave presentations to agencies and civic organizations throughout the Austin-San Antonio corridor
Established electronic document control system to FTA standards
Website up and running (up to 7,000 hits/month)
Hired senior planner/administrator for Rail District
Texas Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund passed by voters statewide by 54% margin
Revised District’s State legislation on Board terms, teleconferencing
Completed selection of Locally Preferred Alternative and MPO approvals from CAMPO and SA-BCMPO
Completed micro-level economic impact analyses on 15 preliminary station locations
Added three new members to Rail District: City of Georgetown, City of San Marcos, Williamson County
2006
Completed revenue forecasts for transportation infrastructure zones around rail stations
Executed contract for legal services related to freight rail negotiations
Executed contract for negotiation of tax increment financing agreements and transit-oriented development ordinances
Continued speakers bureau and gave presentations to agencies and civic organizations throughout the Austin-San Antonio corridor
Conducted orientation workshop for new Board members
Amended procurement policy
Executed interlocal agreement with City of Austin and Capital Metro for Seaholm station location study in downtown Austin
Executed interlocal agreement with VIA Metropolitan Transit for Westside Multimodal Center study of station location in downtown San Antonio
Received federal FY06 appropriation to continue planning and engineering studies
Completed financial analysis and developed local funding strategies
Completed Phase 2 and Phase 3 ridership modeling
Selected and executed contract with federal legislative consultant
Completed Station Design Report
Completed Conceptual Engineering Design Report
Conducted peer review of engineering cost estimates
Completed Seaholm station location study
Completed nine presentations to corridor jurisdictions’ elected officials on the project’s costs and benefits
2007
San Antonio-Bexar County MPO allocated metropolitan mobility funds for the commuter rail project: $10 million in FY11 and $10 million in FY12
Completed Financial and Economic Benefits Study
Completed eight presentations to corridor jurisdictions' elected officials on project's costs and benefits
Completed eleven presentations to corridor jurisdictions' senior staff on project's costs and benefits
Added three new members to Rail District: Hays County, cities of New Braunfels and Schertz
Completed Existing Conditions Report
Completed Alternatives Analysis Report
Approved station location evaluation criteria and process
Redesigned website and upgraded website functions
Completed Westside Multimodal Center study of station location in downtown San Antonio
Continued speakers bureau and gave presentations to agencies and civic organizations throughout the Austin-San Antonio corridor
2008
Awarded federal metropolitan mobility funds from Capital Area MPO: $5 million in FY09 and $5 million in FY10
Conducted meetings and discussions with Union Pacific executive-level staff on early access to UP corridor for passenger service
Launched Amtrak Feasibility Study in partnership with Texas Department of Transportation and Amtrak
Completed high-level feasibility analysis of SH 130 corridor as possible future route for regional passenger rail service
Investigated and pursued state funding through the Texas Emissions Reduction Program for Rail District members
Executed agreement with Texas Department of Transportation to fund San Antonio Freight Study Phase 3
Initiated branding services for Rail District, selected consultant team
Formed a statewide coalition in support of the Texas Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund
Drafted and introduced state legislation on rail relocation funding
Continued speakers bureau and gave presentations to agencies and civic organizations throughout the Austin-San Antonio corridor