For immediate release, City of Austin
Nov. 3, 2010

Austin full purpose residents have approved Proposition 1, a $90 million bond package that includes both short-term and long-tem investments that address City mobility issues.

Unofficial results from Tuesday’s vote total 91,721 (56.31 percent) supporting the issue and 71,154 (43.69 percent) opposing the measure. The City’s mobility priorities include investments in streets, sidewalks, bike paths, trails and transit infrastructure in all parts of Austin.

“I’m pleased with the outcome, and happy to know that voters have the confidence to move these important projects forward,” City Manager Marc Ott said. “We are working now to ensure that we can move quickly on these priorities, and begin construction on some projects in early 2011.

“I think everyone realizes that our mobility success is directly linked to our regional partnerships,” Ott said. “This bond gives us the opportunity to work with Travis County and the Texas Department of Transportation to get many of these projects under design or construction in the next 24 months.”

Canvassing of the votes by the Austin City Council is set for 10 a.m. Nov. 15 in Council Chambers.

For more information about the types of projects that will be funded by the bonds, checkwww.cityofaustin.org/news/mobility_bond.htm.

Beki Halpin told the Gazette: “Proposition 1 offers Oak Hill a real opportunity to get something done to address the congestion at the ‘Y.’ We have been sent to the end of the line over and over again and now we have a chance to get something done in the next couple of years. It is impossible to know when the elevated toll road will be built, if ever. The economic climate is tenuous and highway construction money comes and goes like a mirage in the desert. But this bond money would be something we could count on to bring road improvements we have waited for, wished for and certainly deserved for decades.”

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Local resident Tom Thayer said: “I think [Proposition 1] is definitely good for Oak Hill. It provides money towards near-term intersection improvements on U.S. 290 West here in Oak Hill to hopefully provide some traffic relief before 2017 or whenever highway improvements will come from TxDOT. It provides money for preliminary engineering and planning for capacity expansion on MoPac, on which many Oak Hill residents drive. It also provides money for badly needed sidewalks along Brodie Lane. For bus riders, it will improve pedestrian and transit infrastructure along Guadalupe and Lavaca streets where the Oak Hill Flyer runs.”

Also, not 1 but 7 Mayors of Austin have come out for Proposition 1. From the Statesman…

Mayors Lee Cooke, Gus Garcia, Kirk Watson, Lee Leffingwell, Frank Cooksey, Bruce Todd, and Ron Mullen support Prop 1. Photo credit: Wells Dunbar, Austin Chronicle

Proposition 1, the City of Austin transportation bond proposal that initially generated little attention, in the past month has attracted considerable money for and against it. And today , a phalanx of former Austin mayors called for approval of the $90 million measure.

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Today , the last day of early voting, the push for the proposition picked up endorsements from the seven mayors who preceded current Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell, from Ron Mullen in 1983 through Will Wynn, who finished his six years leading the city in 2009. Wynn, who Leffingwell said sent word of his support, was the only one of the seven not on hand for the City Hall announcement.

Support is widespread including drivers, pedestrians, trail goers, and cyclists. From The Daily Texan…

Davis said in a progressive city like Austin, where thousands of people commute to work by bicycle every day, the promise of alternative transportation is very strong.

“When you look at the greater issue, the roads-only approach doesn’t work,” Davis said. “We have to add additional options for getting people around the city.”

Eileen Schaubert, a League of Bicycling Voters board member, said the proposition is historic because it is the first time something significant is being invested in transportation projects other than the development of roads in Austin.

She said while the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed 20 years ago, Austin’s sidewalk network is still not compliant.

“We need to complete our pedestrian trails and allow them to be usable by people of all abilities and ages. Our population is getting older and they won’t be able to drive in the same way, and we want them to stay active,” Schubert said.

I’m writing this letter to ask for your support for Proposition 1, the $90 million City of Austintransportation bond proposal on the November ballot. Here’s why:

1. Austin has a serious transportation problem that poses a major threat to our future quality of life. New census results confirm that we remain among the fastest-growing cities in America, while national surveys continue to show that our traffic ranks among the worst anywhere. If we fail to act now to fix our transportation problem, the hundreds of thousands of additional cars we can expect on Austin roads over the next two decades will unquestionably put the health, safety and well being of our entire community at risk.

2. The only effective long-term solution for Austin is to make EVERY kind of transportation work– driving, riding, biking, and walking. Yes, we need new and better roads, in all parts of the city. But we also must have a viable mass transit system – as well as a dramatically improved system of bike lanes, sidewalks and trails – all across Austin. Unless it gets easier to get around the city in new and different ways, we’ll continue trying to get around only in the same old way – the way that has us stuck in our current, enormous mess.

3. Voting for Proposition 1 is taking a step in the right direction. After decades of spending well over 90% of all our transportation dollars on roads alone, Prop. 1 proposes to spend 40% of these funds onother ways to get around. Some people don’t like that very much at all. I say it’s a good start. Benjamin Franklin said this: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” I agree. Prop. 1 is the first thing we need to do differently to begin fixing Austin’s transportation problem – and, importantly, approving Proposition 1 won’t raise taxes.

As you may know, Proposition 1 is being opposed by a small but well-funded group led by a suburbanreal estate developer and comprised mostly of far right activists. But their “roads only” approach will NOT fix Austin’s traffic problem; in fact, it helped create it.

Fortunately, Prop. 1 has been endorsed by more than 35 local groups trusted by the Austin community– everyone from the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Austin Alliance to the local Sierra Club chapter and the Travis County Democratic Party. I hope that you will join these groups in supporting Proposition 1.

Thanks for your time and consideration. This election, you have the opportunity to help change ourtransportation future, for the better. I hope that you will take that opportunity and vote FOR Prop. 1.

Sincerely,

Lee Leffingwell
Austin Mayor

Proposition 1 is good for Austin

EDITORIAL BOARD – Austin American Statesman

Listen to Mayor Lee Leffingwell explain why he supports voting for Proposition 1.

Read why the Austin Chronicle has joined over 40 organizations in endorsing Proposition 1.

October 14, 2010 – City of Austin Proposition 1: Yes

“The issuance of $90,000,000 in tax supported general obligation bonds and notes for … roads and streets … sidewalks, bikeways, and other bicycle and pedestrian mobility infrastructure … and the levy of tax sufficient to pay for the bonds and notes.”

The “Austin Mobility Bond” is an admittedly modest step toward a truly multimodal regional transportation system that directs resources toward alternative forms of transportation in addition to basic roadways – the latter, in fact, having largely reached potential capacity within the central city. We support this interim bond measure, and we support the city’s overall attempt to redirect transportation resources in a multimodal direction; the longer we wait, the more difficult it will be and the more it will cost. Austin’s transportation political history is littered with missed opportunities; the Mobility Bond is a cost-effective, broadly based attempt to get moving again in the right direction.

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A1097802

Still have questions? Check out our Proposition 1 Frequently Asked Questions page and view the list of projects funded by Proposition 1. Remember: Voting FOR Proposition 1 will not raise your taxes!

“The issuance of $90,000,000 in tax supported general obligation bonds and notes for … roads and streets … sidewalks, bikeways, and other bicycle and pedestrian mobility infrastructure … and the levy of tax sufficient to pay for the bonds and notes.”

The “Austin Mobility Bond” is an admittedly modest step toward a truly multimodal regional transportation system that directs resources toward alternative forms of transportation in addition to basic roadways – the latter, in fact, having largely reached potential capacity within the central city. We support this interim bond measure, and we support the city’s overall attempt to redirect transportation resources in a multimodal direction; the longer we wait, the more difficult it will be and the more it will cost. Austin’s transportation political history is littered with missed opportunities; the Mobility Bond is a cost-effective, broadly based attempt to get moving again in the right direction.

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A1097802

Community Leaders Gather to Underscore Importance of Improving Dangerous Impassable Pathways

Proposition 1: Accessible Sidewalks

Austin, Texas – Disability, school and community leaders gathered today to highlight the importance of improvements to a dangerous pathway along a busy stretch of North Lamar and to encourage voters to approve Proposition 1 on the fall ballot. If approved, Prop 1 will fund construction of a sidewalk at this site and create safe, accessible sidewalks across Austin without raising taxes. The event was held just feet from a dirt track that is dangerously close to busy North Lamar, but heavily used by students traveling to school and neighborhood residents commuting to work and shopping at nearby stores.

“As a principal, my highest priority is ensuring the safety and welfare of my students. Construction of a sidewalk at this location and other dangerous sites in our community is critical to ensuring that every student has a safe way to travel to school,” said Principal Rafael Soriano, McBee Elementary School.

Prop 1: Safe Sidewalks for Families

“There may be nothing more important than safe sidewalks to protect the lives and improve the health of our children,” added Fernando Martinez, Safe Routes to School Program Manger, Bike Texas.

Prop 1 would provide $90 million for road, sidewalk, trail and bikeway projects without requiring a tax increase. This includes over $10 million to construct safe, accessible ADA-compliant sidewalks at the site on North Lamar and in neighborhoods throughout the city. Visit www.GetAustinMoving.com for a list of projects.

“Prop 1 is an investment in the future accessibility and safety of our great city. Whether we’re walking or rolling to the bus stop, driving the kids to school or biking around town, transportation facilitates all of these activities,” said Boone Blocker, Transportation Bond Citizens Task Force Member. “Sidewalks play a lead role in making the City truly accessible for those with disabilities,” he added.

Prop 1: Connectivity for Cyclists

According to a study by the City of Austin, there are over $800 million in projects necessary to bring the City’s sidewalk network into ADA compliance, including over 4,000 miles of needed improvements.

“Support for Prop 1 is diverse and growing. Businesses, nonprofits, neighborhood association and individuals throughout the city agree that a Vote FOR Prop 1 is a vote for a safer Austin, more transportation options, less congestion and cleaner environment,” said Jeb Boyt, Alliance for Public Transportation & Austin Metro Trails and Greenways.

Over 35 organizations endorse Prop 1 including ADAPT, Chamber of Commerce, Sierra Club, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Clean Water Action, Travis County Democratic Party, and Sustainable Neighborhoods.

1. Email 10+ friends, family members and co-workers & encourage them to vote for Prop 1.

2. Ask your neighborhood association, local business, or club to endorse Prop 1. Use our sample form!

3. Donate to the Get Austin Moving Campaign at www.GetAustinMoving.com/donate.

4. Place a yard sign in your lawn and encourage others to do the same. Sign up here.

5. Distribute info cards & flyers at meetings and events. Download examples here.

6. Write an article for your neighborhood association, club or organizational newsletter.

7. Submit a 150-word letter to the editor on the Austin American Statesman’s website. Do it here!

8. Post information and add a link to www.GetAustinMoving.com on your website or blog.

9. Join the Get Austin Moving Facebook page.

10. Follow @getaustinmoving.com on Twitter.

Support for the November Mobility Bond continues to grow as new community, business, and neighborhood leaders join the Get Austin Moving steering committee and additional groups endorsethe bond. The Get Austin Moving campaign and its steering committee are dedicated to raising funds andrunning a grassroots campaign to win voter support of Proposition 1, which will provide $90 million inbond funds for new road, sidewalk, trail and bikeway projects throughout Austin without raising taxes.

“We are proud to announce that over the last two weeks the Get Austin Moving steering committee grewfrom 36 members to over 50 neighborhood, business and community leaders, representing broad andgrowing support for the mobility bond,” said Ted Siff, Treasurer of Get Austin Moving. A complete list of the updated steering committee members can be seen here.

In addition to the growing number of individual steering committee members, the list of endorsements forProposition 1 continues to grow longer as organizations and businesses pass resolutions in support of thebond. Most recently, the Liveable City Board of Directors endorsed the bond citing the list of proposedprojects as a “groundbreaking mix” that “balances automobile and bicycle/pedestrian use, increases overallmobility by expanding transportation choice, improves access to transit stations, and improves safety andaccessibility for Austinites in every state or condition of life.”

Ted Siff added, “ We are thankful for the diverse support Proposition 1 has received. Community leaders,organizations and businesses are joining this effort in recognition of the critical benefits this bond willprovide to our growing city. The bond will reduce future traffic congestion, protect the environment,improve public safety and provide more transportation options – all without requiring a tax increase!” said Mr. Siff.

Mayor Leffingwell and Steering Committee members launch Get Austin Moving campaign at City Hall

Following a unanimous City Council vote in July to place a $90 million mobility bond proposal on the November 2^nd ballot, members of the new “Get Austin Moving” political action committee were joined by Mayor Lee Leffingwell to kick off their fall campaign for voter approval. The City bond proposal, which will not require a tax increase, includes funding for road, sidewalk, trail and bikeway projects in every part of the city.

“Proposition 1 is needed, it’s timely, it’s affordable, and as you can see by the people and groups represented here today, it enjoys strong support in the community,” said Leffingwell, who campaigned for mayor last year promising to pursue the transportation investments.  “I’m very pleased to see our neighborhood, business and environmental groups lending their support to this important investment in Austin’s future.”

Leffingwell said Proposition 1 would provide funding for transportation projects that can begin construction in the next two years, providing near-term congestion relief and much-needed mobility improvements.

Get Austin Moving Treasurer Ted Siff said the PAC’s initial 38-member steering committee will raise funds and run a grassroots campaign to win the support of Austin voters.

“With more than 20 community groups already endorsing our campaign, we are off to a strong start,” said Siff.  “We’ll be working hard every day over the next two months to help ensure that this critical bond is passed on November 2^nd.”

Proposition 1 has also earned the backing of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.

“The 2010 transportation bond will Get Austin Moving.  While much work is needed to address our City’s and metro area’s traffic and congestion issues, this bond issue is a significant first step in addressing those issues,” said Terry Mitchell representing the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.  “Austin is a world-class city with an unmatched quality of life – live music; the environment; an entrepreneurial spirit; and incredible people.  This bond issue will help to preserve and enhance the Austin way of life.  We applaud the City Council for taking this first, significant step to get Austin moving.”

The bond campaign also earned support from Austin’s environmental community.

“We will actively encourage our members and friends to vote for Proposition 1 in November,” said Chris Lehman, chair of the Austin Regional Group of the Sierra Club. “We believe these projects can and will help move Austin toward improved air quality and a better overall quality of life.”