Austin Metric

My proposal for the City of Austin's 2018 infrastructure bond.

I submitted the following testimony to the Bond Election Advisory Task Force following their November, 29th 2017 "interactive" Town Hall meeting.

I am writing the Task Force to ask that you to recommend an ambitious $825 million bond package to …

A high-quality CodeNEXT result requires diligent measurement.

A successful CodeNEXT would:

1. Meaningfully reduce the rate of housing cost increases
2. Catalyze transportation mode shift away from single-occupant car commutes
3. Increase economic and racial integration

These are popular goals amongst Austin policymakers and leading civic figures, at least in terms of lip …

Austin's new housing plan restricts housing supply and puts units in the wrong places. Its recommendations will accelerate the carving out of Austin's current middle-class residents.

The City of Austin is in the process of adopting a "comprehensive" housing plan (PDF) that will guide how elected officials and the housing …

The "Go Big" mobility bond will increase the single-occupant vehicle share of Austin work commutes.

Stuck in traffic

Austin's sprawling, car-centric development pattern and unproductive public investment choices undermine the city's ability to move away from a 73% single-occupant vehicle (SOV) commute share.

In growing regions, additional road capacity doesn't …

A letter to Council Member Kathie Tovo about Connections 2025.

The subsidy per passenger for current CapMetro services.

Dear Council Member Tovo,

CapMetro's new service plan - Connections 2025 - shifts the agency towards a network of frequent services and away from a collection of legacy routes that over-emphasize geographic coverage.  This …