Orange Line
Overview
StatusIn planning
LocaleAustin, Texas
Termini
Stations15
Service
TypeLight rail
SystemCapital MetroRail
Operator(s)Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
History
Planned opening2029
Technical
Line length20 mi (32 km)
Route diagram

 North Lamar Transit Center
    
US 183.svg US 183
 Crestview
     Red Line
 Koenig
 Triangle
 Hyde Park
 Hemphill Park
 UT/West Mall
 Government Center/Capitol West
 Republic Square
     Blue Line to Austin–Bergstrom
Lady Bird Lake
 Auditorium Shores
 SoCo
 Oltorf
 St. Edward's
US 290.svgTexas 71.svg US 290 / SH 71
 South Congress Transit Center
 Stassney

The Orange Line is a proposed north-south light rail line that will serve the central spine of Austin from North Lamar to Stassney Lane. It is in the planning stages as a part of Capital Metro's Project Connect. It is estimated to begin revenue service as early as 2029.[1][2]

History

A contract for preliminary engineering work along the line was approved on March 20, 2019.[3] In 2020, the planned route was truncated in length to reduce construction costs, with bus bridges providing connectivity through the rest of the corridor.[4] Potential future phases may extend the line north to Tech Ridge and south to Slaughter as initially envisioned — those alignments are expected to be included in National Environmental Policy Act processing to allow for conversion to light rail in the future.[5]

Route

The Orange Line is 20 miles (32 km) long and will run in its own dedicated transitway, including the Downtown Transit Tunnel, which will allow it to bypass the traffic that plagues the corridor it follows. The Orange Line will operate from North Lamar Transit Center to Stassney & Congress, and will follow the current route of the Capital MetroRapid 801 or a similar alignment. It is planned to run along The Drag.[6]

Future extensions to the line would feature stations at Tech Ridge, Parmer, Braker, Rundberg, William Cannon, and Slaughter.

Stations

North Lamar Transit Center, the planned northern terminus of the line, seen in 2008

Stations are listed north to south.[3][7][8]

Station name Parking Rail connections Bus connections Nearby points of interest
North Lamar Transit Center Yes Capital MetroRapid 801
MetroBus 1, 323, 350, 383		 Anderson Square Shopping Center
Crestview No Capital MetroRapid 801
MetroBus 1, 7, 300, 324, 350		 Crestview Station, Midtown Commons, Texas DPS Credit Union, Black Star Co-op
Koenig Capital MetroRapid 801
MetroBus 1, 337		 Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol, McCallum High School
Triangle Yes Capital MetroRapid 801
MetroBus 1, 345, 656, 990		 Hyde Park, The Triangle, Texas Facilities Commission, UT Intramural Fields, UT Microfarm, The Triangle Park
Hyde Park Capital MetroRapid 801, 803
MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 335		 Hyde Park, Austin State Hospital, Central Market, Heart Hospital of Austin
Hemphill Park MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 642 University of Texas at Austin, Phi Gamma Delta, Scottish Rite Dormitory
UT/West Mall Capital MetroRapid 801, 803
MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 20, 105, 640, 982, 990		 University of Texas at Austin, Peter T. Flawn Academic Center, Goldsmith Hall, Sutton Hall, Battle Hall, Parlin Hall, Rainey Hall, Harry Ransom Center
Government Center / Capitol West Capital MetroRapid 801, 803
MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 20, 105, 985		 Wooldridge Square Park, Austin Public Library, Travis County Civil Courthouse, Texas State Capitol, Travis County Adult Probation, Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services
Republic Square Capital MetroRapid 801, 803, Gold Line
MetroBus 105, 111, 171, 980, 981, 985		 City Hall, Republic Square, Sixth Street, Texas State Board of Nursing, United States Federal Court
Auditorium Shores Capital MetroRapid 801, Gold Line
MetroBus 1, 7, 20, 142, 935		 Auditorium Shores, Lady Bird Lake, Long Center for the Performing Arts
SoCo Capital MetroRapid 801, Gold Line
MetroBus 1		 South Congress, Texas School for the Deaf
Oltorf Capital MetroRapid 801, Gold Line
MetroBus 1, 300		 South Congress H-E-B, St. Ignatius Martyr School, William B. Travis High School
St. Edward's Capital MetroRapid 801, Gold Line
MetroBus 1		 Saint Edward's University
South Congress Transit Center Yes Capital MetroRapid 801, Gold Line
MetroBus 1, 310, 315		 St David's South Hospital, St. Elmo District
Stassney Capital MetroRapid 801, Gold Line
MetroBus 1, 311		 Williamson Creek Greenbelt

References

  1. ↑ Sanders, Austin (April 26, 2022). "What Kind of Rail Bridge Will Austin Build Across Lady Bird Lake?". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  2. ↑ Ionescu, Diana (July 8, 2022). "A Look at Austin's Proposed Subway Stations". Planetizen. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Cicale, Nicholas (March 25, 2019). "Capital Metro approves contract for Orange Line preliminary engineering work". Community Impact. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  4. ↑ Willson, Bill (July 23, 2020). "Part of Cap Metro's show-stopping transit plan gets the hook". RT&S. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  5. ↑ Clark-Madison, Mike (September 25, 2020). "From Light Rail to a Downtown Tunnel: The Parts of Project Connect". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  6. ↑ Aleman, Christian (December 9, 2021). "New Austin light-rail project could remove cars from The Drag". KVUE. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Metro Project Connect Initial Investment System Plan" (PDF). July 30, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  8. ↑ Marloff, Sarah (April 12, 2019). "Project Connect Unveils Cap Metro's Orange Line". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
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