Ok... just my crazy idea for light rail in the this city. Or, if it has already been thrown out, just ignore it, but here it goes:
Have 5 separate, privately funded lines (actually 4, but you'll see what I'm talking about when you continue to read), all coming together on two tracks lining up with the ITC. The starter lines work like this:
KEY
- LOCATION: Name of Line
- Miles & End of Line from the ITC
- Type of Train
- Projected Stops
- Tracks used
- Right-of-way
- Connectivity with other Rail
- NORTH: Stockyards/Panther Island Line
- 3 Miles, From ITC to: Stockyards
- Modern Streetcar or (more radical idea) Subway in form of a Modern Streetcar
- Modern Streetcar opt.: ITC, The Commerce Building, TCC East, 2 stops on Panther Island, El Mercado, Main & Exchange, Main & 26th (End of line, 8 stops) / Subway opt: ITC, Barnes & Noble site, Paddock Park, 2 stops on Panther Island, Central Ave. & Calhoun, Underground Stockyards Station (End of Line, 7 Stops)
- Modern Streetcar opt: 2 way & one way / Subway opt: 2 way throughout
- Modern Streetcar opt: Shared road lanes / Subway opt: Underground & shared road lanes
- Connects to: TRE (ITC) and Grapevine Vintage Railway (Stockyards... Subway option only)
- EAST: E-Line
- 4 Miles, From ITC to: Texas Wesleyan
- Modern Streetcar
- ITC, future Near Eastside Urban Village, Beach & Ludelle (possible connection to a future commuter rail?), Polytech High, Texas Wesleyan on Rosedale (End of line, 5 stops)
- 2 way
- Shared road lanes
- Connects to: TRE (ITC), Possible line for Commuter Rail in the future
- SOUTH: Southsider's Line
- 5½ Miles, From ITC to: La Gran Plaza
- Modern Streetcar
- ITC, Main & Vickery, 2 stops on Main between Vickery and Rosedale, Hemphill & Magnolia, Hemphill & Powell, Hemphill & Berry, Hemphill & Bolt, La Gran Plaza transfer station (End of line, 9 stops)
- 2 way
- Both shared road lanes and exclusive rail
- Connects to: TRE (ITC)
- WEST: W-Line
- 4 Miles, From ITC to: Camp Bowie & Hulen
- LRT
- ITC, Lancaster/T&P, Lancaster & Summit, Farrington Field, WRMC, 3 stops on Camp Bowie between Montgomery and Hulen (End of section, 7 stops)
- 2 way
- Exclusive rail
- Connects to: TRE (ITC)
- S.W.F.W.: W-Line
- 5 Miles, From Berry St. TEX Rail station to: Camp Bowie & Hulen
- LRT
- Berry St. TEX Rail station, GrandMarc/TCU, Berry & Stadium Dr., Lupton Stadium, Hartwood Park, Hulen & Gleenwood, Hulen & Stonegate, Hulen & Vickery, H.E.B. Marketplace, Camp Bowie & Hulen (End of section, 10 stops)
- 2 way /w one way lines (on Hulen from Camp Bowie to Vickery and on Berry from University to TEX Rail station)
- Exclusive rail
- Connects to: TEX Rail
It's a looooooong shot, but worth the thought, I believe.
I'll make some visuals and maps later. Some of which will involve what I would want to do with the ITC. It includes a project that Austin did not too long ago...