Construction on the light rail is expected to begin in two years. | Rendering courtesy ATP and WAX
The Capital City is moving one step closer to implementing light rail.
Austin Transit Partnership shared a number of updates on Project Connect’s light rail in its January progress report — let’s dive into the future of public transportation in ATX.
What’s new to report?
Construction is poised to begin in two years, with the first light rail line scheduled to open in 2033. Once complete, the rail will run every five-to-10 minutes across 10 miles and 15 stations stretching from Downtown to south and east Austin.
Austin’s light rail system will be fully electric.
Rendering courtesy ATP and WAX
Some of the design recommendations include:
Creating a greenway with shaded pedestrian and bike paths along East Riverside, and improving access to the ACC Riverside campus
Elevating the Waterfront Station with a bridge across Lady Bird Lake
Adding a new station Downtown at Wooldridge Square
Have a question about Project Connect and Austin light rail? Send us a message.
Queer Cuties Climb | 7-9 p.m. | Crux Central | $26+ | Move your body at this climbing meetup and make new friends while you’re at it.
Wednesday, Jan. 15
East Side Beer Runners | 6:30 p.m. | Central Machine Works | Free | Lace up your running shoes and grab a drink at the end of your run.
Artist Talk | 7-9 p.m. | Dougherty Arts Center | Free | Hear three local artists speak about the creative processes behind their work + explore the exhibits.
Thursday, Jan. 16
Tyler Halverson | 8 p.m. | Stubb’s Bar-B-Q | $10 | “Run Wild” toward this up-and-coming country artist’s “Beatin’ Around The Bar” tour.
Friday, Jan. 17
DASA Artist & XOXO Fellow Showcase | 6 p.m. | 506 Congress Ave. | Free with RSVP | Enjoy light bites, drinks, and exhibits + artist talks from the first cohort of DASA artists and XOXO Photography fellows.
Cedar Park-based aerospace company Firefly plans to launch its lunar lander, Blue Ghost One, in partnership with NASA on Wednesday, Jan. 15. The lander will take off from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket out of Cape Canaveral in Florida. (KXAN)
Development
Baylor Scott & White plans to double the capacity of its Round Rock Medical Center in the next year. The expansion will include new technology and a neonatal intensive care unit, as visits to the hospital have increased by 30% in the last five years. (KVUE)
Ranked
H-E-B is the best grocery store in the US, according to a study from dunnhumby. The store where everything’s better has ranked No. 1 four times in the last eight years, topping Market Basket and Costco.
Closed
Trudy’s Tex-Mex closed its Burnet Road location, but the company said it’s “excited for what’s to come” in an Instagram post. The restaurant chain, which has been operating since 1977, also closed its other two Austin locations in recent years.
Try This
Ballet Austin’s annual day of free fitness, Get Fit! 2025, is on Sunday, Jan. 19. You can get moving in classes like reformer Pilates, barre, and dance cardio all day long. Psst — sign up quickly because slots fill up fast.
Festival
The fourth annual Lunar New Year Festival will set up at The Paper + Craft Pantry in east Austin on Sunday, Feb. 2, featuring 30+ vendors, craft stations, lion and dragon dancing, and bilingual storytime. Tickets are donation-based or $45 for VIP entry.
Outdoors
The Travis County Parks Department is asking for public input to create its new comprehensive parks plan, which will guide the next decade of work. Take this survey, which is available until Thursday, Feb. 13, or attend a virtual meeting to share your thoughts.
State
The 7th annual Tulipalooza festival is Friday, Feb. 28-Sunday, March 16 at Getzendaner Park in Waxahachie. The DFW-area flower fest (hey there, FTWtoday) features over 300,000 tulips and daffodils, live music, food vendors, and photo ops. Tickets are on sale now.
Sports
Mike McCarthy will not return to coach the Cowboys next season. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Dallas Cowboys with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Biz
Want more eyes on your business in 2025? Our self-service advertising portal is designed to help you reach our 70,659+ readers through listings, banner ads, and articles. Get started.
Active
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Category
Outdoors
⛰️ Land acquisition of enchantment
Enchanted Rock currently features 11 miles of hiking trails, plus areas for camping, rock climbing, and star gazing. | Photo by Chase A. Fountain, via TPWD
Here’s some enchanting news — the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is about to get a lot bigger.
In a $43 million purchase, The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department acquired a 3,073-acre property adjacent to the state park, which lies about two hours west of Austin, that will double the space open to the public.
Funding for the purchase came from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, which is dedicated to developing state parks.
The land parcel was previously used for hunting and features another rock formation — similar to the park’s namesake pink granite dome — that could become a new stargazing spot.
Stay tuned for a call for public input to determine recreational opportunities for the new piece of the park.
Want to get outside without leaving town? Check out our hiking guide.
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Getting light rail set up in Austin is going to take a while, but if you like taking public transportation as much as I do, you can fill that train-shaped hole in your heart by taking the Red Line. I take it Downtown every chance I get.
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