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Rail and Trail Improvements
Navasota Street – East Seventh Street
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Welcome
Thank you to everyone who gave feedback on the proposed changes to the Red Line Trail and CapMetro rail lines between Navasota Street and East Seventh Street. The community feedback collected in the summer and fall of 2023 helped shape the future of CapMetro rail service and improve trail connectivity and access.
This page will continue to be a resource for future project milestones. To receive email updates on the project, please email mobilitybonds@austintexas.gov with E. 5th in the subject line.
Fall 2024 Project Update
Community feedback has been analyzed, and the project is moving forward. The project team reviewed more than 300 comments to inform changes to the street and trail. Proposed changes generally received strong support with constructive feedback on all design elements. Read the feedback report for a summary of all feedback received as well as a stakeholder email update for anticipated next steps.
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Updated project scope map
About
The Austin Transportation and Public Works Department (TPW) and CapMetro are partnering to improve trail, sidewalk, rail transit, and intersection safety for people living and traveling along the rail between Navasota Street and East Seventh Street.
CapMetro is proposing to double-track the rail in two projects:
- Project 1: Navasota Street to Robert T. Martinez Jr. Street
- Project 2: Robert T. Martinez Jr. Street to East Seventh Street
TPW is evaluating East Fifth Street between Navasota Street and Pedernales Street to support bicycle, pedestrian and vehicular access and safety with these rail improvement projects. The area includes a connection to the eastern extent of the newly established Mexican-American Heritage Corridor spanning from Plaza Saltillo to Republic Square, signifying the rich Mexican-American heritage of the area. The area is a confluence of five major trail networks, including the crosstown bikeway through Plaza Saltillo, EastLink Trail, Red Line Trail, MoKan/Southern Walnut Creek Trail and the US 183 shared-use pathways.
Project Goal
To improve rail service reliability, capacity, system resiliency, customer experience, and the quality and comfort of the Red Line Trail while maintaining access and improving safety for everyone traveling in the area.
Project Background
CapMetro is conducting preliminary engineering for these projects in hopes of better positioning these projects for grants in the future. The improvements provide TPW an opportunity to coordinate the design of possible options for city trails within available street space along East Fifth Street, primarily between Navasota Street and Pedernales Street.
Please scroll down to review each component of the proposed project, starting with CapMetro’s two rail projects and then TPW's street design changes that support the rail and trail improvements. Review the proposed changes to East Fifth Street from Navasota Street to Pedernales Street and share your feedback through our brief survey. Your input is crucial in creating a more responsive and community-oriented project.
Rail Improvement Projects
- Adds approximately 0.6 miles of additional track alongside the existing rail line
- Replaces and extends Plaza Saltillo Station platforms
- Includes:
- Additional track
- Signalization
- Positive train control (PTC) system modifications
- Three railroad crossing improvements
- Adds approximately 0.95 miles of additional track along CapMetro’s East Subdivision
- Includes:
- Additional track
- Signalization
- PTC system modifications
- Two railroad crossing improvements
For more information on these projects, visit: publicinput.com/CapMetroRailImprovements
East Fifth Street Design Changes
Navasota Street to Chicon Street
- A one-way configuration westbound is proposed for East Fifth Street from Navasota Street to Chicon Street to fit sidewalks, on-street parking, rail platforms and an additional set of rails within available street space and rail right of way.
- This configuration allows for continuous sidewalks along East Fifth Street between Navasota Street and Chicon Street, as well as shorter and safer crossings at the intersection of Navasota Street and Comal Street. The cross-section below shows the configuration of the trail, rail lines, one-way westbound general travel lane and sidewalk for the section just east of Comal Street to Chicon Street.
- A raised crossing is proposed at Onion Street, and a set of median islands are proposed at Chicon Street.
- New pavement would be applied to this segment of East Fifth Street as part of these changes.
Chicon Street to Robert T. Martinez Jr. Street
- A one-way eastbound configuration is proposed along East Fifth Street from Chicon Street to Robert T. Martinez Jr. Street to fit a high-quality extension of the Red Line trail, the dual tracking of the Red Line railway and parking along the south curb.
- This configuration also allows for the separation of a shared-use pathway from the rail line and general travel lane, improving comfort and safety for everyone.
- New pavement would be applied to this segment of East Fifth Street as part of these changes.
- At Robert T. Martinez Jr. Street, pedestrian crossings would be made shorter and safer with a median island and raised crossings.
Robert T. Martinez Jr. Street to Pedernales Street
- Due to the extremely constrained space available, a shared street providing access one-way eastbound is proposed from Robert T. Martinez Jr. Street to Pedernales Street to best maintain local access, on-street parking and the quality and comfort of people walking, bicycling and rolling.
- A shared street is designed to calm the speed of motor vehicles, making it more comfortable to share street space among people walking, bicycling and driving.
- This section is proposed as a one-way eastbound for vehicle traffic and two-way for people walking or bicycling in the street. To keep motor vehicle traffic low and local access only, a traffic diverter would be installed at Matamoros Street, requiring people driving to turn off of East 5th Street and onto Matamoros Street while people walking or bicycling could pass through. Speed humps are also proposed to keep motor vehicle speeds low.
- Emergency vehicle access in both directions would be maintained
- At Pedernales Street, a trail crossing island would be constructed, and the trail would continue as a shared-use pathway eastward.
- New pavement would be applied to this segment of East Fifth Street as part of these changes.