COTA Austin - construction and infrastructure

[Pup]

If they're delaying it, then I'd think the county will pay their share. Wasn't it only a question of CotA paying for all of it if they had to get it done this year?

Besides, I believe from their last meeting that CotA was asking to extend Kellam as an easier alternative to widening Elroy, so Elroy isn't a priority anymore.

So I'd think that if they get what they want, they'll split the cost of Kellam, and then the county will pay for Elroy at a later date, which is what they were going to do anyway before the race. Or at least the county will pay a larger share than they would have had CotA insisted that the work be done this year.

[hairy_scotsman]

Still more details coming out. Here's a Statesman story just released. Doesn't indicate either way if this will be done before or after the first race:

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/ ... to_he.html

Besides, I believe from their last meeting that CotA was asking to extend Kellam as an easier alternative to widening Elroy, so Elroy isn't a priority anymore.

They're talking about doing both. I never heard that Kellam would be an alternative to Elroy. Just a supplement...a way to get people from Hwy 71 to the track via Ross and Pearce. Elroy will still bring people in from 130 and beyond.

[WhiteBlue]

At least it sounds like good news for the track and the fans.

[WilliamsF1]

Bobby's buggy

The Travis County commissioners court voted this afternoon to help pay for local road improvements necessary to host Formula 1 races near Elroy. The decision represents a significant shift from county officials’ earlier insistence that organizers pick up the full tab for the improvements.

“For the last two years we’ve maintained that F1 should pay its own way,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt, who voted against the measure. “Today, by this motion, we do a 180 and now agree to pick up part of the tab for F1 on Elroy and all of the tab for F1 on Kellam.”

Following an hour-long closed meeting, the Travis County commissioners court said it would pay for a still-undetermined portion of the extension of little-used Kellam Road to Pearce Lane to create a new route to get to the track property, and widening Elroy Road to four lanes. County staffers and Circuit of the America’s officials said they will meet later to work out details.

For months, the county and the circuit officials have debated who should pay for an estimated $8 million in road improvements for the area. The county in the past has said that it will repave McAngus, Elroy and Kellam roads.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Margaret Gomez said the improvements are necessary for public safety so the county should pay.

“I’m not going to take a chance that some disaster will take place in precinct 4 because a resident was unable to get to an emergency vehicle because the congestion prevented that,” Gomez said. “This money is going into our public assets. It’s not going to COTA’s pocketbook.”

The 3.4-mile circuit is scheduled to host its inaugural Formula One Grand Prix race on November 18. It would be the first F1 race in the United States in five years. F1 organizers say they anticipate 120,000 fans will attend.

Guess this is what has been approved.

[strad]

Hey xpensive,,I'm thinkin you better figure what goes down well with Nomex...a white or a red? Perhaps a nice Chardonnay?

[xpensive]

Hey xpensive,,I'm thinkin you better figure what goes down well with Nomex...a white or a red? Perhaps a nice Chardonnay?

I had planned on Colt45, what do you reckon strad?

[Ted68]

If you're in Austin, it's Lone Star Beer.

[richard_leeds]

Guess this is what has been approved.
[img]http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj544/williamsf1pics/RoadDev1.jpg[img]

So Kimley Horn had estimated a 3.5 hour delay with the current road system - does anyone know if they had an estimate for the updated plan? It looks like they've got ample access points all around the circuit now. I think there is a little right of way strip on the east there that's hard to see, so they really do have 360° access around the circuit.

I'm guessing that little plot on the east by the hairpin is that retired police officer with the water line problem?

Do you have a higher res version of that plan? I'm guessing that the green and pink shaded areas are parking, or maybe camping. Is the more olive green area the amphitheater, or is that something else?

[bill shoe]

If you're in Austin, it's Lone Star Beer.

If you're in Austin a nice Shiner Boch is the ideal Texan beer. Texas does produce wine out west, but people with sofisicated taste tell me it's swill.

[hairy_scotsman]

The 3.5 hour estimate was based on what's there now with re-striping of FM 812.

- McAngus is set for drainage improvement and repaving.
- Elroy is set for widening to Kellam, and
- Kellam will be extended to Pearce and the existing portion repaved.

This approval adds 2 lanes on Elroy and access to Pearce on two-lane Kellam Rd. One of the Elroy lanes has been said to be dedicated for Emergency vehicle traffic.

Neither of the updates posted by the Statesman addresses the timetable of this work, i.e. whether the plan is to get it done before or after the first GP. An acquaintance who attended the meeting told us that the vote approved the work to be done after the first GP, but news stories aren't saying either way.

Guess this is what has been approved.

I'm pretty sure the Circuit was only asking for widening of Elroy east to the track entrance at Circuit of the Americas Blvd, which is just east of Kellam.

[donskar]

If you're in Austin, it's Lone Star Beer.

No. Firehouse 4.

[hairy_scotsman]

If you're in Austin, it's Lone Star Beer.

If you're in Austin a nice Shiner Boch is the ideal Texan beer. Texas does produce wine out west, but people with sofisicated taste tell me it's swill.

I'm not a wine drinker really, so I can't speak for the quality, but there are wineries all around central Texas west of IH-35, including some national and international award winners. In re: wine, it's certainly not France or Napa, but it's probably not bad, either.

That said, if I had to pick a drink from around here, it would be this:



...or this:

[hairy_scotsman]

I think there is a little right of way strip on the east there that's hard to see, so they really do have 360° access around the circuit.

I'm guessing that little plot on the east by the hairpin is that retired police officer with the water line problem?

Do you have a higher res version of that plan? I'm guessing that the green and pink shaded areas are parking, or maybe camping. Is the more olive green area the amphitheater, or is that something else?

They've had 360 access for a while, but I don't believe the traffic plans that have been kicked around have included significant public access off that portion of Elroy Road. They could change it, but who knows?

Here's a larger copy:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbonvouloi ... otostream/

That's a very old schematic, one of the first ones after the release of the track's location. The green and pink areas were designated then as parking, but from what I hear much of that has changed. The olive area was basically a conceptual thing thrown out as sort of a meeting area for peds coming across the creek/floodplain on one of the 2 pedestrian walkways and maybe a recreational/park space for the camping area, which was to be near there. You can also see the karting track. The bridges have since been omitted. No word recently on the karting track.

[richard_leeds]

Guess this is what has been approved.
[img]http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj544/williamsf1pics/RoadDev1.jpg[img]

So Kimley Horn had estimated a 3.5 hour delay with the current road system - does anyone know if they had an estimate for the updated plan? It looks like they've got ample access points all around the circuit now. I think there is a little right of way strip on the east there that's hard to see, so they really do have 360° access around the circuit.

I'm guessing that little plot on the east by the hairpin is that retired police officer with the water line problem?

Do you have a higher res version of that plan? I'm guessing that the green and pink shaded areas are parking, or maybe camping. Is the more olive green area the amphitheater, or is that something else?

That is the old parking plan, a new one as a hi-res *pdf available sometime in december and was posted on this thread, how ever i could not find it.

The new one shows parking on the other side of the water body near the McAngus road

[hairy_scotsman]

The parking area west of the creek near McAngus was on the old plan too.

BTW, I found a higher res version that I saved on my flickr account. It cuts off the west parking lot, but the resolution is good: