How Project Connect Would Change ‘The Drag’

A popular commuting route to the University of Texas at Austin that started out as an unpaved path could soon become home to a new light rail line, reports Lizzie Bassett for The Daily Texan.

The proposal to transform Guadalupe Street is part of the city’s ambitious Project Connect plan to expand public transit across the Austin area and improve pedestrian safety on one of the city’s most dangerous roadways. “Project Connect would create a light rail, which would run across 9.8 miles of Austin and connect UT students to key locations like downtown and South Congress.”

Under the plan, the road in question, known as The Drag, would prioritize transit and pedestrians over vehicles. “With fewer vehicles on The Drag, students commuting between the University and West Campus will likely reduce pedestrian injuries significantly.”

However, Republican lawmakers have repeatedly taken aim at the project’s funding mechanism, and proposed state legislation could eliminate Project Connect funding.