VIA Metropolitan Transit will host a virtual town hall at 7:00 pm Thursday to discuss timelines, costs and benefits of the High Speed Rail (ART) North/South Corridor project with residents. From San Antonio International Airport to Mission.
The ART project, the first of its kind in San Antonio, seeks to significantly improve the frequency of bus stops along one of the city’s busiest corridors. It is funded with federal backing and is scheduled to start in 2027.
Lawson Picasso, communications and public engagement manager at engineering firm WSP, which is consulting with VIA on the project, said it would significantly improve the quality of life for residents.
“One of the things that is very basic to people’s quality of life and one of its central pillars is public transport,” she said. “This will enable access to the jobs, education, health services and essential areas needed to live a healthy and active life.”
Picasso said the East and West ART Corridor projects could be next.
Ryan Lloyd
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texas public radio
She also added how accessible public transport is essential to solving problems she herself has dealt with in the past, such as economic inequality and food insecurity.
“To truly address food insecurity, we need to understand that food insecurity is a product of larger problems. , access to workforce programs,” said Picasso. “So it’s really important to make sure that public transport is one of the places where people can access people in areas where they might feel disconnected.”
Picasso said virtual reality was a powerful tool that residents used to understand the project and show what the dedicated lanes and platforms would look like. So they were able to provide more informed feedback.
“It really helps and gives us a more immersive understanding of some of the more technical parts that can get lost in a lot of technical jargon, in a visual way. It’s been a huge benefit to how we’ve been able to get involved with the community.”
Virtual Town Hall Thursdays at 7pm Stream on one of VIA’s websitesand residents can also register for talks at the bottom of the page or by texting “VIA” to 833-898-5483. Town Hall will be recorded and posted at Facebook page of VIA.