Austin Light Rail Phase 1 is underway. This momentous transportation investment will offer an all-new transit experience, running reliably every 5 to 10 minutes to connect people to major job centers, education hubs, and iconic Austin destinations.

Key Progress Highlights
Continuing the design.
Recommendations to:
- Add a new downtown station near Wooldridge Square.
- Extend the bridge over Lady Bird Lake and elevate the Waterfront Station.
- Refine station locations on East Riverside.
- Advance a Greenway concept along East Riverside, featuring a continuous bike/pedestrian corridor and creating tree canopy and shade.
Hitting major milestones in the federal funding process. Including:
- Release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
- The Draft EIS is a critical step towards federal grant funding.
Developing the contracting and delivery approach. Including:
- Onboarding the Delivery Partner.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
The purpose of the Draft EIS is to understand how the light rail project will affect the current environment and to identify opportunities as well as the potential impacts to be mitigated. The Draft EIS documents current conditions, describes alternatives for the project that were considered and assesses potential environmental consequences of implementing the project. Click any of the links below to view a section of the study.
- Cover & Abstract
- Executive Summary (English | Spanish)
- Table of Contents
- Chapter 1: Purpose and Need
- Chapter 2: Alternatives Considered
- Chapter 3: Transportation
- Chapter 4: Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences
- Chapter 5: Cumulative Effects
- Chapter 6: Environmental Justice
- Chapter 7: Evaluation of Build Alternative and Design Options
- References
- List of Preparers
- Appendix A. Alternatives Development and Analysis
- Appendix B. Scoping Summary Report
- Appendix C. Build Alternative (Base Design) Conceptual Drawings – Part 1
- Appendix C. Build Alternative (Base Design) Conceptual Drawings – Part 2
- Appendix D. Transportation
- Appendix E. Built and Social Environment
- E-1. Acquisitions and Displacements Technical Report
- E-2. Land Use and Zoning Technical Report
- E-3. Neighborhoods and Community Resources Technical Report
- E-4. Socioeconomics Technical Report
- E-5. Visuals and Aesthetics Technical Report
- E-6. Draft Built Environment Survey Report
- E-7. Draft Archaeological Survey Report
- E-8. Hazardous Materials Technical Report
- E-9. Utilities Technical Report
- E-10. Safety and Security Technical Report
- E-11. Environmental Justice Technical Report
- Appendix F. Natural Environment
- Appendix G. Section 4(f) and Chapter 26 Evaluations
- Appendix H. Section 6(f) Evaluation
- Appendix I. Noise and Vibration
- Appendix J. Construction Methods and Activities
- Appendix K. Agency Correspondence
Project Maps
Project maps shown at the public meetings in January 2025 are available here. These maps reflect the design plans studied in the Draft EIS (Appendix C).
Draft Study Feedback
Provide your feedback on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement from January 10 until March 11, 2025. Share Feedback.
Public Meetings
All public meetings have concluded. The information shared at the public meetings is available online, and comments will be collected until March 11, 2025. View information and share feedback.
Previous Steps in NEPA Process
- Scoping Report (English | Spanish)
- Notice of Intent
Additional Documents
View additional relevant documents.
More About NEPA
Enacted into law in 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a federally mandated public planning process for projects involving federal funds or federal involvement. NEPA requires federal agencies to incorporate environmental considerations into their planning and decision making through a systematic and interdisciplinary approach. Compliance with NEPA is required for Austin Light Rail Phase 1 because we are pursuing federal grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration.