COTA Austin - construction and infrastructure

[vfacundo]

Dear Friends of Formula 1,

Please take a moment to email and/or call the Travis County Commissioners to show your support for the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix project in Austin Texas. The county will hold a meeting on December 14, 2010 to vote on 2 specific requests to move the project forward. Every email and phone call counts, so spread
the word as far and wide as possible.

Your support is greatly appreciated,

Vance Facundo – Friends of Formula 1 Austin Texas
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sam.biscoe@co.travis.tx.us
ron.davis@co.travis.tx.us
karen.huber@co.travis.tx.us
sarah.eckhardt@co.travis.tx.us
commissioner.gomez@co.travis.tx.us
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County Judge Sam Biscoe: (512) 854-9555
Commissioner Ron Davis, Precinct 1: (512) 854-9111
Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt, Precinct 2: (512) 854-9222
Commissioner Karen Huber, Precinct 3: (512) 854-9333
Commissioner Margaret Gomez, Precinct 4: (512) 854-9444
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Be sure to sign your name before emailing
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Dear Travis County Commissioners,

As a strong advocate for bringing Formula 1 racing to Austin, Texas, I urge you to approve item #9 on the December 14 agenda regarding a flood plain variance at the United States Grand Prix site. County staff has recommended approval of this request, and your support will allow this beneficial project to continue moving forward.

The Formula 1 project will serve as a catalyst for improvements in the City of Austin’s Desired Development Zone and along the SH 130 corridor that have long been needed. Supporting this item will bring this project a step further to becoming a reality. I am eager for the arrival of Formula 1 in Austin, Texas, and urge you to support these matters.

Sincerely,

Supporter of the Formula 1 United States Grand PrixTM

[strad]

What was it? Barton creek they let go to hell? And all the platting of acreage for non starter housing projects? I'm not worried about anybody voting it down.

[wesley123]

what the heck is this?

[strad]

Austin went thru a period where they were so into development that they destroyed local creeks and swimmin holes. The people of Austin tried to stop it but Texas was in love with BIG far reaching housing plats with huge developments that paved over good ranch land.
Now I reckon with the developers gone broke from their high flying schemes they (Austin) are lookin for anything to bolster things back up.
Since I am an F1 fan and the past screw-ups are a done deal..I guess I'll take the track and the race...but in my opinion Austin paid a heck of a price for all the rapid development. While I wasn't thrilled with a race in Austin in June, I as so many on this side of the pond were happy to get a race, but I now wonder if F1 made a good choice, or just the one Bernie could wring the most money out of.
There also is the factor that if F1 looked down their noses at the people of Phoenix and Dallas, I think they will have a good time poking fun at the Texas locals.
Too bad the days when F1 enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the Glen are long gone and now require caviar in each pit.

[hairy_scotsman]

Sorry for the delay everyone....had some errands to run for Christmas.

Item 9b, the floodplain variance passed today by a 4-1 vote, so construction (clearing and grading) can begin in the next few days! We've been told to expect lighter activity at first, building to the real heavy movers right after the 1st.

This is better summed up by this post snippet from another board: "Court voted 4-1 to approve a variance for the construction of the Austin F1 track by allowing work to proceed pending approval of a Flood Plain map revision via a review by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The county will revisit the issue in 6 months if the "Conditional Letter of Map Revision" has not been received from FEMA by then, but most of them are processed within that time frame."

Also, Texas Natural Resources Commission staff was very confident the CLOMR would be approved easily within the 6 month timeframe, as was FEMA staff, as the Flood Plain overlaps were only minor, occurring only in small "fingers" of the floodplain. FTP has put up a $921,000+ assurance that the entire area would be cleaned up should the CLOMR not be approved...more than double that needed per a contractor's estimate. These were contributing factors in today's approval.


Item 9a, the road issue, was deferred to a later date in January, as it doesn't affect construction startup. This was not unexpected, imho.


Thanks to everyone who helped lobby the Commissioners! Every little bit helps!

[hairy_scotsman]

Austin went thru a period where they were so into development that they destroyed local creeks and swimmin holes. The people of Austin tried to stop it but Texas was in love with BIG far reaching housing plats with huge developments that paved over good ranch land.
Now I reckon with the developers gone broke from their high flying schemes they (Austin) are lookin for anything to bolster things back up.
Since I am an F1 fan and the past screw-ups are a done deal..I guess I'll take the track and the race...but in my opinion Austin paid a heck of a price for all the rapid development. While I wasn't thrilled with a race in Austin in June, I as so many on this side of the pond were happy to get a race, but I now wonder if F1 made a good choice, or just the one Bernie could wring the most money out of.
There also is the factor that if F1 looked down their noses at the people of Phoenix and Dallas, I think they will have a good time poking fun at the Texas locals.
Too bad the days when F1 enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the Glen are long gone and now require caviar in each pit.

Hi.

I've lived in Southwest Austin (much of the most environmentally sensitive area of town) since before the real estate boom (1977). I'm not sure what creeks and swimmin holes have been destroyed by all this development. There are still lots of great places to go and I'm unaware of a single place that's been spoiled.

Some people tried to pretend Austin wasn't going to grow despite repeated warnings of projected rapid growth. They thought they could keep Austin from growing by stalling developments and especially by killing major infrastructure projects like highway improvements that would improve perimeter and east-west mobility. Basically, the word of the day was "If we don't build it, they won't come". Well, they didn't build it, but people still came, by the hundreds of thousands, and THAT is how we're paying for our rapid growth in the worst way. We are playing catch-up now on roads that are 20-40 years behind schedule.

We're hearing a lot of this same kind of strange logic in regard to the F1 project. The thing is there is already a lot of other development starting to happen in that area. If the track isn't built, it's just going to be something else, likely something less appealing that's built by someone who'll take a much less friendly approach with regard to the environment.

FTP is under the microscope. They're doing this right because they want to (Tavo is from here and proud of Austin), and because they have to in order to get the job done.

As for the June date...that's not set yet. As for F1 looking down on the Texas locals, I'm sure we'll get along just fine, thanks. Montreal and Austin share very similar vibes, and the F1 gang seems to get along swimmingly there.

[jddh1]

IMAG0239 by terri177, on Flickr

That last corner looks like it's at the top of that hill. Do you know if it's going to be banked to make it interesting?

[hairy_scotsman]

IMAG0239 by terri177, on Flickr

That last corner looks like it's at the top of that hill. Do you know if it's going to be banked to make it interesting?

I think you're probably referring to the turn at the top of the hill on the right side of the photo just past the grandstand at the end of the long straight. That's Turn 1. As far as I know, it's not planned to be banked, at least not in any significant way.

[WhiteBlue]

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=396451

Organisers get construction green light for US GP site

Organisers of the 2012 US Grand Prix have received a green-light to begin work on the circuit at the Austin site. Local KVUE news reports that a conditional approval has been granted for work within the Dry Creek flood plain to begin.

The authoritative American Statesman newspaper explained that the approval of Travis County Commissioners on Tuesday means initial "grading work" at the site will likely now take place before final approval is granted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"County officials said they anticipate no significant objections from FEMA," said the report.

Organisers have said they would begin work this month, necessary to have the facility ready for the Formula One circus to arrive in 2012.

However, there is still some uncertainty about who will pay the $6m price-tag for road improvements. A recent county study found that it might take race-goers as long as 12 hours to leave the area after the inaugural event.

"Everybody is talking about a lot of people coming to our community and that this event is going to be a wild success," said US GP spokesman Richard Suttle.

This is the final confirmation that work will indeed begin in time in the next two weeks. Great news! I believe that the US GP in Austin will be a great success. More at:

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/for ... 22221.html

Details on the $6m road widening dispute:

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/f1- ... 18363.html

[segedunum]

That last corner looks like it's at the top of that hill. Do you know if it's going to be banked to make it interesting?

F1 circuit designers are not allowed to create circuits with any significant height differences or undulations. Basically, the older circuits of Spa, Interlagos and Suzuka are the last that we will ever see.

[hairy_scotsman]

That last corner looks like it's at the top of that hill. Do you know if it's going to be banked to make it interesting?

F1 circuit designers are not allowed to create circuits with any significant height differences or undulations. Basically, the older circuits of Spa, Interlagos and Suzuka are the last that we will ever see.

This one will have ~130' elevation change(confirmed).



http://www.flickr.com/photos/52143223@N05/page2/ (photos and video of the property)

I've been there probably 30 times now, and I was just out there 2 days ago. This track rolls over and around hills. It flows around, with, and over the terrain rather than plowing through it. The elevation changes you've seen on the artists renderings and the elevated track layout aren't artificially created. They're created by the lay of the land.

[Green Genes]

I don't think it's that they're not allowed to make hilly tracks, just that all the new tracks are built on big empty flat plots, likely because it cost less for whoever was building them. I think the only places the FIA dictates limits on elevation is a maximum slope and that slopes can't change too abruptly, so cars aren't going airborne over a crest or as the road drops away.

[hairy_scotsman]

I don't think it's that they're not allowed to make hilly tracks, just that all the new tracks are built on big empty flat plots, likely because it cost less for whoever was building them. I think the only places the FIA dictates limits on elevation is a maximum slope and that slopes can't change too abruptly, so cars aren't going airborne over a crest or as the road drops away.

^^^ +1

[strad]

Hairy Scotsman:
Trust me, I wasn't coming down on the good people of Austin. They fought hard to protect Barton Creek and swimming hole and if you don't know about that, you're a new comer. They fought, they passed local legislation to protect the land and creek but the state government overruled them but it was too late for most of the cash strapped developers. It was such a big deal that they made a documentary that just aired again on TV just a few weeks ago. And good ol' tree hugger Robert Redford got involved.
I am all for the F1 track,,BUT,,Having had experience with the stuck up, we're too good for you, F1 circus when the came to Phoenix, I warn you now, it may not be what you think. F1 has many times lately said they want to be more fan friendly but have seen nothing to convince me of that. Whilst I still follow F1 closely, that Phoenix experience soured me on the people of F1 forever. You'd a had to be there. You'd have thought they were royalty.

[hairy_scotsman]

Hairy Scotsman:
Trust me, I wasn't coming down on the good people of Austin. They fought hard to protect Barton Creek and swimming hole and if you don't know about that, you're a new comer. They fought, they passed local legislation to protect the land and creek but the state government overruled them but it was too late for most of the cash strapped developers. It was such a big deal that they made a documentary that just aired again on TV just a few weeks ago. And good ol' tree hugger Robert Redford got involved.
I am all for the F1 track,,BUT,,Having had experience with the stuck up, we're too good for you, F1 circus when the came to Phoenix, I warn you now, it may not be what you think. F1 has many times lately said they want to be more fan friendly but have seen nothing to convince me of that. Whilst I still follow F1 closely, that Phoenix experience soured me on the people of F1 forever. You'd a had to be there. You'd have thought they were royalty.

Like I said, I've been here 30+ years. I'm more than familiar with SOS and all the other coalitions that selectively protect their pet areas on the west side. They're the reason it's so hard to find gas anywhere on the west side.

Still, contrary to your earlier post, Barton Creek/Springs is alive and well. I swim and mountain bike there weekly...and there are plenty of developers still doing big business.

As for the difficult personalities in F1, I've been to enough races to know what they're like. Can't be much worse than dealing with the annual influx from SxSW, ACLFest, etc...and now we'll have a venue that can actually handle ACLFest.