Worsening traffic is inevitable, so how to cope with it?
Another notable company potentially opening in the Austin metro area and bringing thousands of jobs. Some people see these headlines and think… “not more traffic “. There is so much momentum with people and companies moving to Austin, it’s inevitable that traffic will continue to get worse. There are a couple of things I do to cope with this fact…
1. I’m on a committee for CapMetro and it’s inspiring to see the plans they are putting in place (Named: Project Connect). Coming in November there will be a crucial vote that will determine if we see more light rail and a subway… yes there is a version of the plan that includes an underground subway through downtown!
If you’re thinking “I don’t care about a train, I want to drive!” … a train will get people off the road reducing traffic for you. And I guarantee you people will use it when it’s up and running effectively. Even during this pandemic CapMetro has ~30,000 daily riders!
2. I’m buying more real estate. If you own a bunch of real estate you want more people to come, increased demand often leads to price appreciation. Then you’re in alignment with what’s happening and it puts a smile on your face to read these articles.
3. Embracing change – I’ve come to realize that change is inevitable. “If you’re not growing you’re dying” – I think this could be said for cities and I certainly don’t want to live in one that’s dying! Therefore I’m expecting change and when it happens I’m excited about what it means. Yes we have lost some Austin icons over the years and I’m sad about that, but there are new Austin landmarks that I’m grateful for.