The So Called "Transportation System" in Austin Texas

     Every day, for hours, Austinites (along with many others in central Texas) sit endlessly in traffic.  Traffic in which they have become rather complaisant sitting through, but at the same time highly impatient.  Thus assisting in the already ridiculously high traffic incident and fatality rate.  According to a report from Austin Chamber in May of 2013, titled Transportation 101, Austin has the 4th highest travel time index in the country, which also led to Central Texans losing 38,307 million hours doing what?  Yep!  You guessed it, sitting in TRAFFIC in just 2011 ALONE!  This very congestion costs Central Texans $930/year PER PERSON!!!
     Now, I'm no genius but I have to say that when you look at the statistics of the insane influx of migrants whom decide it is a good idea to up and move to Austin one day (such as my family and myself), and you lay it all out on the table, the numbers just blow me away and really put things into perspective.  In the same previously mentioned report, they make note of the fact that in Texas alone in the past 25 years 1st - Population has increased 57%, 2nd - Use of state roads grew a whopping 95%, and here's the real kicker... State road capacity.  Can you take a wild guess at how much that has increased?  Bet you couldn't even if you tried.  Here it is... State road capacity only grew at 8% over the last 25 years!  Go ahead and take a second to think about that if you will.  How about we take a gander at a few more statistics for a second.  Austin Chamber says that in the next 25 years Texas will see population increase of 65%, road use increase by 214%, and state road capacity will still only grow a whole 6%.
     As we all know (or maybe you don't) Austin continues to be #1 in the spot of the fastest growing big cities in the country, with a staggering net of 110 migrants per day moving to this city alone!  In an article on Politifact Texas, written by Lynda Rife, the population growth is broken down as follows.  You take into account of the 150 people that actually move here each day then subtract the estimated 40 that move out, then add back in an extra 30 per day in births alone, (because evidently those outpace the deaths in the area), you get a grand total of 140 people per day added to the 5 counties that make up Austin.  Out of those 140 settlers, 81 settled in Travis county!
   So, I get that I have gone on and on about the population growth and the road conditions in Austin, but I just wanted to set some ground for why I am upset, to help paint the big picture of a much bigger and rapidly growing problem if you will.  Why isn't the government doing anything about the traffic problem?  If Austin claims to be so green, then why aren't we making improvements to lessen out carbon footprint and lower emissions?  When are the people of Austin going to get fed up and demand for a better means of alternative transportation in the form of public transit?  Now, yeah... I suppose that they "tried" to improve things by adding those ugly, obnoxious, annoying, overgrown, extended buses to the routes through Austin, but all more often than not I see them "not in service".
     I say it's time to put our tax dollars to good use and invest in a long term solution.  A solution that works amazingly for other cities.  There are a few options to look at.  All of which are similar, but very different in many aspects.
     First,  some smaller and less significant improvements using what we already have at our disposal.  For starters, we need to knock out this wise idea of a light rail system that, just like the current commuter rail system we already have, only accommodates a small percentage of people that are destined to a line of locations, and have little to no freedom to where they can build it without consideration to it's surroundings.  Since you will always have people whom prefer the bus system, but just wish for improvements, make some double-decker buses that take up less room on the road than those God awful extended buses!  Next, stagger work arrival and departure times in hour increments I have been saying this for years and this can be done in many ways, ie: citywide by last name, company wide at their digressions (but mandated and required by all), priority, or even at random.  I was so happy to find someone else who had the same idea in an article on "Techzette" along with a few other proposals to the lovely traffic issue here (not that I agree with them all though).
     So, to start fresh, become innovative, accommodating, and to get with the times, it only makes sense to look at other options that would last for years to come and that can be added to as needed.  We need something that avoids the traffic, commutes far more passengers than the current systems do.  I am stuck between two on which I would say is the best option for this vastly growing city.  I would have to say though that I am between a well constructed and planned out, broad range subway system which I know is more expensive on taxes, and requires routine maintenance, but offers significantly more freedom for routes, and serves a much higher capacity of passengers, with far more frequent stops.  Thus accommodating more citizens.  In NY it runs 24/7 - 365, and reaches top speeds of 55mph, but operates at an average of around 17 mph.  The one that I'd say is just as equally a great solution and perhaps easier to erect and put in place is a Monorail system.  A monorail system is like the one you see in Disney just for an example.  It is commonly elevated above the roads, has the ability to go between trees, and buildings, and is easy to add on to and reroute.  This mode of transport hits top speeds of around 70 mph and also accommodates significantly more passengers than our current so called "public transit".  The big thing to all of these?  They have no emissions!  All electric!
     The last option I am going to present here is a Maglev.  Maybe not right now, but eventually.  Just because it would be really cool and most definitely get people to work much quicker.  You have to check this video out and tell me it isn't the coolest thing ever!  Top Speed of 373mph.  
     Anyway, I know I don't have all the answers, but I do know that something needs to be done with this stupid "lack there of" transportation system we have here!  I truly believe that by fixing it and offering solutions far better than the current, we will see a decrease in unemployment rates here, a decrease in accident rates, increased funds due to much more riders that have been waiting on an improvement, and finally, far less pollution.