The Austin Transit Partnership board advanced a $60 million design-build contract for the first phase of the Austin Light Rail Project. The initial agreement is with Austin Rail Constructors, or ARC—a joint venture between Stacy Witbeck and Sundt Construction. The ARC contract is only for the first portion, or Phase 1A, of preconstruction work for the light rail system. This contract is expected to be the first of many for the several billion dollars in contracts anticipated for the Austin Light Rail. The transit initiative is now on track to begin construction in 2027.

The rail system will initially feature 15 stations along the alignment and all-electric trains running every 5-10 minutes throughout most of the day.

The 10-mile Austin Light Rail is one part of the overall Project Connect transit program approved by voters in 2020. Federal grants are anticipated to support about half of its $7.1 billion cost, with other funding sources including the increased city taxes authorized in the 2020 election, Project Connect revenues and bonds, and federal infrastructure loans.