The first portion of a project that added MetroRail tracks from Leander to Lakeline is now complete, making it the first rail project completed as part of Project Connect, CapMetro's transit system overhaul.

Once built out, Project Connect will bring two new light rail lines, new bus routes, and more park-and-ride options.

"It is a relatively simple thing, but it is so important because it allows us to adjust schedules," Dottie Watkins, President and CEO of CapMetro, said of the additional tracks. "It allows us, when things go a little wrong, to recover our schedules faster. And this and other investments that we're making in the city will allow us eventually to increase the frequency and lower the travel time it takes for people to get from Leander into downtown."

As the region grows, more commuters are traveling greater distances, making commute options like transit a crucial part of Central Texas' future.

Project Connect was approved by Austin voters in 2020. Dirt has turned on several projects, which will be delivered in phases over the next decade.