The 'Dillowasafreetrolleythat ran in downtown Austin from 1984-2009. I say 'trolley' because thatswhat theylookedlike, and that's what we calledthem, but they werenot trulystreetcars. They did not have tracks,or overheadwires. Theywerejust citybusseswith weirdstyling,becausesomeoneat thecitythought that it would be funky andfun, I suppose.
Thememoestablishingwhat wouldbecomethe 'Dillo.
Council Memo 8 5/10/84
Armadillo Express
Approved establishment of the ''Armadillo Express'' Downtown Shuttle as a permanent service of the Transit System.
At thi■ time a check for $5,000 was presented to the City for help in the continuance of the shuttle and Mayor Mullen read a proclamation to Mary Cooke who was the first citizen �o "catch a dillo'' to ride. City Manager Carrasco said no additional funds for maint�ining of the shuttle will be needed.
Asacost-cuttingmeasurefollowing theeconomiccrisisof 2008, theCap Metroboardofdirectorsvotedtoindefinitely suspendthe 'Dillo. Increased downtowntraffichadincresedwait times, and theservicesuffered from low ridership,especiallyafter50centfaire was implemented theyearbefore.AstheAustinChronicle stated, "Capital Metro'screaky,iconic, andunderused'Dillo trolleycar-styledbusesarenowofficiallyroadkill."
Thefinancialcrisisof 2008 causedalotofproblemsformyfamily, sothedeathofthe 'Dillo andtheemptyshell it left always remindmeofdarktimes.Thelossofinnocence,andthepoint atwhich "oldAustin"ended.AnyonewhohaslivedinAustinfor morethan tenyears will say that theymiss "old Austin". Formy parents, it'stheAustin ofthe late 80s, of Linklater's Slacker--when they were UTgrad studentsfallingin love.Therarehippieswhoarestill intownwilltell you it wasthe70s, that nothingwasthe sameonceArmadillo World Headquartersshutteredin 1980. Thetweehipsters will tellyouoldAustinendedwhen Fun Fun Fun Fest fizzledout in 2015. I haveseennewcomersroll theireyes, andsaythat "oldAustin"just endswhenyouexit yourtwenties, that it'safalsenotionfuledbyyouthful nostalgia. I don'tthinkthat'sthewhole. Gentrificationandextremelyrapidpopulation increase drivenbythe obtrusionoftechconclomerates and haveshiftedourculturetowards somethingsleeker,faster,andmore boring-drasticallydifferentthan theAustinmyparentsmoved to.
Lots ofpeoplewouldsay Ineverknew "oldAustin,"but therearepartsofAustinthat still feel likeitto me. It'saparalleldimension that I canseeintosometimes. It comesthrough themost forme outdoorsonearlysummerevenings, beforethegrassisbrowned. When it'shot butbreezy, andmourningdoveshavebeencalling all afternoon. Someonementionsa place that closedyears ago.Thesemoments aremiragesnow-theyonly comeintoviewwhenthe roadcurvesperfectly, andyou focusyoureyesjust so. Before 2009, I didn't haveto squint tosee it.
Hometown Homesick Blues
I wannagohomeontheArmadillo, Good, fastroutesfromAustin High to ML King Thefriendliest peopleandthecheapest ticket you'veeverseen
Well, it'scoldovertherein London, daggummit, Iswear, But at least there's the tube to ride on.
Whereinthe derriere isthat billionaire** Who promiseda hyperloopatmydoor?
Andof the wholedamnthing, the onlyrideformyouting, isa scooteroracheap-asscar
Oh, mymind keepsrollin' andmyheart keeps longing To betarriedhome from a Texasbar
*this is a cheap parody of Gary P. Nunn's "London Homesick Blues", which was the Austin City limits theme song from 1977-2004. **may the record show, I do not like Elon Musk, or what he stands for.
https://reconnectaustin.com/history-of-the-i-35-corridor/ https://www.kut.org/austin/2023-06-22/two-paragraphs-forced-black-residents-to-east-austin-exploding-real-estate-prices-forced-them-out https://www.kut.org/transportation/2024-02-21/your-ultimate-guide-to-the-i-35-expansion-through-central-austin https://www.kut.org/transportation/2024-01-29/i-35-expansion-sparks-civil-rights-complaint-and-another-lawsuit https://www.kxan.com/traffic/traffic-projects/i-35-expansion-project/txdot-sues-several-displaced-properties-amid-planned-i-35-expansion/] https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/44/f0/8c47c3ff4bbeabfb1834676beb0a/i-35-capex-central-alt-3-mod-schematic.pdf
Robert Moses
https://www.segregationbydesign.com/the-bronx/the-cross-bronx-expressway https://www.fastcompany.com/3061873/how-urban-design-perpetuates-racial-inequality-and-what-we-can-do-about-it 99% lnvisible'sseriesThe Power Broker
also, pleasedon'tusethosegod-forsakenscooters. geta bikeinstead, if youcan. please.orwalk.
