Escarpment Blvd.
An escarpment is a relatively steep face that separates two regions by a markedly different elevation . But how is escarpment related to Austin? The next time you drive from Austin to San Antonio on I-35, observe the 300-feet high grounds along the highway at certain places. This is called the Balcones escarpment. It extends from Del Rio to red river in a curved line. The escarpment is visible eastward from Del Rio, where it is about 1,000 feet high. But along the I-35, it is only about 300 feet high. Watch some of the other escarpment pics here at discovery link. Balcones escarpment is a surface expression of the Balcones Fault line. Although the Balcones Fault zone has recently been active, it is in one of the lowest-risk zones for earthquakes in the United States.
MoPac Expressway.
Originally the road was owned by the company Missouri Pacific Railroad. Hence the short name MoPac. Even though the road was later bought by City of Austin, MoPac has remained a popular name amongst the locals. The official name of the highway is Texas Loop 1.
A particular section of the road has railroad running in the median. Today the railroad is mostly used by the Goods train and rarely by Amtrak. MoPac serves a very important purpose in Austin. It's the only other freeway after I-35 that takes Autinites to their downtown and their beloved Zilker Park which is also near downtown. MoPac can become really crowded especially during major events in downtown.
And because of the increasing population in Austin, A MoPac Improvement Project was initiated. One of the latest plans is to lay down express lanes for Emergency Vehicles, public transit buses and registered van pools. Check out this website: MoPac Improvement Project
public transit buses, registered van pools, and emergency vehicles - See more at: http://www.mopacexpress.com/express-lanes/index.php#sthash.VC18Yl3h.dpuf
public transit buses, registered van pools, and emergency vehicles - See more at: http://www.mopacexpress.com/express-lanes/index.php#sthash.VC18Yl3h.dpuf
Streets in Austin Downtown.
The street names Rio Grande, Nueces, San Antonio, Guadalupe, Lavaca, Colorado, Brazos, San Jacinto, Trinity, Neches, Red River, Sabine are names of Texas rivers which run from North to South just like these streets. Also these streets are named in the same order in which these rivers are present from west of Texas to east of Texas.source:
http://www.texasstories.com/library/program2.html?loc=pc_austin_waterloo_lib.html
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/geo/ggtc/ch3.html
http://www.mochaonline.org/StephenFSlaughterArticle.pdf
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/texas/rivers/labeled.shtml
