After several stops and starts and some controversy over the alleged dangers of steel rail ties, Austin�s Capital Metro opened its 32-mi MetroRail commuter line between the city of Leander and the Convention Center in Downtown Austin on March 22, a year later than originally planned.
Citing safety concerns, Capital Metro on March 23, 2009, postponed the planned MetroRail opening. At a board meeting, according to official minutes, chairman Margaret Gomez said she was disappointed but having waited 30 years for a rail line, “I can wait another few weeks or so because safety is the most important issue.”