Get ready for downtown street closures

Richard Mendoza, interim director of the Transportation and Public Works Department, notified City Council via memo of some major street closures that are likely to affect anyone traveling through downtown for the next month. It’s another reminder in the busy district of how Austin continues to add residents, regardless of what is happening in other parts of the country.

Guadalupe is already closed between Sixth and Eighth streets, and that will last through Monday. In the same area, Seventh Street between San Antonio and Lavaca streets will also be closed. Mendoza wrote that there will be partial closures of San Antonio Street and West Sixth Street, too. Unforeseen circumstances, such as weather, could result in a closure lasting longer than anticipated, he noted.

The closures are meant to protect the public while contractors dismantle a tower crane that has been used to create new development, Mendoza said.

Next month, more street closures are anticipated, in order to dismantle another tower crane. Mendoza expects West 17th Street to be closed July 18-21. In addition, the intersection of Guadalupe Street and West 17th Street tentatively is scheduled for closure July 21-23. The planned closures may last longer than anticipated or be rescheduled to a later date, he noted.

In preparing for the closures, the department coordinates closely with the contractors involved “to address public safety, property access and mobility concerns while dismantling the crane. TPW reviews the contractor’s permit request and traffic control plan, along with a justification letter prepared by the contractor’s engineer,” he wrote.

Mendoza also noted that contractors are required to notify and coordinate with Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, nearby residences and businesses, and public safety agencies.

Photo made available through a Creative Commons license.

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Posted In: Roads, District 9