As some local active mobility advocates anticipated, the city has decided to keep the protected bike lanes on Congress Avenue between Riverside Drive and 11th Street following the summer pilot. Beginning next week, the Austin Transportation Department will kick off a monthlong process of replacing the orange traffic cones currently separating general traffic from the bike […]
Ryan Thornton
Posted inPlanning
ULI proposes affordability-centered upgrade to transit-oriented development
Housing costs in Austin are skyrocketing, bringing the average home sale price from $179,250 in 2010 up to nearly $385,000 this year. Factor in the transportation costs of car ownership, and median income isn’t even close to keeping up with the increase. A new report from Urban Land Institute Austin proposes a partial solution to […]
Posted inCity Charter
Coalition publishes draft amendments for modified local democracy
In a city where an appointed city manager administers policy, midterm mayoral elections are decided by a wealthier and whiter electorate, costly runoff elections draw a fraction of eligible voters, and nearly 70 percent of all City Council campaign contributions trace back to three Council districts, a political coalition is seeking structural changes it claims […]
Posted inHousing
City unveils affordable housing and transit dashboard ahead of Project Connect
With a historic investment in public transit and affordable housing on the Nov. 3 ballot, the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department has launched an interactive map to track proximity of income-restricted housing stock to potential stations along the city’s transportation priority network. The tool, which was demonstrated to City Council’s Housing and Planning Committee […]
Posted inCity Council
City hopes fewer Covid cases and cooler temps will boost open-air business pilot
Austin’s Covid-era pilot for safe outdoor shopping and dining has been running since June 15, but not many local shops and restaurants have sought to take advantage of the program so far. During the first 10 weeks of Shop the Block!, the city has received a total of 12 applications from seven businesses for the […]
Posted inCity Council
Council approves $23 million in partial purchases for Corridor Construction Program
City Council has authorized the Office of Real Estate Services to start negotiations with landowners for $23 million in real estate acquisitions from a number of properties along the nine segments of the Corridor Construction Program. Mike Trimble, director of the Corridor Program Office, told Council on Thursday that the partial acquisitions and corridor improvements […]
Posted inWhispers
Austin first city where drivers pay for parking in Google Maps
The Transportation Department is rolling out a new parking payment feature to make Austin the first city where drivers can pay for parking within Google Maps. When navigating a route using Google Maps on either iOS or Android systems, drivers will be prompted to pay for on-street parking spaces directly from their mobile phone, eliminating […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Project Connect: Council to consider equity metrics
Included in the $7.1 billion Project Connect proposal for Nov. 3 is $300 million for affordable housing and neighborhood-level displacement prevention strategies along transit corridors. On Thursday, City Council will vote on a resolution further clarifying that impacted neighborhoods are to help establish the metrics to measure the success of those displacement prevention efforts. “We’re […]
Posted inAustin
Tiered-rate parking payment system to free up parking spots, decrease use of parking tickets
Over the next month and a half, the Austin Transportation Department will be updating on-street parking meters to a more flexible “pay-by-plate” system that will make it easier for drivers to add extra time to a parking session. The new tiered-rate system will further the city’s ongoing effort to increase turnover at on-street parking spots […]
Posted inCity Council
Austin to become a better ‘laboratory’ for UT research under interlocal agreement
While City Council members and city departments have long sought help from the University of Texas to research challenges facing the city like gentrification or the “downtown puzzle,” there has never been a formal process to coordinate those efforts – until now. Council unanimously approved a five-year interlocal agreement Thursday to remove organizational barriers for […]
Posted inTransit
Broadmoor rail station to break ground in September, replace Kramer station
A new Red Line commuter rail station will break ground next month, directly servicing the Domain and the future $2 billion mixed-use Broadmoor development by summer 2022. The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority board approved a public-private partnership with Brandywine for the $24 million double-platform station on Monday, committing to pay no more than $12 million, half […]
Posted inPolice
Council to consider approving grants for APD safety projects
Thursday’s City Council meeting agenda has 10 items requesting approval of grant awards to the Austin Police Department for a variety of ongoing projects. While the grants support important community programs like mental health first response, sexual assault evidence testing and victim services, Council members pulled each of the items Tuesday to clarify that the […]