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Quote of the Day
“It is all one budget, and we need to start thinking in that way as we start the initial descent of this airplane.”
— Mayor Kirk Watson, from Council mulls budget priorities ahead of vote
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New concrete barricades coming to Austin’s Sixth Street as part of safety plan
From Nathan Bernier, KUT News:
Starting today, city crews will begin replacing the water-filled barricades on East Sixth Street with concrete barriers.
The swap is one step in Austin’s effort to tame the famously rowdy strip and create a more welcoming district that draws a broader age range and more spending, even if not everyone’s ready to sanitize “Dirty Sixth.”
The new concrete barricades will stand 3.5 feet tall, shorter than the current plastic ones, and run along both sides of the street for two blocks, from San Jacinto Boulevard to Neches Street. A rubberized curb from Neches to Red River Street, installed in January, will remain.
Council mulls budget priorities ahead of vote
From Lina Fisher:
As Austin City Council nears its Wednesday vote to approve a more than $6 billion budget, Council members laid out each of their spending priorities in a work session Thursday, landing on many points of consensus. Council members added their proposed amendments to the budget as laid out by City Manager T.C. Broadnax in July, and then moved on to discussing four differing scenarios for a possible tax rate election (TRE) in November.
Council Member Marc Duchen is the sole Council member that doesn’t see a need for a TRE, citing concerns about the City’s spending patterns and Austin’s lack of affordability. However, during Thursday’s meeting, he acquiesced to a 2-cent increase above Broadnax’s current budget rate. Watson has been the second-most reticent, advocating for a 3.5-cent increase above the state-allowed amount. The rest of the dais is split between 5.75 and 6.75 cents.
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ADA transition plan looks to fix inaccessible crossings, trails
The Transportation and Public Works Department is developing its first ADA Transition Plans for pedestrian crossings and urban trails. The plans will identify accessibility barriers across the city and create a prioritized roadmap for fixing them. The project, funded through a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant, is in the final week of its public outreach phase, with an online survey open through Aug. 15 for residents to submit locations and details of barriers they encounter.
Staff and advisors provided an updated presentation to the committee, sharing that the plans will cover issues such as missing or non-compliant curb ramps, pedestrian signals with insufficient crossing times, faded or absent crosswalks, missing audio cues, poor lighting, steep slopes, cracked pavement and narrow trails. Feedback will be combined with city analysis of “pedestrian generators” like schools, parks and transit stops to identify and rank problem areas. The 50 percent draft plan is expected by November, with a final version expected in June 2026.
While the current grant only funds planning, staff said having an approved transition plan will allow the city to compete for federal implementation funds and guide capital investments. Commissioners raised questions about how the city will ensure funding to act on the plan’s recommendations, with staff noting they’ve already applied for additional 2025 Safe Streets funding and could also tap other city projects to incorporate ADA upgrades.
Committee members encouraged residents to participate in the survey, noting that the final plan will influence how quickly and equitably the city removes physical barriers to mobility. Chair Conor Kelly expressed the importance of finding ways to incorporate the identified accessibility improvements into other budgeted infrastructure project.
“Sometimes these programs… we do these detailed helpful studies with, with the city’s partnership and with grants and then ultimately we’re not able to secure funding,” said Kelly.
–Chad Swiatecki
Disability committee wants community center for S. Congress/Riverside project
The Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities voted Friday to recommend that City Council initiate negotiates with developer Related Companies for a community center at a mixed-use project in the core of downtown that would serve for those with disabilities. The center, envisioned as a hub for disability rights education, ASL programming, STEM activities and Indigenous cultural events, would also serve as a resilience site during climate emergencies.
The recommendation asks Council to incorporate the center into the rezoning agreement for the project at the southwestern corner of South Congress and Riverside Drive. It also asks the city to allocate startup funding in the upcoming budget and coordinate with the city’s Equity and Inclusion Office to ensure accessibility compliance. Committee members emphasized that accessible public transportation must directly serve the site.
Related Companies is moving forward with plans for the six‑acre assemblage, proposing high‑density towers featuring residential units, a hotel and significantly expanded office space as part of a mixed‑use hub. The project is expected to include hundreds of living units, hundreds of hotel rooms and substantial retail and restaurant space.
While the proposal does not specify a funding commitment beyond initial city support, committee members said they see it as a chance to embed inclusive infrastructure into one of Austin’s fastest-growing corridors. If advanced, the next steps would likely involve negotiations with the developer, design input from disability and equity stakeholders and alignment with transit and pedestrian connectivity plans for the area.
— Chad Swiatecki
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Elsewhere in the News
KUT confirms that the city is moving forward with a plan to build parks over the enlarged I35, despite the disappearance of federal funds.
The Texas Tribune reports that Dallas and Ft. Worth are ending DEI programs in order to hold on to federal funding.
The Austin American-Statesman runs a critical piece about Travis County District Attorney José Garza
And, if you missed it, HBO has a new docuseries on the Yogurt Shop Murders — here’s a Rolling Stone interview with the director.
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