Callout: Today’s newsletter is supported by “Austin Parks Foundation’s Party for the Parks”
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Quote of the Day
“I think it’s important to let folks know that outside the right-of-way, they’ll probably feel vibrations.”
— Scott Ford, an environmental supervisor with TxDOT’s Austin District, from Behind those walls along I-35, TxDOT is building one of the largest tunnels Austin’s ever seen
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Public safety agencies team up to help those in crisis
From Jo Clifton:
The city of Austin will begin a pilot program next month that will deploy a multi – disciplinary team to deal with mental health related problems within the downtown area. The team will include professionals from Austin, Travis County EMS, the Austin Police Department (APD) and Integral Care.
As Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mark Escott and his colleagues from EMS, APD and Integral Care explained to the City Council Public Safety Committee last week, the goal of the new team is to develop a plan for dealing with persons experiencing mental health crises. Those people might otherwise end up in police custody or in an emergency medical facility.
Behind those walls along I-35, TxDOT is building one of the largest tunnels Austin’s ever seen
From Nathan Bernier, KUT News:
If you’ve been driving on I-35 through Central Austin, you may have noticed tall construction walls going up at certain points along the highway and wondered what’s going on behind them.
Those barriers are designed to block the sound of machines digging deep holes called drop shafts for one of the largest tunnel projects in Austin history.
The tunnel is so large that building it will cause the ground to vibrate along its 6.5-mile path down I-35 and East Cesar Chavez Street, creating uncertainty about the risks to nearby structures.
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Today’s newsletter is supported by “Austin Parks Foundation’s Party for the Parks”
Join Austin Parks Foundation for the 11th Annual Party for the Parks, featuring Passion Pit! This beloved event is happening under the lights at ACL in Zilker Park on Wednesday, October 8th.
Partygoers will enjoy delicious dining options, libations from Austin’s premiere beverage brands, games, a live auction and an intimate concert—all while helping raise funds for our city’s nearly 400 parks, trails and green spaces. Click here to get your tickets and join the fun!
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Tell the city how you want Sixth Street to be
As we probably all know by now, “Dirty Sixth” is rebranding and undergoing a yearslong facelift to transform the corridor into one with expanded options for residents and visitors, and the city is looking to us for help in picking a design that will “enhance the livability, safety, and aesthetics of Austin’s downtown streets by creating ‘streets for people’ through the increased balance of space for pedestrians and the enhancement of streetscape standards.”
There are three designs currently on the table, all of which maintain Sixth Street as one-way for vehicular traffic and expand pedestrian space as well as “ccommodating vehicle traffic and providing some curb access for drop-offs, rideshare, deliveries, valet, vehicle parking or other uses,” according to a press release from the city’s Transportation and Public Works Department. The recommendations and the three design alternatives can be found at SpeakUpAustin.org/SixthStreet along with a survey that lets Austinites weigh in on their favorite option.
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Elsewhere in the News
KXAN has an update from Monday’s press conference about the Yogurt Shop Murders and an explanation about the DNA technology that was in play.
A Dripping Springs raffle of a Hill Country resort hopes to help those affected by the July 4 floods.
And, in case you missed it, the Austin Chronicle explains why AISD campuses with large dual-language populations are facing more pressure from the state.
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