More roundabouts in Austin and one less ethics complaint

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Quote of the Day

“’As we continue to get these complaints without any definition, it makes it very difficult as a commission, as well as for the public who want to bring complaints to know what even evidence is necessary.”

— Commissioner Luis Figueroa, from Ethics Commission opts to end complaints against Harper-Madison.

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Ethics Commission opts to end complaints against Harper-Madison

From Chad Swiatecki:

Austin’s Ethics Review Commission opted last week not to advance a complaint filed by Tiffany Washington against Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison, ending a months-long process over allegations that Harper-Madison violated multiple provisions of the city’s ethics code.

The complaint, filed in two parts earlier this year by Tiffany Washington, accused Harper-Madison of violating five sections of the city’s ethics code, including improper use of her official title and representing private interests in a way that could undermine public trust. The commission’s decision effectively closes the matter unless new complaints are submitted.

Why Austin keeps turning intersections into roundabouts

From Nathan Bernier, KUT News:

More of Austin’s intersections are being turned into roundabouts as part of a safety strategy. In theory, vehicles keep moving, if everyone knows what to do. (Hint: drivers must yield to traffic already in the circle. And yes, that includes cyclists or pedestrians in crosswalks.)

The city has built 47 roundabouts. The most recent one popped up in April at Pleasant Valley Road and Terri Road.

Austin’s growing embrace of roundabouts is part of a broader effort to reduce crashes, especially the most dangerous ones. Government engineers and transportation researchers say roundabouts reduce right-angle crashes — also known as T-bones — and eliminate head-on collisions entirely.

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Celebration of Bill Spelman’s life set for Sunday

The family of the late Council Member Bill Spelman will hold a public celebration of his life on Sunday at noon at Austin City Hall. His wife Niyanta, his sister Janice, and sons, Jasiel and Ronan. will host the celebration. There will be a private service on Saturday. Spelman was 68 at the time of his death on July 17. On his passing, there was an outpouring of admiration for the man, who not only fulfilled his need for public service at City Hall but also was a well-respected professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Spelman was on the Council from 1997 to 2000 and also from 2009 to the end of 2014. As many people have noted, he worked hard to make the world a better place for others.

— Jo Clifton

Do fence me in

As part of an ongoing plan to make the downtown stretch of Sixth Street formerly known as “Dirty Sixth” safer, the city will be installing concrete barriers on both sides of the 300, 400 and 500 blocks of East Sixth Street. An August 1 memo about the plan explains the safety plan for the area that opened the street to weekend vehicular traffic late last year is evolving after discussion with stakeholders. Originally, pedestrian areas were expanded and contained by rubberized curbs and fencing, which was then replaced with water-filled barricades in May of this year, pending a longer-term solution. “After meeting with internal and external stakeholders, the water-filled barricades will be replaced with concrete barricades the week of August 11, 2025,” explains the memo. “Upon installation, the Downtown Austin Alliance plans a barricade “beautification” project to enhance the visual experience and aesthetics of the concrete barricades through graphic design and painting.”

Life moves so fast

Beginning next week – the week of August 11 – the city’s parks department will begin mowing some wildflower meadows in order to manage vegetation, reduce the risk of wildfires and encourage the health of our city’s ecosystem by supporting its natural reseeding cycles. A missive warning Austinites about the upcoming mowing season explains that “Timing is key when it comes to mowing wildflower meadows. Rather than relying on a fixed calendar date, staff make mowing decisions based on real-time environmental factors, including: flowering stages of native plants, recent rainfall levels, temperature patterns and competition from invasive or aggressive vegetation.” In the end, the press release explains, “The goal is to maximize the reseeding of native wildflowers while minimizing the spread of unwanted plants.”

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