Transportation Department staff revealed that the city is out of funding for pedestrian hybrid beacons, leaving a backlog of more than 100 requests for beacons around the city. During the regular meeting of the Pedestrian Advisory Council, staff presented the process and criteria for installing beacons and noted halfway through the discussion that the program […]
Transportation Department
This city department is responsible for municipal transportation planning including roadways and bikeways.
Posted inCity Council, Transportation
Council members lock down South Austin gate
The Planning Commission and the city’s legal department will address a section of city code today that could give commissioners discretion over connectivity in preliminary plans. Last week, City Council exercised its own discretion and passed a resolution that will install a traffic-blocking gate at Aldwyche Drive. Both discussions were borne out of the Lightsey […]
Posted inAustin, Bicycles, City Council, Transportation
Bike signal debate triggers acrimony at Council
Some Austin City Council members grew irritated while debating the problems of bicycles at intersections and whether to accept grant money that could ease those problems at Thursday’s meeting. At issue was a proposal that the Austin Transportation Department accept $200,000 in federal grant money already awarded by the Texas Department of Transportation to install bike-visible […]
Posted inTransportation
Transit priority lanes considered for the Drag
Close to half of all rush-hour travelers through the Drag may go by bus, and the busy corridor’s future may include dedicated bus lanes, commissioners learned at Tuesday’s Urban Transportation Commission meeting. The Austin Transportation Department is studying ways to improve the design of the notoriously congested stretch of Guadalupe Street between MLK Jr. Boulevard and […]
Posted inAustin, Transportation
City moves to make meters count for businesses
At their last meeting, City Council members endorsed a change that could allow metered parking spaces to be counted toward off-street parking requirements for businesses outside of downtown. However, it will be up to the new Council to decide whether the idea becomes a reality. In a unique voting bloc, Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Council […]
Posted inAustin, Roads, Transportation
City switches downtown streets to slow traffic
Plans to convert downtown’s Seventh, Eighth, Brazos and Colorado streets from one-way to two-way streets are underway. On Monday, City Council’s Comprehensive Planning and Transportation Committee heard a presentation on a timeline for the change from acting Transportation Department Assistant Director Jim Dale. “A lot of cities have gone through this process, of being two-way […]
Posted inCity Hall, Music & Entertainment, Public Safety
City puts kibosh on new downtown special events
Downtown Austin’s two favorite activities — construction and special events — may have finally pushed each other too far. Tuesday, city staff issued a memo that declared a moratorium on new downtown street events, effective immediately, due to the large number of construction projects taking place in the city. As explained in the memo, the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Transportation
Bicycle Advisory Council keeps Austin on two wheels
Bicycling is big in Austin. When you are the home of Lance Armstrong, even with his tarnished image, you’re bound to have a lot of two-wheelers on your roads, and Austin does. In fact, USA Today recently named Austin as one of the Most Bicycle Friendly Cities in the country. With the city’s hundreds of miles […]
Posted inDevelopment
South Lamar development problems get closer look
Development in the city’s South Lamar neighborhood may be approaching a tipping point. A recent report could have the city scrambling to make sure it doesn’t capsize. “Are we just going to give up on this neighborhood, or are we going to figure out how to make it work?” asked Council Member Laura Morrison. City […]