Another downtown one-way street goes two-way

The city will be working today and tomorrow on the conversion of three blocks of 16th Street between San Antonio Street and Colorado Street from a westbound single-direction to a two-way traffic pattern, consistent with the two-way street design to the east and west of the section. The change is depicted in the State of Texas Capitol Complex Master Plan, along with the conversion of identical segments of 17th and 18th streets to the north, as a step to improve access to the complex and its parking garages. To that end, the city coordinated with the Texas Facilities Commission on the design to make sure it will be compatible with the complex when it is complete. The conversion is also shown in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan’s Roadway Capacity Projects Map with similar changes planned for segments of Ninth, 10th, and Brazos streets downtown. Conversion of 17th Street was initially scheduled for August but Austin Transportation has indefinitely postponed the change to better coordinate with nearby construction projects. Besides the new traffic flow, the city will also be removing four parking spaces along the south curb of 16th Street between Colorado and Lavaca streets. Lane closures will be done on a rolling basis so that at least one lane is open to traffic at any moment.