On Friday, the City of Austin opened a new travel option for drivers by extending West Avenue all the way to Cesar Chavez Street.  The City also activated a signal at the intersection to facilitate a safe and efficient flow of traffic. Previously, West Avenue ran south from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, but ended at Third Street. 

The street extension, which is part of the New Central Library Project’s related improvements, will help improve the flow of traffic. The Central Library project also includes the design and construction of a new bridge over Shoal Creek at Second Street and extension of Second Street from Shoal Creek to West Avenue, both of which the City will open this fall.

First 2016 Mobility Bond Safe Routes to School Project completed

The City of Austin has completed work at Gullett Elementary on a segment on Bullard Drive between Great Northern Boulevard and Treadwell Boulevard. In total, the City plans to build sidewalk segments at six elementary schools this summer as part of the 2016 Mobility Bond Safe Routes to School Program.

The other projects slated for summer construction are new sidewalks at Harris Elementary, Wooten Elementary, Padron Elementary, Langford Elementary and Blazier Elementary. Campus Advisory Councils at each of the six elementary schools requested the sidewalk segments currently planned for construction.

Safe Routes to School Program staff continue to evaluate school concerns and identify projects that may be constructed this fall.

Wednesdays are the new Thursdays for downtown parking

After issuing 8,000 educational flyers and more than 350 warnings in July, the City has extended parking hours to Wednesday nights in the downtown area to encourage turnover and mobility. On-street parking between Lady Bird Lake, I-35, 10th Street and Lamar Boulevard now costs $1.20 per hour from 8 a.m. to midnight on Wednesdays. City Council approved the hours extension on June 15.

ATD parking surveys show parking spaces in the core downtown district on Wednesday nights to be over 85 percent occupancy in many areas. At these levels, drivers often create more traffic looking for that elusive parking spot. The extended hours are expected to increase mobility in the downtown area while using the fees to fund street cleaning, wayfinding signs and parking enforcement.

ATD highly encourages downtown employees to use the Affordable Parking Program. If a downtown visitor has too much to drink and decides keep their car parked overnight, the City will dismiss the parking ticket in many cases (with proof of purchase of a ride home provided the next business day).

Air Quality Program: Take this month to rediscover your ride

Remember your first bike ride? The freedom, the fresh air, the cards in the spokes going “thwak, thwak, thwak”? Consider riding your bike again! Bicycles are clean-air, zero-emission vehicles for quick trips or daily commutes. Most trips Americans take are short – usually less than three miles – and these short trips could easily be traveled by bicycle for many people.

This month, take the opportunity to celebrate the power of the bicycle and rediscover the many reasons to ride. Already ride your bicycle all over town? Then encourage more folks to give it a try! Whether you bike to work or school, ride to save money or time, pump those pedals to preserve your health and the environment or cruise to explore your community – it all adds up to cleaner air.

Plan ahead for a safe ride by viewing Austin’s full bicycle map or a regional bike route map.

Check it out: New safety message lights up Austin roads

  
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