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City of Austin first in Texas to test traffic signal technology for “connected” vehicles
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The City of Austin is the first city in Texas to enter the U.S. Department of Transportation’s SPaT (Signal Phasing and Timing) Challenge through the National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE).
The City has completed one deployment of dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) technology at five City of Austin intersections, with two more projects planned for completion in 2019. This technology would allow connected cars to communicate in real time with the traffic signal controller, increasing pedestrian and vehicle safety as part of the operations of the signalized intersection.
The small test devices can broadcast industry standard Basic Safety Messages in the immediate vicinity of the intersection to surrounding vehicles equipped with on-board units. The Basic Safety Messages indicate vehicle position, motion, brake system status and size, and provide vehicles with SPaT information as well as MAP data, which is used to illustrate intersection geometry using high-resolution formatting. This type of information will help future connected traffic signals and equipped vehicles communicate about pedestrian or bicyclist presence in the intersection, improve vehicle performance, and provide engineers with traffic data that can be used to improve safety and operations. Read the full news release.
Smart mobility involves deploying new technology to move people and goods through our city in faster, safer, cleaner, more affordable and more equitable ways. Learn more about Austin Transportation's Smart Mobility Program and its current initiatives and plans.
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2016 Mobility Bond: City releases recommended alternative for Spicewood Springs Road
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The City is nearing completion of the preliminary engineering report for the Spicewood Springs Road project and will advance Alternative C into the design phase of the project. Alternative C received the most support from the community and best meets the project goals of addressing congestion and enhancing safety.
Key recommendations included in Alternative C include:
- Two vehicle lanes in each direction
- A raised median with left-turn bays
- A shared use path on both sides of Spicewood Springs Road for people on bikes and people walking
- New stormwater quality and stormwater detention facilities
In August 2018, the project team asked the community for feedback on three different options for improvements to Spicewood Springs Road. The recommendation of Alternative C is based on public feedback, analysis of the existing conditions, current City plans and policies, and technical analysis, including traffic modeling. This November, staff will move into the design phase of the project. Construction on Spicewood Springs Road could begin by 2021 or 2022.
The 2016 Mobility Bond provides $17 million for preliminary engineering, design and construction of safety and mobility improvements on Spicewood Springs Road between Loop 360 and Mesa Drive.
For more information about Alternative C and the Spicewood Springs Road project, visit our project website and read the FAQ.
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Director rules for dockless providers comment period closes Friday
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The public comment period for the Austin Transportation Director Rules for Deployment and Operation of Shared Small Vehicle Mobility Systems closes this Friday. Austin Transportation posted the rules, which relate to the regulation of dockless services and providers, to the Dockless Mobility webpage for public comment on Oct. 2, 2018, and is accepting comments on the proposed rules.
The public may submit comments directly to Austin Transportation in three ways:
To be considered, comments must be submitted before Nov. 3, 2018, the 32nd day after the date the rule notice was posted. A summary of the written comments received will be included in the final notice of adoption that must be posted for the rule to become effective.
The Director Rules for Deployment and Operation of Shared Small Vehicle Mobility Systems were informed by existing state and local law, mobility and safety goals, industry trends and public feedback gathered through an online survey. They were also informed by a series of briefings and discussions with the Urban Transportation Commission, the Downtown Commission, the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities, the Pedestrian Advisory Council, the Bicycle Advisory Council and a community-led discussion hosted by the Downtown Austin Alliance.
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Austin Water lifts boil water notice, but water-use restrictions remain
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Austin Transportation staff worked to bring water to public distribution sites throughout the Austin area when the boil water notice was active.
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Austin Water has lifted the boil water notice that was in place since Oct. 22, 2018. Customers no longer need to boil water used for drinking, cooking and making ice. Water quality testing submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality confirmed that tap water meets all regulatory standards and is safe for human consumption.
Mandatory emergency water-use restrictions are still in place. These restrictions are necessary to ensure that adequate water supply is available to meet customer needs while the system returns to normal operations. Restrictions remaining in place include:
- No outdoor irrigation
- No adding water to pools or spas
- No operation of ornamental fountains
- No at-home pressure washing, vehicle or surface washing
As of Monday, Oct. 29, 2018 at 10:00 a.m., it is allowable to:
- Wash vehicles at a commercial car wash compliant with City Code 6-4-10 (B),
- Operate irrigation systems for the purpose of testing or repair by a licensed irrigation professional, and
- Conduct pressure washing using commercial equipment in compliance with City Code 6-4-11 (B)
Recent rains washed a historic amount of soil, silt, and debris into the Highland Lakes, which is where Austin Water gets water to provide to customers. In response to increased turbidity, or cloudiness, of the water, Austin Water on Monday, Oct. 22, implemented mandatory water-use restrictions, urged customers to limit water use to basic needs, and issued a precautionary boil water notice. On Wednesday, Oct. 24, Austin Water announced that the boil water notice was mandatory because the turbidity standard for treated water within one treatment plant temporarily exceeded the state standard.
Austin Water worked with state officials at TCEQ to establish corrective actions necessary to lift the boil water notice. The actions included analyzing more than 70 water samples from throughout the system across the City. Test results, reviewed by TCEQ officials, indicated that water provided by Austin meets all regulatory standards and is safe for human consumption. On Sunday, Oct. 28, TCEQ gave the City of Austin the all-clear to lift the boil water notice.
For more information and frequently asked questions, visit AustinTexas.gov/boilH2O. For questions or concerns, please contact 3-1-1.
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Trick or treat! 🎃 Safety on the street this Halloween
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Scary street statistics
This Halloween, get all the fun without the fear by taking extra precautions to be safe on the road. Tragically, Halloween drunk-driving fatalities are on the rise. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published the following statistics related to traffic fatalities on Halloween.
- Drunk driving accounts for almost half of traffic fatalities on Halloween night. There were 168 drunk driving fatalities on Halloween night in the United States between 2012 and 2016. This number accounts for 44 percent of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes on Halloween night.
- People walking are vulnerable to fatal crashes involving drunk drivers. Children trick-or-treating and those accompanying them are at risk, as 14 percent of pedestrian fatalities on Halloween night over the same period involved drunk drivers.
- Young adults are most at risk of dying in drunk-driving crashes. The 21- to 34-year-old age group accounted for the most fatalities, at 46 percent, in drunk-driving crashes on Halloween night in 2016.
Never drink and drive. For more safety tips, check out the NHTSA's comprehensive list for drivers and pedestrians.
Austin Transportation's Get Home Safe program
Plan ahead to travel with a designated driver or try another way to get home safe. If you leave your car downtown overnight and can provide proof of purchase that you took another way home (like a bus, taxi or ride-hail), you can get your parking ticket waived. Learn more at AustinTexas.gov/GetHomeSafe.
Capital Metro's Wicked Wednesday late-night service
Staying out late for Halloween and catching a safe ride home is easy with Capital Metro.
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As daylight saving time ends, be safe on the road in darker evenings
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Lighten up this season of low light! With less daylight these days, be extra cautious on the road, especially since daylight saving time ends this Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 a.m. The clocks will fall back one hour, which will bring earlier evenings and increased risk of traffic crashes. According to our Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, traffic crashes are more severe in low light conditions. In Austin, 82 percent of pedestrian fatalities and 56 percent of serious injuries occur in dark conditions. Remember to use your lights and help keep Austin safe by doing the following:
- Yield to pedestrians. Protect vulnerable people on the road. (It's also state law.)
- Stay focused. Avoid distracted driving and keep your hands free to drive.
- Use proper movements. Unsafely backing up, turning, or changing lanes contribute to crashes that were preventable.
- Drive sober. Never drink and drive.
- Slow down. Even if a person is traveling at the legal speed limit, these speeds are often high enough to cause significant injury to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and bicyclists.
- Obey traffic signals and signs. Stop at red lights and stop signs.
These safety tips are useful year-round and can especially make a difference when traveling in low light conditions. You can help Austin reach zero traffic deaths and injuries. Learn more about how Austin is working toward Vision Zero.
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Check it out: Learn how biking contributes to your local economy
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Understand the dollars-and-cents value of bicycling using PeopleForBike's free calculation tools. The Walton Family Foundation, PeopleForBikes and BikeNWA developed a series of economic impact model templates to quantify the economic benefits of bicycling. These free, user-friendly tools guide you through calculating the economic contribution of bicycling across six key categories: events, resident spending, bicycle businesses, tourism, retail sales tax, and health.
On Tuesday, Oct. 30, PeopleForBikes will host three webinars on how to use the templates based on individual needs. Click the links below to register for a session.
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Reminder: Submit nominations for the 2018 Air Central Texas Awards
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Know an "air aware" individual or organization? Nominate them for an Air Central Texas Award! The Air Central Texas Awards celebrate activities by organizations and individuals that have made significant contributions to regional air quality. All nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, 2018.
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Coming up in this week's mobility calendar
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Topics to be discussed include the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan draft policies and the proposed Director Rules governing dockless mobility services.
Come with Smart Trips Austin and JUMP on an e-bike mural tour through Central East Austin to see some of Austin's best public art pieces. We will meet at 12th and Chicon streets at 10:30 a.m. This event is free to attend, but registration is required on Eventbrite. More information is available on Facebook. Only 20 JUMP bikes will be available so it is first come, first served.
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