Take Action for Safer Streets in Austin

SPEAK UP FOR BETTER BIKE LANES ON EAST BRAKER LANE!

The City of Austin is planning to extend Braker Lane ¾ of a mile east to Samsung Boulevard. The project will include protected bike lanes, but they’ll only be 2½ feet from 4 lanes of high-speed car traffic – even though there’s ample room for more separation.

This plan is one of the first projects using the City’s recently revised Transportation Criteria Manual, which actually recommends a minimum 4-foot buffer for protected bike lanes on roads like this. If we set a precedent of unsafe bike lanes on Braker Lane, we could see similar dangerous facilities across Austin in the future.

Many Austinites are uncomfortable riding bikes close to high-speed car traffic. To attract more riders, we need to provide facilities that are not only protected, but comfortably separated from car traffic.

Speak up by Friday, January 20!

The City is now conducting a public hearing on this project. If you want to see better conditions for people on bikes, you can email AustinMobility@AustinTexas.gov to weigh in with input along these lines:

Please provide more separation between the bike lanes and car traffic on East Braker Lane! 2½ feet is not enough.

Act now! Comments must be received by January 20, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.

HELP DECIDE AUSTIN’S WALK, BIKE, AND ROLL PRIORITIES

ATX Walk Bike Roll has compiled community input over the past year and has landed on 3 scenarios for urban trails, bikeways, and sidewalk routes:

Scenario 1 - Connecting to neighborhood destinations
Scenario 2 - Connecting to nature
Scenario 3 - Connecting to citywide destinations

They now want your feedback on what type of connections to prioritize moving forward.

Austin’s Shared Streets Pilot Project at Ave H & 53rd Street.

NO NEW SIX-LANE HIGHWAY NEAR AUSTIN AND MANOR

TxDOT is continuing its highway-building binge. They're saying it's an FM 973 realignment but don’t be fooled: This is a NEW highway with the FM 973 label, not a “realignment.” The old FM 973 will still exist.

This new highway would be a terrible decision:

  • MORE driving and MORE traffic. This highway would encourage more driving and go against the goals of Project Connect and all local transit, walking, and bicycling investments.

  • MORE harm to low income communities. Driving is the most costly and dangerous way to get around and disproportionately impacts low income communities. Forcing low income people to drive - rather than providing cheaper, safer, and cleaner alternatives - is inequitable.

If we don't stand up to TxDOT this time, they'll keep building new highways and expanding old ones, again and again.

SPEAK UP FOR A CAR-FREE DRAG

Guadalupe Street across from the University of Texas could be going car-free! But opponents are working hard to defeat this exciting vision. The Project Connect team has proposed an AMAZING plan (known as Scenario C2*) for a car-free Drag (Guadalupe St from 22nd-29th) that would include:

  • Light rail and fast buses

  • Protected bicycle lanes on BOTH sides of the street

  • Beautiful wide sidewalks for cafes, trees, and pedestrians

Imagine how incredible this would be! The Drag would become far more beautiful and pleasant. Trains, buses, and bicycles would glide smoothly along without any automobile traffic. Instead of loud cars, we'll enjoy bustling sidewalks, outdoor cafes, and the calming sound of trains and voices.

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK ABOUT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN’S STREET GRID

Would you enjoy a downtown with more car-free streets, places to gather, and two-way streets that moderate car speeds for pedestrians and cyclists? What do you feel would add livability and walkability to Austin’s downtown grid?

Let the City know what you think as it makes plans to enhance the look, feel, and function of Austin's downtown street grid. The Austin Core Transportation (ACT) Plan will work through identified needs in our transportation network, coordinate with other ongoing efforts related to land use and transportation in the area, and present feasible options for improving mobility and access Downtown. It will include a list of projects to help the City achieve the community's vision. The survey is open until September.