Examples From Other Cities
Congress For All is based on proven strategies that have worked in cities across the US and around the world.
Let’s explore what some of those cities did and why Austin should join them.
The Congress For All Strategies
Sidewalk vendors
Car-free streets
Pop up plaza
Raised bicycle lanes
Sidewalk Vendors
Sidewalk vendors enliven streets
Lining the sidewalk with vendors adds many new destinations, giving people more reasons to visit and making the street more vibrant.
Other cities, such as New York, Boston, and San Francisco have lined their sidewalks with food vendors, tiny offices, and restaurant seating. With wider sidewalks on Congress, Austin could certainly do this too.
Pop Up Plazas
It’s possible to try out a car-free street before committing forever.
Even with best preparations, until a city tries a car-free street, nobody knows for sure how it will go. That’s why pop-up plazas, like the one pictured in Portland, Oregon, are such a great idea. This set up allows a street to easily be closed to traffic for events and longer car-free activations. If those activations succeed, they can be lengthened; if unsuccessful, they can be shortened.
Car-Free Streets
Everybody loves car-free streets.
Locals and visitors flock to these streets to enjoy city attractions, people-watching, and the peace away from vehicle noise and pollution.
Many cities in the US - including Charlottesville, Boulder, Burlington, and many more - successfully converted their main streets to car-free pedestrian malls.
At least part of Congress Avenue could work as a car-free public pedestrian mall, which is why we should test the concept using a pop up plaza design (see previous section.)
Raised Bicycle Lanes
Raised bike lanes = The gold standard.
Bicycle lanes at sidewalk level offer the ultimate comfort and protection from cars, which is why other cities, such as Cambridge, are starting to install them.
Raised bicycle lanes on Congress would be among the best bike facilities in all of Texas.