Following up on a pilot program implemented in June, the city is asking for Austinites' input on recent changes it's been trying out on Barton Springs Road.
The city implemented the yearlong program, overseen by the Transportation and Public Works Department, in response to the increasingly fraught juxtaposition of more traffic, speeding vehicles, and heavy pedestrian and bicycle use. From May 2018 through April 2023, according to a city press release, there were 241 documented crashes on Barton Springs Road, including a two car-collision that caused a vehicle to hit a crowd of pedestrians, resulting.10 serious injuries.
Temporary design changes included reconfiguring Barton Springs Road vehicle lanes from east of Lou Neff Road to South Lamar Boulevard, creating shorter pedestrian crossings, improving bus stops, and upgrading bicycle lanes that provide physical separation for people outside of motor vehicle traffic. The improvements are funded primarily by the 2020 Vision Zero/Safety Bond, with other bond programs contributing.
The proposed road changes are being studied in conjunction with two separate but related projects: the Zilker Park Vision Plan (which was at least temporarily shelved in August) and the Barton Springs Road Bridge plan, which will replace the somewhat iconic, 93-year-old structure that now spans the creek. The Austin City Council voted in December to completely replace the bridge.
