Barton Springs Road has become increasingly dangerous over the past few years: 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.
On average, the statement continues, "a vehicle-related crash happened every 7.5 days over that five-year period. The comprehensive crash cost for this section of the roadway just under one mile long over the past five years is $19,210,000."
In response to the increasingly fraught juxtaposition of increasing traffic, speeding vehicles, and heavy pedestrian and bicycle use, the city has proposed a pilot program, led by its transportation and public works department.
To implement the program, the city will make temporary design changes, focused on improving safety and mobility improvement, on Barton Springs Road between Stratford Drive and South Lamar Boulevard 12 months. The proposed design would be optimized for safety by reconfiguring the vehicle lanes from east of Lou Neff Road to South Lamar Boulevard, having shorter pedestrian crossings, improving bus stops, and upgrading bicycle lanes that provide physical separation for people outside of motor vehicle traffic," according to a city site about the program. "These proposed improvements would be funded primarily with the 2020 Vision Zero/Safety Bond with other bond programs contributing."
The plan would keep all existing lanes at the intersection of South Lamar Boulevard at and Barton Springs Road and both eastbound lanes at Azie Morton Road open. Barton Springs Road would merge into a single lane westbound between South Lamar Boulevard and Lou Neff Road and eastbound between Azie Morton Road intersection and some point "well before South Lamar Boulevard," according to the site.
The city is seeking input on the plan through June 30.
