The Austin Department of Transportation and Public Works will reduce Barton Springs Road to one lane in each direction from South Lamar to Azie Mortant Road as part of a one-year pilot program to reduce crashes.



The setup

The plan stems from an investigation into an April 2022 crash that injured 10 people along the affected section of Barton Springs Road.

The plan

According to a June 1 memo sent from Richard Mendoza, interim director of Austin Transportation and Public Works, to interim Assistant City Manager Robert Goode, the plan includes:

• Reducing the roadway to one lane each direction for vehicles from Azie Morton Road and South Lamar Boulevard
• Adding additional vehicle lanes at the intersections of South Lamar Boulevard and Azie Morton Road
• Upgrading bicycle lanes by widening them and adding physical separation from motor vehicle traffic
• Creating safer and shorter pedestrian crossings on Barton Springs Road and side streets
• Connecting a future continuous ADA-accessible pedestrian route through Zilker Park along the north side of Barton Springs Road
• Relocating bus stops

By the numbers

According to the memo:

• From May 2018 to April 2023, there were over 240 documented crashes on that stretch of roadway, according to the memo, equaling one crash every 7.5 days
• From December 2022 to February 2023, the department lowered the speed limit to 30 miles per hour
• However, at least 70 drivers each day drove at least 45 miles per hour on the roadway

Zooming out

The work is independent of both the Zilker Park Vision Plan and Barton Springs Road Bridge design process that are happening simultaneously.

Getting involved

For the month of June, the city will gather feedback on the plan. More information and a link to the survey can be found here.