The city of Austin released a report July 1 about how its 37 “right-sizing” projects are operating since implementation in the past 15 years.

Right-sizing is used to improve a street’s safety and operations for all users. Typically a four-lane roadway is reduced to one lane in either direction with a center turn lane and two bicycle lanes. Four roadways in Northwest Austin have been right-sized: Duval Road, Kramer Lane, and Amherst and Mesa drives.

Right-sizing projects can accommodate the same motor vehicle volumes, avoid increases in travel times, reduce high-risk speeding and reduce the total number crashes, said Lauren Dierenfield, an Active Transportation Program manager with Austin Transportation Department. Right-sizing is also one-tenth the cost of a stand-alone safety project with routine maintenance, she said. Those positive outcomes have encouraged ATD staffers to continue pursuing right-sizing projects.