For the hoard of Austinites who frequent the city's prominent nightlife scene, Sixth Street has traditionally been shut down to vehicle traffic while the entertainment district was filled with bar and venue patrons on busy weekend nights.

That all changed under an evolving safety pilot program that started in late 2024, in which Austin started reopening the roadway to cars and shifting pedestrians to widened sidewalk areas.

The city initiative formally kicked off early this year with the installation of temporary fencing, which was upgraded to concrete barriers this summer.

Now, city leaders are turning to community members to help reimagine the future of the entertainment corridor, with a sharp focus on safety and redevelopment as the city works on an engineering analysis of longer-term roadway upgrades.

What’s happening?

The city of Austin is seeking feedback on three design alternatives for the nine-block stretch of Sixth Street west of I-35.

Under the city’s Great Streets program, the project aims to boost downtown’s livability, safety and aesthetics by creating “streets for people” with expanded pedestrian space and improving streetscape standards, a city update states. Funding for Great Streets is generated through the Great Streets Parking Meter Fund and the Downtown Density Bonus Program.

Each option lays out different ideas for bike and scooter lanes, sidewalks and curb space, but all would keep Sixth Street as a one-way heading west. The main goal in every option is to make more room for pedestrians and allow curbside access for drop-offs and vehicle parking, while keeping cars moving.

The breakdown

Alternative 1: Bike, scooter lanes on both sides with curb insets on one sideI-35 to Brazos Street

• Two westbound vehicle lanes
• Bike, scooter lanes on both sides of the street
• Curb insets on the north side for valet, drop-off, pickup or delivery zones that could vary by block
• On the north side, there would be 14 feet of space for sidewalks and extras like benches, bike racks, or cafe seating. On the south side, there would be 22 feet for similar uses.
• Bollards on both sides of the street. A bollard is a short, sturdy post placed along streets or sidewalks to keep vehicles out while protecting pedestrians and bikes.
• New trees

Brazos Street to Congress Avenue

• Two westbound vehicle lanes between Brazos Street and the alleyway, with an inset for vehicle access in front of The Driskill Hotel
• Three westbound vehicle lanes (left turn/through, through and right turn/through) from the alleyway to Congress Avenue
• Bike, scooter lanes on both sides of the street
• On the north side, there would be 14 feet of space for sidewalks and extras like benches, bike racks or cafe seating. On the south side, there would be 22 feet for similar uses.
• Bollards on both sides of the street for pedestrian protection
• New trees

Alternative 2: Westbound bike, scooter lanes with curb access on one sideI-35 to Brazos Street

• Two westbound vehicle lanes
• Westbound bike, scooter lane on the north side of the street
• Curb access lane on the south side of the street for valet, drop-off, pickup or delivery zones that could vary by block
• On the north side, there would be 20.5 feet of space for sidewalks and extras like benches, bike racks or cafe seating. On the south side, there would be 22.5 feet for similar uses.
• Bollards on both sides of the street for pedestrian protection
• New trees

Brazos Street to Congress Avenue cross-section

• Two westbound vehicle lanes between Brazos Street and the alleyway, with an inset for vehicle access in front of The Driskill Hotel
• Three westbound vehicle lanes (left turn/through, through, and right turn/through) from the alleyway to Congress Avenue
• New curb access on the south side of the street for valet, drop-off, pickup or delivery zones that could vary by block
• Westbound bike, scooter lane on the north side of the street
• On the north side, there would be 20.5 feet of space for sidewalks and extras like benches, bike racks or cafe seating. On the south side, there would be 22.5 feet for similar uses.
• Bollards on both sides of the street for pedestrian protection
• New trees

Alternative 3: No bike, scooter lanes with curb access on one sideI-35 to Brazos Street cross-section

• Two westbound vehicle lanes
• Curb access lane on the north side of the street for valet, drop-off, pickup or delivery zones that could vary by block
• 25 feet on both sides of the street for sidewalk space and extras like benches, bike racks or cafe seating
• Bollards on both sides of the street for pedestrian protection
• New trees

Brazos Street to Congress Avenue

• Two westbound vehicle lanes between Brazos Street and the alleyway, with an inset for vehicle access in front of the Driskill Hotel
• Three vehicle lanes from the alleyway to Congress Avenue (left turn/through, through and right turn/through)
• 25 feet on both sides of the street for sidewalk space and extras like benches, bike racks or cafe seating
• Bollards on both sides of the street for pedestrian protection
• New trees

One more thing

The city studied whether Sixth Street could be converted from a one-way westbound street to two-way traffic. While possible, it would likely cause new problems, city documents state, such as morning backups, blocked lanes from trucks and rideshares and less space for sidewalks or curbside access. Because of this, the city is not recommending a two-way conversion at this time.

Get involved

The preliminary engineering study is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The city plans to begin design in 2026, with construction anticipated to start as early as 2027.

Project materials and the survey are available here. The survey asks respondents to indicate their preferred option and provide information on how often they visit, how they travel in the area and how they use the space.

Ben Thompson contributed to this article.