What’s new?
The ordinance, approved Feb. 13, outlines a number of changes within the city’s parking code, adding three new ticketable violations for anyone blocking a signed or marked bike lane, electric vehicle charging station or right-of-way road closure during special events.
Violations will carry fines of $75, $50 and $250, respectively.
Austin's Transportation and Public Works Department will be extending a three-month grace period for citations while staff work on a public education and outreach campaign.
“We are committed to a three-month period of public education about these new violations where only educational materials or warnings will be given when infractions are found,” TPW Director Richard Mendoza wrote in a memo to council members. “This should provide enough time to ensure these new violations are generally understood throughout the community.”
Additionally, first-time violators will have the option to waive their tickets by completing a training program.
The why
City Council members said they're addressing concerns about injuries and deaths as a result of vehicles regularly sitting in bike lanes.
“This started because a handful of advocates came to us and told us their story of having to veer out of the bicycle lane and get into a lane of traffic reserved for cars,” council member Paige Ellis said during a work session.
She said she looks forward to the educational opportunity, emphasizing that many people may not even realize the risk they pose to cyclists.
Austin is actively developing its All Ages and Abilities bike network, a vast system of streets and trails designed for bicycles, scooters, and other micromobility users. Launched in 2014 and expanded in 2023, the city currently boasts 303 miles of bike lanes and trails across the metro, aiming to reach 660 miles by 2033.
The city previously ramped up protection for bike lanes, passing a resolution from Ellis in April 2024, which:
- Placed new signage, markings or barriers to inform drivers of the change
- Expanded the Transportation Mobility Service Officer e-bike fleet to help tackle enforcement
- Created a volunteer program allowing residents to cite violators—if conflicts with state law can be resolved
The current process relies on residents to report vehicles parked in bike lanes by calling 311, which then dispatches TMSO to investigate. However, this process has resulted in “poor enforcement outcomes,” due to limited availability of mobility officers, according to city documents.
On recommendations from the city’s Urban Transportation Commission, the city proposed the enlistment of volunteer enforcers. The “bike lane bounty” initiative would allow any Austinite to report a blockage in the bike lane with the possibility of earning a cut of the fines.
In partnership with Austin Police Department, TPW would train volunteers to issue citations and warnings for illegally parked motor vehicles in bike lanes and off-street bikeways.
After evaluation, implementation of the Volunteer Bike Lane Enforcement Program has been paused due to the risk of legal challenges and the overall safety of volunteer officers.
Also of note
In addition to parking in bike lanes, officials are also looking to adjust how commercial vehicles loading or unloading goods on city streets might interact with cyclists—a conversation dating back years.
Today, the city issues loading permits allowing vehicles to stay in travel lanes around the downtown area only. Drivers are generally meant to block vehicle, rather than bike, lanes during that activity. Staff have indicated a desire to eventually expand the permitting process citywide to better manage loading on roadways outside Austin's core.
TPW is currently working on a curbside management study, which is expected to be finalized in roughly a year.
“The nature of transportation has changed so much in the last 10-15 years,” council member Chito Vela said. “... We have a lot more drop-offs, and those are working class jobs. I’m completely fine with putting the restrictions and ticketing people who violate them but the question then becomes, ‘Where can I stop? Because I just need to go 5 minutes to drop this item off and run right back.’ I do really think that we need to create spaces that people can get to their work, make their drop-offs and not block traffic.”
