Austin to begin work on Slaughter Lane bike, pedestrian improvements

The city of Austin’s Corridor Program Office is set to begin construction on protected bike paths and sidewalks that extend along Slaughter Lane from Menchaca Road to South First Street the week of Nov. 15.

The construction will separate car traffic from bike lanes and upgrade the sidewalks to be Americans with Disabilities Act compliant. The current bike lanes are unprotected, said Kelly Buethe, a senior public information specialist with the corridor program office.

“Separated facilities decrease the likelihood of collisions between cars, bikes and pedestrians, and minimizing the risk of collisions between all travelers improve safety and mobility for not just bikes and pedestrians, but also for vehicles,” a Nov. 14 press release stated.

The estimated completion date for the segment is fall 2022. Work will occur between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and some weekends, causing occasional lane and sidewalk closures, according to the press release.

Construction on the segment from Menchaca to South First, which is one of the first to begin on Slaughter Lane, will cost $755,000 and is funded by the 2016 mobility bond.

The project is a part of a larger effort to build out continuous bike paths and sidewalks on both sides along the 10-mile stretch from FM 1826 and Bluff Springs Road on Slaughter, Buethe said. Those improvements could take the form of shared-use paths, wide sidewalks for pedestrians and bicyclists, or sidewalks and protected bike lanes.

Other planned improvements to Slaughter include upgraded traffic signals, turn-lane modifications and higher-visibility crosswalks, according to the corridor program office website.