Protected bike lanes coming to Congress Avenue in downtown Austin

Earlier this summer, city staff installed temporary bicycle lanes to improve safety and to address COVID-19 risk-based guidelines.

AUSTIN, Texas - Permanent protected bicycle lanes are coming to Congress Avenue in downtown Austin. Austin Transportation will install the bicycle lanes between Riverside Drive and 11th Street.

Project installation is scheduled to begin the week of September 20 and could take up to four weeks to complete, according to the city.

The bicycle lanes will be protected using flexible delineator posts and parking stops, according to Austin City Council. Council also noted that access to all driveways and on-street parking will remain in place.

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 7 AUSTIN NEWS APP

The design includes the following:

Protected bicycle lanes between Riverside Drive and 11th Street
New left-turn lanes at Cesar Chavez Street, 5th Street, and 6th Street Street with protected turn phases to reduce head-on crashes
Dedicated right-turn lanes at northbound Cesar Chavez Street, Barton Springs Road, and northbound Riverside Drive with yellow flashing right-turn arrows to increase yielding to people crossing the intersection
Shorter pedestrian crossing distances
Protected intersection designs at Riverside Drive, Barton Springs Road, 3rd Street, and 11th Street
Simplified lane configuration along Cesar Chavez Street between Congress Avenue and Brazos Street
Enhanced bicycle crossing markings in front of on-street parking locations

SIGN UP FOR FOX 7 AUSTIN EMAIL ALERTS

Earlier this summer, city staff installed temporary bicycle lanes to improve safety and to address COVID-19 risk-based guidelines. The temporary bicycle lanes were installed on June 30, 2020 and will remain on the street until the permanent bicycle lanes replace the temporary installation.

The new design will improve safety and comfort for people traveling on Congress Avenue, as well as address current crash patterns on the street, according to Austin City Council. Two of the top five high pedestrian crash intersections in downtown Austin are on Congress Avenue at Cesar Chavez Street and 6th Street.