AUSTIN, Texas — People who live in South Austin and use Stassney Lane will soon have safer and more convenient ways to cross the street or get to a public transit stop.
Crews from the Austin Transportation Department will start phase two of a project aimed at improving pedestrian crossings, bike infrastructure and bus stops.
The transportation department is upgrading three pedestrian crossings at Buffalo Pass, Lewood Drive and Emerald Forest Drive. Bus stop improvements are planned at Lewood Drive, South First Street and South Congress Avenue.
The work is expected to last about three months.
According to the transportation department, all of the upgrades are expected to:
- Improve access to transit through new and relocated bus stops
- Encourage multimodal transportation by improving bicycle, pedestrian and transit infrastructure
- Reduce crashes for all modes with increased safety measures
- Increase accessibility on sidewalks
According to the City’s Vision Zero dashboard, the area where the work is being done is where at least nine crashes causing serious injuries and one deadly crash have occurred since 2018. The Vision Zero initiative aims to eliminate serious injury and fatal traffic crashes in Austin.
Earlier this year, crews worked on the first phase of improvements along Stassney Lane, which included restriping, protected bike lanes and upgraded traffic signals.
Phase three won’t start until next year. Funding for the projects comes from the 2016 and 2018 Mobility Bonds Austin voters approved, as well as from Capital Metro and the City’s Public Works Department.
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