Austin Mobility News: July 25, 2022

• Intersection safety improvements show promising results
• Americans with Disabilities Act turns 32
• CapMetro breaks ground on new McKalla Station at Q2 Stadium
• Pleasant Valley and Expo Center MetroRapid funding approved
• Calendar Corner: July 26 – August 1, 2022

Intersection safety improvements show promising results

Between 2017 and 2021, more than one-third of crashes that resulted in serious injury or death in Austin occurred at signalized intersections. Early data in a new Vision Zero Analytics report show promising results at completed intersections.

Of the 13 intersections with at least one year of crash data following project completion, the annualized data showed a combined 30% reduction in total crashes and a 31% reduction in crashes resulting in serious injury or death. The serious injury or fatal crashes declined from an average of 12 per year to 8.3 per year. ATD also analyzed a control group of similar intersections across the city to better contextualize broader crash trends in Austin over the same period. At those locations, total crashes per year decreased by 4% and serious injury and fatal crashes increased by 8%.

Through funding from the City budget and the 2016, 2018, and 2020 Mobility Bonds, Austin Transportation is working to improve safety at dozens of high-crash intersections as part of its Vision Zero goal of eliminating serious injuries and fatalities on Austin’s roadways. Since 2016, ATD has completed work at 19 major intersections.

Undoing more than 80 years of vehicle-centric street design in a city of approximately 300 square miles will take time, but the work continues as every avoided traffic fatality or serious injury is worth the effort. ATD teams finished upgrades to another major intersection at Cameron Road and Ferguson Lane in May, and four more projects are scheduled to start construction before the end of 2022.

Americans with Disabilities Act turns 32

Since 2005, Austin Public Works' Sidewalk Program has built or rehabilitated about 270 miles of sidewalks. Just last year, the City completed more than 30 miles of sidewalks, a 50% increase over 2020 and double the pace three years ago. The City adopted its first Sidewalk Plan in 2009 and incorporated the ADA Transition Plan in the 2016 Sidewalk Plan update, which serves as Austin's ADA Transition Plan. As part of  Accessibility and equity have been key pillars in the ongoing update of that plan through ATX Walk Bike Roll.

Austin Transportation has made audible crosswalks a standard over the past decade. In addition to providing the name of the cross streets, pedestrian signal buttons feature braille for those who are blind or visually impaired, as well as a persistent beep to locate the signal button. Updated curb ramps include truncated domes, which act as a detectable warning surface that can be seen, felt and heard. The Americans with Disabilities Act Office ensures ADA compliance across the city of Austin.