Austin, CapMetro to roll out bike, pedestrian safety upgrades downtown

Safety enhancements are coming to a stretch of downtown Austin, courtesy a collaboration between CapMetro and the City of Austin, including the city's mobility bonds program.

Editor’s Note: The above video shows KXAN News’ top morning headlines from Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Safety enhancements are coming to a stretch of downtown Austin, courtesy a collaboration between CapMetro and the City of Austin, including the city's mobility bonds program.

The two entities coordinated on pedestrian safety upgrades and improved cycling infrastructure on Trinity Street and San Jacinto Boulevard, with the project corridor running from Cesar Chavez Street to East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Specific enhancements include:

• Transit priority lanes for bus operations of existing and future CapMetro routes
• Protect bicycle lanes for cyclists
• Upgraded pedestrian crossings along corridor
• Continued parking, vehicle access for drivers along project corridor

Planned work varies between different parts of the corridor as follows:

• San Jacinto Boulevard from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Eighth Street:
  • Parking on both sides of roadway
  • Two through traffic lanes
  • One bus lane
  • One protected cyclist lane
• Trinity Street from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Seventh Street:
  • Parking on one side of roadway
  • Two through traffic lanes
  • One bus lane at bus stops
• San Jacinto Boulevard from Eighth Street to Sixth Street and San Jacinto Boulevard from Fifth Street to Cesar Chavez Street:
  • Parking on both sides of roadway
  • Three through traffic lanes
  • One protected cyclist lane
• San Jacinto Boulevard from Sixth Street to Fifth Street and Trinity Street from Seventh Street to Fourth Street:
  • Parking on both sides of roadway
  • Two through traffic lanes
  • One protected cyclist lane
• Trinity Street from Fourth Street to Cesar Chavez Street:
  • Two through traffic lanes
  • Two protected cyclist lanes

Construction on the project is projected to begin in the middle of August, with work expected to wrap by the end of 2024.

The construction phase is broken into the following stages:

• August through September: Street repairs completed
• September through October: Installation of signage, markings along corridor
• November: Expected project completion

Officials flagged occasional lane closures will happen during the construction phase, with possible delays as a result.