Austin Public Works and Austin Transportation released three draft plans that will guide how the City of Austin will build sidewalks, crosswalks, urban trails, and bikeways for years to come. Community members can review and comment on the Sidewalks, Crossings, and Shared Streets; Urban Trail; and/or Bicycle draft plans now through March 20, 2023. All three draft plans can be found online at PublicInput.com/ATXWBR. 

Each new plan builds upon past planning efforts, with updated goals, strategies, and action items. Most notably, each plan factors equity into all aspects of the plan including their updated networks and how the City determines which projects are funded first. Highlights of additional new elements of each plan update include: 

Sidewalks, Crossings, and Shared Streets Draft Plan: The updated plan establishes a new approach to completing the pedestrian network through a combination of sidewalks and shared streets. Shared streets are an alternative to sidewalks on low-traffic residential streets. The plan update also includes the first city-wide data-driven survey of pedestrian crossings to identify locations where crossings are needed or need updates.   

Urban Trails Draft Plan: The updated plan establishes a more equitable and robust prioritization process, using a data-driven approach to determine which trails will be designed and built next. The plan looks beyond infrastructure and provides recommendations for placemaking, programming, and maintenance of the trail network.  

Bicycle Draft Plan: The updated plan expands the all ages and abilities bicycle network to provide people with more mobility choices throughout Austin. It includes a new focus on addressing the affordability and displacement crisis while supporting climate resilience and integration with transit systems and land planning to make bicycling work for more people, more often. 

After public input is received, the three plans will be revised and packaged with a set of amendments to the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP). The revised plans and ASMP amendments will be presented to the Planning Commission in April. Finally, a public hearing at City Council will be held, and Council will vote on whether to adopt the final plans. An official notice will be posted before the Council hearing date. 

"Our sidewalks, trails, bikeways, and roads are a direct result of planning decisions that have impacts beyond our travel options. These decisions impact our environment, our health, and our access to resources,” said James Snow, Interim Director of Austin Public Works. “These updated plans consider impacts beyond mobility and build upon the past two years of public input. Now it’s time to reflect back what we’ve heard and confirm that we’re on track." 

Residents can also hear presentations and share feedback on any of these draft plans by attending or speaking at the boards and commissions meetings listed here. To comment at any Board and Commission meeting by phone or in-person please contact the staff liaison of the specific board or commission. 

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About the Planning Process 

The plans were developed as part of ATX Walk Bike Roll, a coordinated initiative to update three separate but related active transportation plans through an equity-centered planning process.  

ATX Walk Bike Roll builds upon the vision of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) and the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan to move Austin toward the goal where 50 percent of trips to work are made by walking, biking, transit, or any other non-drive-alone mode by 2039.  

Learn more about ATX Walk Bike Roll at: AustinTexas.gov/ATXWBR. 

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