2018 Austin City Limits Mobility Guide - More stage time, less rage time

There are more ways than ever to get to Austin City Limits, taking place Oct. 5-7 and 12-14 this year. With folks flocking to Zilker Park and no parking allowed there during ACL, planning ahead can make for a safer, smoother experience. This guide outlines the many options you have to get to and from the festival stage without getting behind the wheel of your personal vehicle.

Visit the guide here: http://www.austintexas.gov/news/2018-austin-city-limits-mobility-guide

ATX Detour day logo

Background

Friday, March 9, 2018, was one of the most congested days of the year for Austin commuters as students left for spring break and visitors arrived for the Spring Festival Season/SXSW. Given this historically busy day, the City recognized March 9, 2018, as ATX Detour Day to encourage employers and employees, especially downtown, to think about alternative commute options for this day and the week after.

Some options may be more feasible depending on conditions and demands of work and home life, so choose what suits your lifestyle best and ask your employer what options are available.

Detour from your routine work time or location:

  • Telework. Work from an alternative worksite, such as home or a nearby library, to reduce your commute. Doing so even one day a week makes a positive difference to your health, the environment, traffic and productivity.
  • Flex work hours. If your employment situation allows it, work a non-traditional schedule, such as 7 a.m.-4 p.m. instead of 8 a.m.-5 p.m., so you can avoid the most congested hours.
  • Compress your work week. Cut your commute by working fewer days with more hours, such as four 10-hour days instead of five eight-hour days.

Detour with an active commute:

  • Bike. Knock out multiple goals at once by incorporating exercise into your commute. Be sure to take advantage of Austin’s growing bikeway network and bike-share system with Austin B-cycle.
  • Take public transit. Ride the bus or train to work. Your mind and hands are freed up to spend time with a book, music or podcasts. Refer to Capital Metro’s schedules and trip planner for more information. You can even buy tickets from the Capital Metro app.
  • Walk. Find ways to add some legwork to your trip if you can.

Detour from a lonely commute:

  • Carpool. Ride together with coworkers who live along the way to work. To join a carpool available in the Austin area, sign up for myCommuteSolutions and find a trip match.
  • Vanpool. For groups of five or more people, vanpools are a great shared transportation option. Capital Metro’s MetroRideShare program offers a month-to-month lease option for vanpool groups. To start or join a vanpool, register with Enterprise or call 512-477-7433 (RIDE).
  • Bikepool. Join a cycling group to make your commute more social and active. Riding in a group also brings safety and fun in numbers.

Even if you cannot change up your routine commute, support those who can; they’ll be one less vehicle you’re sharing the road with. Share #ATXDetourDay on social media.

To find more resources to improve and log your commutes in Central Texas, join Commute Solutions. Employers interested in providing their employees with mobility options can check out Movability Austin.