Dear FAN community,
As you may know, in May 2019 the City of Austin Pedestrian Advisory Council (PAC) released a recommendation document regarding overhauling Congress Avenue between Cesar Chavez and the State Capitol as a more pedestrian-oriented street: http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=319023. This is based on an earlier recommendation about Congress made by the Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative: http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/images/Planning/20190305_P4_Presentation_FINAL_LO_RES.pdf
Among the PAC’s key recommendations were transforming current parking spaces into programmable “flexi-spaces” that could be used for small businesses and many other uses, reallocating at least 2 travel lanes to the sidewalk realm, and turning Congress between 7-11th into a “festival street” that would allow for more regular and longer events that would trial Congress as a car-free space.
Since the recommendation, numerous boards, commissions, organizations, and businesses have signed onto this vision. Such entities include the Design Commission, Planning Commission, Urban Transportation Commission, Bicycle Advisory Council, Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association, Walk Austin, Bike Austin, AURA, dwg Landscape Architects, and Royal Blue Grocery.
The PAC is keen to share these ideas with y’all at FAN for your feedback and possibly your formal endorsement. Let me know if this would be possible at an upcoming meeting. In the meantime, I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
Many thanks,
Adam Greenfield
Chair, Pedestrian Advisory Council