NEWS RELEASE: AUSTIN NOW TICKETING AND TOWING VEHICLES PARKED IN BIKE-ONLY LANES
Community can report vehicles parked in bike-only lanes via 3-1-1 app
Austin Transportation has begun assigning parking enforcement officers to ticket and tow vehicles illegally parked in designated bike-only lanes. The City plans to expand enforcement in the coming months to improve safety for all travelers.
“Parking in a bike-only lane compels cyclists to enter general travel lanes, which greatly increases the chances of a deadly or serious crash,” said Robert Spillar, P.E., Director for Austin Transportation. “Keeping our bike lanes clear makes our streets safer for both cyclists and motorists alike.”
Austin Transportation also included a new reporting tool in the City’s 3-1-1 mobile app that allows individuals to quickly and easily report vehicles blocking bike lanes.
Residents can call 3-1-1 or use the 3-1-1 mobile app to report cars parked in designated bike lanes. Austin Transportation’s Parking Division will dispatch enforcement officers to locations of reported violations and officers will issue citations and tow illegally parked vehicles.
The move to dedicate parking officers to bike lane enforcement is aligned with Vision Zero, which seeks to achieve zero traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on Austin roadways.
“This increased enforcement will allow bicyclists of all ages and abilities to enjoy our city’s bike network with less risk of being hit by a driver,” said Lewis Leff, Transportation Safety Officer for Austin Transportation. “Providing bicyclists with clear lanes of travel also improves predictability and order on our transportation network, which makes our streets safer for everyone regardless of their mobility preference.”
Fines for obstructing a bike-only lane can be up to $300 and the cost to redeem a towed vehicle the same day of impoundment is around $193.
Learn more about the Austin Bicycle Program at AustinTexas.Gov/Bicycle and learn more about Vision Zero at AustinTexas.Gov/VisionZero.
The City of Austin Transportation Department works to provide the safest and most efficient, cost-effective and sustainable roadways, bikeways and walkways for all Austinites and visitors. Core services include transportation engineering, arterial management, signal timing, signs and markings, active transportation and street design, right of way permitting, development services, special events and more.
In collaboration with area partners, the department leads our community’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries on Austin streets, the achievement of a 50/50 commute type split by 2039 as established in the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, and actively seeks innovative solutions and piloting technology that can decrease the use of single-occupancy vehicles and improve safety through Austin Transportation Department’s Smart Mobility Office. For details, please visit AustinTexas.gov/Transportation.
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News release: Austin now ticketing and towing vehicles parked in bike-only lanes