Transportation
BY KATY MCAFEE
$22.87M grant to fund safety upgrades across Austin area
More than 60 intersections, crosswalks and traffic signals are slated for safety improvements funded through a $22.87 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and $1.5 million from the city of Austin’s fiscal year 2022-23 budget Sept. 14. The backstory Austin received the federal award in February through the Safe Streets and Roads for All pro- gram, which targets high-crash sites in cities and counties. A Sept. 14 city council vote marked the city’s first move to implement the funding for projects around Austin. The details The DOT grant will fund: • Five to seven major intersection improvements • 10 pedestrian hybrid beacons—a traffic control system used to help people cross busy roads
• Dozens of crosswalk marking, traffic signal and street lighting upgrades • A safety campaign on roundabouts Construction on the first of the newly-funded projects will begin in fall 2024, according to the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department. Diving in deeper Over half of the grant funding will be used for safety projects in areas designated by the DOT as historically underserved—many east of I-35. City transportation data shows Austin’s Black and Hispanic population is disproportionately dying and getting seriously injured in car crashes. As of Sept. 27, Black residents made up 18.4% of serious injuries and fatalities in Austin, and Hispanic residents made up 35.2%. Austin’s population is roughly 7% Black and 32% Hispanic or Latino, according to the 2020 census.
Safety upgrades
$24.37M total funding approved Sept. 14
50% of projects will be in areas considered to be underserved by TxDOT
60+ safety projects including:
Intersection improvements
Pedestrian hybrid beacons
Crosswalk markings
Traffic signal upgrades
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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