Austin's Complete Communities
Transportation construction can also be human centered with the City of Austin's focus on "complete communities"
The City of Austin's Corridor Program Office features a novel focus on preserving and supporting the communities along the roads it will be reconstructing over the next two years. This "complete communities" philosophy is a cornerstone of the city's 40 year development plan, "Imagine Austin." Keep reading below — or check out our blog at www.austintexas.gov/completecommunities — to learn more!
Year in Review
As 2021 comes to a close, our Corridors for Complete Communities (C4CC) team at CPO is reflecting on the progress made toward supporting complete communities along our Austin corridors. We’re proud to have made huge leaps this year, and below we’re recapping some of our project milestones, accomplishments and city progress.
January – Pedestrian Safety: The Corridor Program Office (CPO) completed its first set of intersection improvements along North Lamar Boulevard at W. Powell Lane, Fairfield Drive, Cooper Drive, and Grady Drive. Intersection upgrades included new signals, ADA-compliant curb ramps and high visibility crosswalks.
February – Trees and Shade: The C4CC team formalized a funding partnership with Austin’s Development Services Department Urban Forestry Division. This partnership will help bring hundreds of trees to the corridors included in the Corridor Construction Program.
March – Accessibility: CPO brought bilingual online outreach sessions to our Spanish-speaking residents on Slaughter Lane and William Cannon Drive as part of the Coffee on the Couch events. These virtual events engaged community members on upcoming transportation and placemaking improvements planned near their neighborhoods.
April – Collaboration: The Corridor Program Office partnered with the Public Works Department Sidewalks Program to build shared-use paths along North Lamar Boulevard between Caddo Street and the On the Green apartment complex.
May – Transparency: C4CC launched a new program webpage with monthly posts telling the Complete Communities story.
June – Community Engagement: C4CC gathered neighborhood input from South Lamar Boulevard residents and businesses regarding green spaces planned for their corridor.
July – Arts and Culture: Austin City Council approved a first set of artists selected to create community art as part of the Corridor Construction Program.
August – I-35 Cap and Stitch: Members of the Corridor Program Office co-hosted an open house to share information about the City’s efforts to build deck plazas (caps) and enhanced crossings (stitches) over I-35 through downtown Austin. Well-aligned with efforts to support complete communities throughout Austin, the cap and stitch project is a collaborative effort between the City, Downtown Austin Alliance, and TxDOT.
September – Progress Report: The City published the 2016 Mobility Bond’s annual report, highlighting progress updates on transportation projects supporting complete communities in Austin.
October – Safer Connections: CPO broke ground on multiple intersection projects that support safer connections to community destinations for all roadway users. Once completed, the new intersections will have new signals, high-visibility crosswalks and ADA-compliant curb ramps.
November – Partnerships: C4CC announced our partnership with PBS Austin. This collaboration is promoting transportation education and providing insight on how kids and their families currently travel.
December – Design to Construction: The CPO office is celebrating our transition from the program’s design phase into active construction with sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes planned across the program’s corridors.
Looking Ahead
2022 will be a big year for the Corridor Program Office, and we are excited to support complete communities through corridor improvements that make it easier and safer to travel the neighborhoods we call home. Stay tuned for updates as we build upon our progress!
