Austin council members back major redesign of Congress Ave

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Several Austin City Council members voiced their support for a proposed redesign of Congress Avenue, including the possible introduction of an urban plaza and the removal of a decade-old moratorium on new downtown events.

The Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative has proposed a full revamp of Congress Avenue between Riverside Drive and 11th Street to the tune of an estimated $130 million. Transportation leaders are eyeing initial improvements to the corridor between Cesar Chavez and 11th Streets, with a possible plaza between Seventh and 11th Streets.

The city has $22 million available from the 2020 Active Transportation and Safety Bond to cover portions of that first phase of work. Based on that available funding, the city could financially cover two of the four blocks included in that pedestrian plaza proposal along with additional improvements south of Seventh Street, as confirmed during a Dec. 3 Austin Urban Transportation Commission meeting.

Susan Somers, chair of Austin's Urban Transportation Commission, presented to the mobility committee Thursday her commission's December recommendations for approving the project. Elements highlighted in the Urban Transportation Commission's approval included:

• Advocating Austin's city manager "take all action necessary" to fully adopt the plan
• Implementing a Civlovia — or a temporary event that closes the streets to cars — as part of a pilot for the urban design initiative's plaza configuration
• Removing the indefinite moratorium on new downtown street events adopted in the city in 2014
• Installing retractable bollards and designated lanes for bicyclists riding in the public plaza
• Working toward an eventual two-way conversation on 7th-10th streets to two-way streets incorporated in the Austin Core Transportation Plan

Somers specifically flagged the ongoing moratorium on new events downtown, stressing the need for its lift to really maximize the space's potential.

"To me, this is actually a little shocking that we have an indefinite moratorium on new downtown street events. Did you know?" she said to the committee.

Austin Mobility Committee Chair Paige Ellis and committee member Zohaib "Zo" Qadri echoed their support for the Urban Transportation Commission's recommendations as a way to revitalize that portion of downtown and reimagine the business and community space opportunities.

The Austin Transportation and Public Works Department confirmed to KXAN in December a full report on the proposal and community feedback will come out early this year, with outlines for next steps in the project.