1,500 miles of sidewalks are missing citywide. Here’s what Austin’s doing about it

by: Kelsey Thompson
KXAN.com

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin has approximately 1,500 miles of missing sidewalks citywide — and disabilities commission members are encouraging city staff to speed up that work as much as possible.

Austin’s Transportation and Public Works Department (ATPWD) is poised to bring updates to its sidewalks, crossings and urban streets plan before council in September. Heading into fiscal year 2023-24, ATPWD will lay out its list of priority sidewalks in need of creation or refurbishments, largely using equity determinants to see where the needs are greatest.

What does the city’s sidewalk network look like right now?

There are approximately 2,800 miles’ worth of existing sidewalks within the city network, with roughly 1,500 miles of gaps existing. Since the department’s last update six years ago, the city has increased its sidewalks network from 2,400 miles to 2,800 miles — but members of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities said at July 14 meeting that a robust, connected sidewalks network is integral for those living with physical disabilities.

He noted the city’s plan — which aims to fill out the city’s sidewalks network within a 10-to-30-year timespan — isn’t acceptable for those using canes, guide dogs, wheelchairs or other mobility aids.

John Eastman, division manager with ATPWD, agreed with Franks. He did note that the city’s first sidewalks plan, back in 2009, identified problems with Austin’s sidewalks network, with inconsistencies in complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Eastman said since the first plan more than a decade ago, the city has reduced what was once a 100-year timeframe down to a 10-to-30-year timespan for improvements. Still, Eastman noted his frustrations with limited funding and crew availability that, combined, impacted network improvements.

ATPWD currently has 24 crews dedicated to sidewalk construction and improvements, along with work on initiatives like the city’s corridor programs. Those crews complete roughly 30 to 40 miles worth of sidewalk repairs or new construction each year, he said.

“At this point, it would be — frankly our problem right now is finding construction crews,” Eastman said. “I mean, we’re competing with people trying to build the Tesla factory or whatever.”

On the funding front, Eastman said dollars from the City of Austin’s 2016 and 2020 mobility bonds are projected to run out by 2028. Once those funds are depleted, he said it will be up to city leaders and voters to decide whether more funds are needed and how to best provide for these services.

Under the city’s sidewalks network, approximately 810 miles of sidewalks and 740 miles of shared streets are planned. Across the city, there are 5,780 marked pedestrian crossings, 550 median islands, 27 rapid flashing pedestrian beacons and 88 pedestrian hybrid beacons.

As the department prepares to bring its FY24 plan before Austin City Council, Eastman stressed the need for equity and equity-minded outcomes to be central to conversations on planned sidewalk improvements. Department data presented to the committee found a disproportionate number of pedestrian injuries happen along high-injury streets commonly found in equity analysis zones, or EAZs.

Some of the equity focal points for determining which sidewalk constructions and improvements are prioritized include:

• Existing or planned public transit stops, stations
• Population demographic trends, including areas seeing a high volume of new residents, neighborhoods with more transit-dependent residents and areas with lower household incomes
• Health outcomes of residents living in designated areas

• Establish a transit and bike-share subsidy for residents
• Create a guaranteed basic mobility program
• Prioritize the fair allocation of transportation services
• Develop an electric bicycle and scooter subsidy for residents
• Invest in lighting improvements along pedestrian, bicycle routes

Eastman outlined 10-year targets the department is chasing as part of its sidewalks network buildout. Those include:

• Complete 100% of missing very high, high-priority sidewalks and shared streets by 2033
• Achieve and maintain 80% functionality for very high, high-priority sidewalks by 2033
• Achieve 50% functionality for the sidewalks system by 2033
• Eliminate 50% of very high, high-priority crossing gaps within priority EAZs along the pedestrian high-injury network roadways and/or within 0.25 miles of all identified schools, public transit stops and stations as well as parks by 2033

Click here to see how many sidewalk programs are in the works or are upcoming.