After some back-and-forth, Sixth Street will officially open to vehicular traffic on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays starting this weekend, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis announced in a press conference on Wednesday.
The plan to reopen Sixth Street has been in the works for months, and in early December, Austin police did a soft opening of the road, allowing vehicles on Thursdays and Sundays. No incidents occurred during that time, Davis said.
The city has modified the streetscape with changes that will hopefully improve safety for officers and pedestrians.
“If you plan on visiting Sixth (Street) this weekend, you’ll notice that we’ve created a larger sidewalk, and have added rubber curbs and fencing,” Davis said.
The fencing is intended to keep people out of the street. Davis said drivers should be aware of new signage, and to watch their speed.
The volume of incidents that occur along Sixth Street is part of city officials’ motivation to move ahead with reopening the road. Roughly 25% of Austin police’s use-of-force incidents happen on Sixth Street, Davis said.
“The chaos that ensues when we’re locking down these streets like this, and inviting more chaos into this place, it is not tenable. It has to change,” she said.
The reopening plan was paused on Jan. 8 due to incoming inclement weather that could have caused icy conditions and also because of the deadly New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans. In response to that incident, Austin police put dump trucks on Sixth Street. Davis said it was not clear at the time if it was an isolated incident.
Improving safety on Sixth Street was top-of-mind for the city before the New Orleans attack, too, Mayor Kirk Watson said.
“This is an exciting and important moment for Austin and for our downtown. Taking this kind of direct action with this sort of leadership is going to make a big difference,” he said.
And don’t fret: The street will still be closed to traffic — just like it has been in years past — during the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals this spring. 👏
