Austin Transportation and Public Works completed improvements to Comal Street on Feb. 12, allowing for safer pedestrian access to nearby UT facilities.
The organization installed pedestrian islands to help drivers slow down and yield to crossing pedestrians, said Laura Dierenfield, division manager of Transportation and Public Works. Pedestrians can now pause on the islands instead of waiting for oncoming traffic to stop on both lanes. The improvements are part of a wider goal to make Austin’s 2,800 miles of sidewalks more accessible.
Dierenfield said crossings are especially important for families with children because they make pedestrians more visible to oncoming traffic.
“Whenever we are looking to create those pedestrian connections, we want to think about not only the journey along the street, but across the street as well,” Dierenfield said.
The department also connected the sidewalk network on Comal Street, added curb ramps that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and moved sidewalks away from potential hazards like tensioned cables supporting telephone poles, said John Eastman, the sidewalks and urban trails division manager for Transportation and Public Works. He said the improvements will make sidewalks safer for transit users with mobility issues.
“We want to make sure that we provide a complete and accessible journey, particularly to destinations that are popular throughout the city,” Eastman said.
Dierenfield said the improvements will also make it safer to cross the street and access the UT facilities nearby.
The UT Child Development Center on Comal Street provides childcare services for children of UT students, faculty and staff. Program director Becky Ryan said many families walk their children to the center or park in nearby lots, so pedestrian safety has largely improved.
“When parents are trying to drop off and pick up (their children), it’s safer, as everybody’s trying to get to where they’re going in the morning,” Ryan said.
The East Campus Graduate Apartments on Comal Street have also seen improvements to resident life, said Vineeta Singh, a desk assistant and neuroscience freshman. She said the package delivery system and road conditions are more organized.
“It’s just more organized, the transportation, the parking and everything,” Singh said. “It’s less cluttered.”
The department has an interactive map where the public can see future improvement projects. Eastman said the organization plans to prioritize areas with large population densities and lower income areas.
“Those kinds of crossing improvements together with these kinds of inner sidewalk improvements really work together to make it feel inviting for pedestrians,” Eastman said.
