City of Austin staff have released a recommended plan to redesign Sixth Street in downtown Austin. The popular entertainment district has been undergoing recent changes to improve safety.
The updated design, which stretches from Congress Avenue to Interstate 35, includes expanded sidewalks on both sides and a curbside access lane for deliveries and rideshare drop-offs. It also reduces the number of lanes for vehicles from four to two.
City staff said in a news release that “prioritizing pedestrians doesn’t just improve mobility — it enhances safety, supports local businesses, and strengthens the cultural vibrancy that makes Sixth Street one of Austin’s most iconic destinations.”
The new design comes more than a year after the city announced major changes to try and improve the road's safety.
In December 2024, the Austin Police Department launched a pilot project to reopen the road to vehicles on weekend nights after decades of closures.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said then that keeping people off the street was safer and reduced the strain on the police department to close the road to vehicles.
The city sought community input for months, including from business owners in the area.
According to a public engagement report, the recommended design was the second favored option among the community. Much of the feedback from residents also included strong support for bike lanes, which are not included in this redesign option.
City staff are looking for opportunities to add bikes lanes on other nearby streets, according to the news release.
Changes to Sixth Street are not taking shape any time soon. City leaders said the next step is finding money to do the work. That could mean adding the project to a potential bond package that would go before voters in the fall. If the project is included and approved by voters, construction could begin in 2027.
