More than 120,000 people are expected to flock to the Austin area for the upcoming Formula 1 Grand Prix. And you can bet that many of those visitors will want to take in Austin’s downtown scene.
So while the cars on the Circuit of the Americas track will reach speeds of around 200 miles per hour, the traffic that comes with all those visitors could mean chugging along at a snail’s pace downtown. That is, on the roads that remain open—most of Congress Avenue will be closed from the capitol to the lake over race weekend. And many East-West streets will be partially shut down between Lavaca Street and Neches Street.
Capital Metro is expanding bus and rail service to help.
Visitors (or Austinites getting out of town in an effort to avoid the mayhem) can take advantage of a $1 bus service running between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and downtown.
Capital Metro is also offering free bus rides on a loop taking riders around the downtown street closures.
Of course, it’s yet to be seen whether F1’s wealthy, international fan base will embrace the city’s transit service. Maybe it’s the pedicab drivers who will be the real winners.
