Another unique event only in Downtown Austin:

On Fridays the City of Austin presents free weekly concerts live from the Austin City Hall Plaza. Each week one of Austin’s diverse and talented musicians perform. Also, enjoy lunch from a well known Austin restaurant while being entertained.

This Friday, April 23, from noon to 1:00 see Joanna Barbera. Lunch special offered by Curra’s Grill

For more information, check out the website at: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/music/live.htm

(more…)

Friday April 23 – Sunday, April 24: Art City Austin

The following streets will be closed for the event:

From 6 p.m. Friday until 11:59 p.m. Sunday
– Northbound lanes of the S. 1st Street Bridge

From 7 p.m.  Friday until 11:59 p.m. Sunday
– West Cesar Chavez Street, between Colorado Street and Sandra Muraida Way (just east of Lamar blvd.)
– Colorado Street, between Cesar Chavez and W. 2nd Street
– Lavaca Street, between Cesar Chavez and W. 2nd Street
– Guadalupe Street, between Cesar Chavez and W. 2nd Street
– San Antonio Street, between Cesar Chavez and W. 2nd Street
– Southbound lanes of the S. 1st Street Bridge

Saturday April 24: Texas Round-Up 10K

The Texas Round-Up 10K route begins downtown north of the Capitol and heads north out of downtown, skirting the UT campus before crossing IH-35. From East Austin, the route reenters downtown via E. 11th Street. Most closures on the route will be lane closures, not full street closures. However, motorists should expect an impact to traffic. Below are the affected downtown streets.

Full Closures
– Congress Avenue, between MLK and 15th: 2 a.m. – 3 p.m.
– Colorado Street, between 11th and 15th: 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.
– West 14th Street, between Lavaca and Colorado and between San Jacinto and Brazos: 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.

(more…)

Work for 3, get in free!

Celebrating 60 years, Art City Austin is set in downtown Austin’s 2ND Street District, where urban, green, civic and cultural environments intersect and play host to the 2-day Austin-style celebration of art. 190 juried artists, site-specific art installations, local live music and good eats, a kid’s block with interactive art projects and so much more. Join us. Together we make art happen.

Volunteer! It takes over 800 people to make it all happen. Join us for a three hour shift and get free admission to Art City Austin. Sign up today at artallianceaustin.volunteerhub.com.

(more…)

Courtesy of Dale Glover

A section of the Lady Bird Lake hike and bike trail in the vicinity of Red River and Rainey Street will be closed from April 19 to 29 while an asbestos coating is removed from a pedestrian bridge over Waller Creek. The abatement process is expected to last no more than two weeks, during which time the bridge will be closed to the public during normal business hours (8 a.m.-5p.m.). When work crews are present, the hike and bike trail will be detoured along an alternate route. Both the trail and bridge will be reopened at the end of each work day and on the weekend to minimize disruption.

In fall of 2010, the bridge will be renovated as part of the Waller Creek tunnel project.  In preparation for this work, the City tested materials on the bridge to comply with state, local, and federal asbestos regulations. Test results showed that asbestos was present in a coating on the bottom of the bridge. To follow state and federal air quality regulations, the coating must be removed before it is disturbed during the renovation project.

The abatement team will follow stringent safety measures, including EPA-mandated plastic work barriers, to protect the public and the environment.  For more information, please call 974-7139.

(more…)

April 14, 2010

The Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association (DANA) supports city staff’s recommendation to enhance bicycle mobility on the Rio Grande and Nueces corridors.  We recognize the challenges of balancing the passionate views of stakeholders on all sides of the issue and applaud the efforts of the Original Austin Neighborhood Association (OANA) leadership and city staff to find a compromise that will benefit downtown and the rest of Austin.

DANA recognizes the negative effects that reliance on motor vehicles has on our built environment, air quality, health, convenience, and sustainable economic prosperity.  Accordingly, we support infrastructure that encourages other mobility options, including bicycles.

To make bicycle use a viable transportation mode, it must be safe, inviting, and pleasant for people of all ages.  The staff proposal makes significant strides in this direction.

We believe the staff recommendation will improve bicycle mobility downtown by:

1.  Reducing the number of stop signs along Rio Grande and Nueces, thereby reducing the amount of time and effort cyclists must expend to bike on the corridors.

2.  Discouraging motor vehicle through-traffic by using traffic circles, speed cushions, and slower speed limits to increase motor vehicle travel times.

3.  Placing dedicated (and some shared) bike lanes on portions of Nueces.

It is unclear what the net impact of the reduction of stop signs and the new traffic calming mechanisms will be on motor vehicle through-traffic.  The removal of stop signs will tend to encourage through-traffic, but the new traffic calming mechanisms may more than offset this tendency.  Going forward, we urge staff to monitor the through-traffic in the area and augment traffic calming if needed to discourage motor vehicle through-traffic.  We also support any further enhancements to make Rio Grande and Nueces safe and inviting bike corridors.

(more…)