22-02-2025
Austin seeks public input on $12.5M in Seaholm area upgrades
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The city of Austin has more than $12 million earmarked for improvements in downtown's Seaholm area — and is seeking public feedback on how to spend portions of those dollars.
The city established a tax increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ) in the Seaholm District neighborhood back in 2008, Alex Payson, Austin Transportation and Public Works' capital improvement program manager, told the city's Downtown Commission Wednesday one project initially outlined was a pedestrian and bicycle underpass beneath a roadway at Bowie Street.
City leaders attempted to reach an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad for that project, but it stalled out. Instead, when council closed the TIRZ in December 2023, city officials reallocated $12.5 million from the TIRZ to the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department for five projects that would help achieve similar goals as the Bowie Street underpass intended.
Those five projects include:
Cesar Chavez Street shared-use path connecting Sandra Muraida Way to San Antonio Street: $1.3 million
Improved crossing safety via dynamic signs at Cesar Chavez Street and West Avenue, Walter Seaholm Drive: $200,000
Third Street and Power Plant Drive mobility improvements: $1 million
Northern Shoal Creek trail alignment: $5 million
East-west crossings of Shoal Creek at Third Street: $5 million
The beefiest project discussed with the Downtown Commission were the mobility improvements at Third Street and Power Plant Drive. Transportation officials are reviewing four alternative design options for multimodal improvements in the corridor — with some featuring a possible pedestrian plaza.
The first design consideration proposes closing Power Plant Drive and upgrading ramps while installing concrete and sod to develop a plaza for pedestrians and cyclists. Under this proposal, parking on Third Street would be maintained.
Payson said staff have noticed a wide variety of conflicts in this area, particular from the two-way traffic on Third Street and one-way traffic on Power Plant Drive.
Under this proposal, city officials would close Power Plant Drive and improve ramps while installing a pedestrian plaza, similar to the first alternative. Parking under this version would also be retained.
However, unlike Alternative 1, this option would feature the installation of back-angle parking on the south curb of Third Street, which would allow city officials to recapture approximately 10 parking spaces compared to the first alternative — albeit resulting in a narrower pedestrian plaza as a result.
With this alternative, Power Plant Drive would remain open but crews would expand the center median running between Third Street and Power Plant Drive. The widened median would double as an urban trail dividing the two roadways.
Parking would be maintained along Third Street, with the possibility of ramp improvements. It would also take parking from the north curb of Power Plant Drive for a shared-use path and green space for east-west movement.
Alternative 4 would also close Power Plant Drive and would upgrade ramps and install concrete and pod to develop a multimodal plaza, as well as add a delivery zone and ADA-parking area with ramp access.
Payson said this design is similar to the first two options, but added the main difference is the south curb on Third Street would transform into a commercial delivery zone, taking four spaces from the curb and reallocating them.
Work is currently underway on the Cesar Chavez Street shared-use path and the dynamic signs. Construction on the shared-use path began in October and is expected to wrap in late spring, while the dynamic signs should be delivered for installation in the coming weeks.
For the Third Street and West Avenue improvements, city officials are collecting public feedback through March 23 via a community survey. A pop-up event is also scheduled for March 1 from 10 a.m. to noon at Third Street and West Avenue.
Following that, transportation leaders will finalize design and construction plans for the Third Street and West Avenue enhancements.
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