AUSTIN, Texas — After the terror attack in New Orleans, Austin police are increasing visible patrols in popular areas like Sixth Street.
However, they’re also moving forward with plans to reopen Sixth Street to vehicles after decades of closing the street to protect patrons.
On New Year’s Day, U.S. Army veteran and Houston resident Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens. The suspect steered around a police blockade and slammed into New Year’s revelers before being shot and killed by police.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said a planned attack like what happened in New Orleans can happen anywhere, and it underscores the importance of taking proactive public safety measures.
“A great idea was putting the balusters on the sidewalks so if we did open the streets, a car couldn’t come up like what happened in New Orleans, and a car coming up on the sidewalk couldn’t happen,” Davis said. “Those are structural changes that we need to look at, but those are years away, and that takes time. It takes a lot of money, but we have to look at that.”
Currently, a combination of police and barricades close off Sixth Street to cars from Red River Street to Congress Avenue on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and during special events.
However, over the last three weeks, Austin started a phased effort to reopen Sixth Street to traffic on Thursdays and Saturdays. Davis said they’ve had no issues.
“Because it’s not as busy on those days, and we are currently with the students out for the holidays, that was a good opportunity to do that,” Davis said. “It gives us some opportunity to look at the gaps we need to address.”
Davis said she is confident in the phased approach, but given what happened in New Orleans and Las Vegas, there will be an increased presence of officers throughout the city and extra equipment to block off Sixth Street. Davis said that will last until law enforcement learns more about what happened as the investigation into both incidents continues.
According to Davis, there is also an infrastructure element, as they want to widen sidewalks and amplify lighting.
Police have ordered balusters and other equipment for the entire length of Sixth Street from Brazos to Red River Streets. They have curbs about 12 to 18 inches high with fencing on top of them that will be in what is now parking spots along Sixth Street as a barrier.
They were supposed to arrive on Jan. 9, but Davis said the shipment was delayed.
“When those do get here, we’re going to be taking up the parking lanes and the south side will be a bike lane as well,” Davis said. “Traffic will be flowing westbound in that same westbound traffic, but we’ll be operating lights, and we’ll have extra traffic enforcement as far as DUI enforcement out to help with that.”
According to Davis, they will start near Lavaca, Guadalupe and San Antonio Streets because they have the most issues.
“When we’re talking about calls for service and problems that we’re having, that’s the area that’s kind of condensed to,” Davis said.
The priority is to keep pedestrians safe while allowing businesses to remain open and operate. Davis said there is also an officer safety component.
“When you look at our uses of force and our injuries for officers, the amount for the land mass that this is these blocks are, it is unbelievable the number of injuries to officers and uses of force we have in this area,” Davis said. “We have to look at doing things better and differently.”
Davis stressed that the plan is flexible, and if the crowd gets too big, officers will be able to shut the street down.
“At the end of the day, when we’re looking at all this if it can’t be done and it can’t be done safely, we’re not going to do it,” Davis said.
Other popular spots like West and Far East Sixth Street, Rainey Street, and The Domain are always open to cars. In recent weeks, Austin police have met with business owners in the area as the department looked at options related to the opening of Sixth Street.
Meanwhile, the Downtown Austin Alliance said it is “deeply saddened” by the horrific terror attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day. However, they support the plan to reopen Sixth Street.
“This action is one of many that will not only address critical public safety issues that happen when people are able to congregate in the street for hours, but it will also inform steps that can be taken in the long term to enhance the economic vitality and vibrancy of the entertainment district,” the Downtown Austin Alliance said.
Austin has seen a similar type of tragedy before. This past year, while running from police, a driver sped through the intersection of East Seventh and Red River Streets and hit and killed two pedestrians during South by Southwest in Downtown Austin. In 2014, a driver plowed through a crowd of people while drunk and evading officers, killing four people and injuring 20 more.
Council Member Zo Qadri, whose district includes a large chunk of Downtown Austin, said given what happened in New Orleans, these conversations will continue as the new City Council gets underway later this month. He said the tragedy underscores the importance of safe streets and public spaces.
“Whether you’re a local patron on Sixth Street or visiting from abroad for SXSW, City Council and Departments like the Austin Police Department, Transportation and Public Works, and Homeland Security and Emergency Management are constantly evaluating our policies and procedures to keep you safe,” Qadri said. “I’m committed to exploring enhanced safety treatments for major street closures downtown with staff, along with anything applicable to our City that investigations in New Orleans may reveal.”
Austin’s Congress Avenue could soon undergo some significant changes as the city looks to make the popular destination more pedestrian-friendly with the help of the Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative (CAUDI).
The project would include a series of changes stretching from Cesar Chavez Street to 11th Street, notably adding a public plaza from Seventh Street to 11th Street. Implementing the plaza would halt all drivers just north of Seventh Street while allowing drivers to continue on Seventh through 11th streets heading east and westward.
So far, the project’s first phase is expected to cost roughly $22 million, funded mainly by the 2020 Active Transportation and Safety Bond. The full initiative is projected at $130 million, with additional financial support needed.
As part of that project, the city is considering installing bollards to keep pedestrians safe. Qadri is in favor of that idea.
“We are always looking at ways to keep pedestrians safe downtown, and many cities have utilized bollards to great effect to that end,” Qadri said. “While these are still early discussions, I am very open to these kinds of simple and effective commonsense measures that save lives.”