2015–2016 Process · Public Event 1 “Launch!” ... Waller Creek LADY BIRD LAKE havez havez E 7th W 4th d W 2nd W 5th E 5th E 4th d E 2nd W 6th E 6th W 7th W 8th E 8th W 9th E

Thanks to the active participation of many Austinites like you, we are moving full speed ahead towards defining the future of Congress Avenue. In this document, you will find a sample of what we’ve discovered and what you have told us about Congress Avenue. You will also see how we are beginning to transform your thoughts and ideas into goals and potential strategies.

2015–2016Set Project

Direction

2016–2017Select & Contract

Consultant

SPRING 2017Project Survey

SUMMER 2017Stakeholder

Focus Groups

MAY 2018Alternatives

SUMMER 2018Draft Project

Report

FALL 2018Final Project

Report

Public Event 1“Launch!”

Public Event 2“Transform!”

Public Event 4

Public Event 5

Community Engagement

“What We Heard”Urban Design Analysis

“What We Found”

Confirmed Vision

Goals

Potential Strategies

Alternatives

The vision guides the development of the plan.

Goals set out what we hope to achieve, and reflect the community’s vision.

Strategies describe specific actions to achieve the goals.

Alternatives will be unveiled at Public Event 3.

Process

http://www.austintexas.gov/congressavenue

Public Event 3“Imagine!”

What We Heard & What We Found

Through your input and our urban design analysis, we developed a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and

opportunities facing Congress Avenue around the themes of social equity, mobility & connectivity, culture & history, economics, and environment.

E 10th

E 9th

E 11thWhat We Heard & What We Found

Social Equity

Do you think Congress Avenue can be made more welcoming to racial and other minorities? (1 = no, 5 = yes)

Do you or someone you know ever experience difficulties physically navigating Congress Avenue?(1 = never, 5 = very frequently)

Get in ADA compliance and install benches every block so folks can have a resting spot

Ensure that there are public spaces that are free, accessible, and welcoming to ALL...

Average of 113 responses2.5

Average of 137 responses3.8

Sample community input

South Central Waterfront

E Riverside

Cong

ress

Ave

.

2nd

Cesar Chavez

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

State Capitol

Barton Springs

LADY BIRD LAKE

San

Jacin

to

Braz

os

Lava

ca

Color

ado

ADA Accessibility Issues* Sample (above)*Issues to resolve in order to achive wheelchair-accessible and walkable sidewalks for all

Accessible parking is non-compliant

Push button reach range or level clear floor is non-compliant

Horizontal opening on walking surface exceeds 1/2”

Cross-slope exceeds 2%

Curb ramp slope exceeds 8.3%

Places where respondents go to exercise freedom of speech

Our Congress Avenue Survey (left)

What We Heard & What We Found

Mobility & Connectivity

Bicycle median

Shared lanes

Circulator

For one thing, I think we need to move toward incentivizing the usage of mass transit (plus adding mass transit to get people around town)...and charge for the [parking] spots we do have.

Fully connected sidewalks and bike lanes with no breaks, better directional signage, and beautification along the entire corridor...widen the sidewalks to allow for more street cafes and public events...

0’ 5’ 10’ 20’

Section 3

Section 2

Section 1

2

1

3

8’ Pedestrian

Path

4’ Café

Seating

18’ Parking & Landscape

Buffer

20’ Active Pedestrian

Path

10’ Restaurant Seating

10’ Landscape

Zone

5’ Pedestrian

Path

15’ Drive and Bike

Lane

Pedestrian Right-of-way (above right)

Not accessible to pedestriansPedestrian path

Sample community input

Samples from “Build Your Avenue”

120’ ROW

120’ ROW

120’ ROW

Existing Conditions

Key DestinationsNodes of activityKey Districts

Paramount Theatre

City Hall

Butler Park

The Contemporary

State Capitol

Mexic-Arte Museum

Convention Center

6th Street District

Red River District

‘Nightwing’ Bat Sculpture

Congress Ave Bridge

Auditorium Shores

SeaholmDistrict

Waller Creek

LADY BIRD LAKE

W Cesar Chavez

E Cesar Chavez

E 7th

W 4th

W 3rd

W 2nd

W 5th

E 5th

E 4th

E 3rd

E 2nd

W 6th

E 6th

W 7th

W 8th

E 8th

W 9th

E 9th

W 10th

E 10th

W 11th

E 11th

Old Bakery & Emporium

State Theatre

To Light Rail

To Butler Hike and

Bike Trail

6th Street

2nd St and

Seaholm District

To Capitol Complex

& UT Austin

To South

Congress Ave

I-35

Republic Square

BrushSquare

Wooldridge Square

Palm Park

What We Heard & What We Found

Culture & History

We should be very ambitious to create a great avenue worthy of a world class city. We should be looking towards the great avenues of the world for inspiration and example

Identify the history and make it more visible and obvious to the public. Incorporate building signage, incorporate elements of diverse culture that funded and developed and contributed to Austin history.

Do you consider Congress Avenue an arts and culture destination? (1 = disagree, 5 = agree)

Average of 163 responses

3.2

What is the most memorable civic event you’ve attended on Congress Avenue?

March / Protest ParadeOut of 150 responses

46% 20%

Key Destinations

Sample community input

What We Heard & What We Found

Economics

How do you rate the quality of Congress Avenue as a working environment? (1 = not good, 5 = very good)

How important is it that local and small businesses can afford to stay on Congress Avenue? (1 = not at all, 5 = very)

...Build walking traffic on Ave. Activate abandoned buildings for more synergy and less holes in the landscape.

Offer rent subsidies or other financial incentives, including free or low cost business training for local entrepreneurs.

Average of 146 responses4.1

Average of 50 responses3.1

W 10th

W 9th

W 8th

E 10th

E 9th

E 8th

Paramount Theatre

Old Bakery & Emporium

Barto

n Spr

ings R

d

YETI Store

South Central Waterfront

E Riverside

Cong

ress

Ave

.

2nd

Cesar Chavez

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

State Capitol

Barton Springs

LADY BIRD LAKE

San

Jacin

to

Braz

os

Lava

ca

Color

ado

Study AreaOffice/Commercial LobbyRetail/HotelCulturalVacant/Construction

Publicly Accessible Ground Floor Use on Congress, north of Lady Bird Lake

Publicly Accessible Ground Floor Use on Congress, south of Lady Bird Lake

Publicly Accessible Ground Floor Use (above)Ground Floor Use (left)

Sample community input

What We Heard & What We Found

Environment

The bridge is SO HOT and we were almost run over by cyclists on the sidewalk

How important is it to protect the bats? (1 = not at all, 5 = very)

How important is it to control flooding and use rainwater wisely? (1 = not at all, 5 = very)

I wish South Congress could have more green space or pocket parks. The North Congress re-design from the state looks awesome.

Would love to have more nature integrated and more of Austin’s history reflected

Average of 153 responses Average of 150 responses4.4 4.6

E 10th

E 9th

E 8th

E 11th

Wounds on trunk

Bluejay spotted in this area

Seven grackle nests in this tree!

2nd

Cesar Chavez

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th

10th

11th

LADY BIRD LAKE

Quercus fusiformisLive Oak

Quercus polymorphaMonterrey Oak

Quercus shumardiiShumard Oak

Quercus virginianaSouthern Live Oak

Condition - Fair

Condition - Bad

Fraxinus velutinaArizona Ash

Quercus muehlenbergiiChinquapin Oak

Ilex VomitoriaYauponUlmus Crassifolia Cedar Elm

Taxodium distichumBald Cypress

Condition - Good

Sample Tree Survey (above)

Comfortable

UncomfortableShadySunny

Summer Shadow Analysis (left)Average amount of shade during the longest days of the year

Sample community input

Goals

Strategies

These goals reflect the issues and challenges that we uncovered during the community engagement process and urban design analysis, and represent tangible outcomes of this process.

These are examples of potential specific actions to achieve the goals. Come help us imagine other possibilities at our next public event on October 25!

Re-balance mobility options along Congress Avenue

MOBILITY & CONNECTIVITY

• Bike lanes• Pedestrian zones

and crosswalks• Circulator• Accessibility• Parking

management• Signalization• Ann W. Richards

Congress Avenue Bridge improvements

• Right sizing vehicular right-of-way

CULTURE & HISTORY

Enhance Congress Avenue as a destination

• Lighting• Public art• Wayfinding and

signage• Place branding• Interpretative

markers• Events and

performances• Cultural anchors

(north and south of Lady Bird Lake)

• Great design

ECONOMICS

Amplify the economic strength and diversity of Congress Avenue

• Ground floor activation

• Diversity of retail options

• Pop-up food & beverage / retail opportunities

• Enhanced café zones

ENVIRONMENT

Celebrate biodiversity and urban habitat in a functional, resilient streetscape design

• Shade and thermal comfort

• Street trees• Stormwater

management• Permeable paving • Connection to Lady

Bird Lake ecology• Habitat diversity

SOCIAL EQUITY

Ensure a welcoming, accessible, and representative space for all

• Accessibility• Telling the stories• Diverse programming• Connectivity to

neighborhoods• Civic engagement

(protest and representation)

Are these the right goals? Tell us what you think!

Cultural events / installations

Strategies

Social Equity

Civic engagement

Celebrate arts and culture

Women’s March, Austin

2013 Day of the Dead Parade

• Accessibility• Telling the stories• Diverse programming• Connectivity to

neighborhoods• Civic engagement (protest

and representation)

Ensuring a welcoming, accessible, and representative space for all

Diverse programming

Accessibility

Tell the stories6th Street Yoga, Austin

ADA-friendly walkway, 2nd Street, Austin Mademoiselle Maurice origami installation, France

These are some initial ideas...do you have others?

These are some initial ideas...do you have others?

Strategies

Mobility & Connectivity

Bicycle or pedestrian bridge

Pedestrian-focused intersections

Bike Bridge, Copenhagen

Street Color, Chicago

• Bike lanes• Pedestrian zones and

crosswalks• Circulator• Accessibility• Parking management• Signalization• Ann W. Richards Congress

Avenue Bridge improvements• Right sizing vehicular right-

of-way

Re-balance mobility options along Congress Avenue

CirculatorWider sidewalks

Parking Management Bike Lanes

The Avenue, Washington DC

SFPark Prospect Park West, New York

Circulator, Bethesda

These are some initial ideas...do you have others?

Strategies

Culture & History

Interpretative markers

WayfindingLegible London wayfinding system

Pitt Street, Taiwan

• Lighting• Public art• Wayfinding and signage• Place branding• Interpretative markers• Events and performances• Cultural anchors (north and

south of Lady Bird Lake)• Great design

Enhance Congress Avenue as a destination

Distinctive lighting Engaging public art

Interesting design Connection to cultural anchors

18 Nuances de Gai, Montreal Market Street, San Francisco

Parklet, WMB Studio Walk signs, Raleigh

These are some initial ideas...do you have others?

Enhanced café zones

Strategies

Economics

Food truck space

Market Street, Philadelphia

Klyde Warren Park, Dallas

• Support small, local businesses

• Ground floor activation• Diversity of retail options• Pop-up food & beverage /

retail opportunities• Enhanced café zones

Amplify the economic strength and diversity of Congress Avenue

Street festivals Temporary plazas

Temporary retail Support small, local businesses

South Street Spring Festival, Philadelphia Lawn on D, Boston

Le Fashion truck, Los Angeles Royal Blue parklet, Congress Avenue, Austin

These are some initial ideas...do you have others?

Strategies

Environment

Plant diverse, native species

Rainwater sculpturesHarbor Pavilion, Boston

Pollinator garden, Portland

• Shade and thermal comfort• Street trees• Stormwater management• Permeable paving • Connection to Lady Bird

Lake ecology• Habitat diversity

Celebrate biodiversity and urban habitat in a functional, resilient streetscape design

Shade structuresUse permeable pavers

Tell the water story Shade treesUptown Circle, Illinois Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Passeig de Saint Joan, Barcelona Houtan Park, Shanghai

2015–2016Set Project

Direction

2016–2017Select & Contract

Consultant

SPRING 2017Project Survey

SUMMER 2017Stakeholder

Focus Groups

MAY 2018Alternatives

SUMMER 2018Draft Project

Report

FALL 2018Final Project

Report

Public Event 1“Launch!”

Public Event 2“Transform!”

Public Event 3“Imagine!”

Public Event 4

Public Event 5

Vision

Values

Join us in May as we continue to imagine and shape the future of Congress Avenue! Stay tuned for further details on Public Event 3 “Imagine!” where we will explore different design alternatives. And in the meantime, please see the full results of our Analysis and Public Outreach, which will be posted to the project web site:

IMAGINE!Save the Date: Tuesday May 15th at 800 Congress AveMorning Open House: 7 am to 9 amEvening Open House: 5 pm to 8 pm

http://www.austintexas.gov/congressavenue

Our Congress Avenue is a great Texas people place – the cultural, historic and commercial spine of downtown Austin where people come to share, celebrate and create a bright future.

The Vision will be achieved and maintained through loyalty to a set of Values related to Character, Function and Management. A great street needs to do many things well but a street asked to perform too many tasks is likely to perform none of them well. Our efforts to achieve the Congress Avenue Vision will adhere to these Values that will guide what we ask of the Avenue and how we direct our work.