Austin, TX
Austin’s left-turn pilot program shows promising results
AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin recently released a report about a year and a half-long pilot program aimed at reducing the number of left-turn crashes. City officials say the tools used in the pilot seem to work.
Left-turn calming treatments were installed at 16 intersections across Austin as part of the city’s Vision Zero program.
“We have some posts on a curb system and a low-profile speed cushion, which is high visibility, including at night, and they can extend to the crosswalk and also a little bit beyond,” said Michael Kiel, a program manager for Austin’s Vision Zero. “Or have a curb extension made out of white materials on the other side.”
The city adopted Vision Zero 10 years ago, aimed at eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries.
“We’ve seen a 46% reduction in crashes involving pedestrians, as well as a 50% reduction in crashes involving pedestrians that led to injury,” Kiel said regarding the calming treatment pilot.
It involves leveraging highly visiblity posts to reduce the risk of pedestrians getting hit by a car making a left turn. It cost about $5,400 to install at each location.
“Building on our own research and that from other cities, we designed a pilot program to install low-cost treatments at intersections to reduce the speed and improve the angle that vehicles are turning left,” Kiel said.
The findings also revealed the treatments at each location saved more than $180,000 in crash costs, which includes emergency response, medical bills and other damages. Because of its success, the city may expand the treatment to other intersections.
“We find those results, as well as some video observation and engineering observation about turning behavior, very promising and encouraging to potentially use these treatments in different locations throughout the city,” Kiel said.
Austin, TX
Aaliyah Crump plans to transfer from Texas: report
AUSTIN (KXAN) — According to a report by On3Sports, Texas freshman guard Aaliyah Crump will enter the transfer portal.
On3’s Talia Goodman reported Monday that Crump is headed out of Austin, leaving head coach Vic Schaefer without one of the most coveted recruits of the 2025 class.
Crump averaged 17.4 minutes per game over 24 games played this season, missing almost the entire nonconference schedule with a foot injury. She scored 7.9 points per game, with a high of 18 against Texas Southern on Nov. 16, and about one steal per game.
She was one of Texas’ top perimeter shooting threats, making 23 of 73 3-point attempts for 32%.
Crump, a 6-foot-1 guard from Minnetonka, Minnesota, will have three seasons of eligibility left. She was ranked as the No. 5 recruit in her class by ESPN, and she was on the Team USA U16 squad that won gold at the FIBA Americas Championships in 2023.
Aaliyah Moore, who missed the entire season after having surgery on both knees, also intends to transfer from the Longhorns.
Austin, TX
Austin City Council members ask to begin process of renaming Cesar Chavez Street
AUSTIN, Texas — Some members of the Austin City Council are calling on the city manager to develop a plan for renaming Cesar Chavez Street after allegations of sexual abuse came out against the late labor leader earlier this year.
According to a memo on Friday to City Manager T.C. Broadnax, José Velásquez, Vanessa Fuentes, José “Chito” Vela and Zohaib “Zo” Qadri requested Broadnax develop a community outreach plan to gather input and assess the cost to the city, residents and businesses on renaming the street.
“The City of Austin is committed to upholding the dignity and safety of all people and affirms its unwavering support to survivors of sexual violence,” the memo said.
The council members outlined how the outreach plan should be developed and what should be included.
For the development of the plan, council members asked Broadnax to do the following steps:
- Work with the Equity Office, Transportation and Public Works Department, and other appropriate departments as needed.
- Engage Latino Community Leaders, labor unions, City Commissions and residents, businesses, neighborhood associations located on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
- Assess estimated renaming costs to the city.
- Assess estimated renaming costs to residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
- Follow additional guidelines provided by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).
And the council members said the outreach plan should include:
- A series of hybrid listening sessions with at least two in-person sessions and one virtual session.
- An online survey for the public.
- A stakeholder survey for residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street to understand the impacts of renaming the street.
The council members requested that Broadnax come up with a report by May 26 that included a plan, cost estimates and a proposed timeline for the renaming, according to the memo.
César Chávez was known for his work with the farmworker movement and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America, with Dolores Huerta. Huerta said she was one of the young women and girls who were groomed and sexually abused by Chávez, which resulted in two pregnancies. She gave birth to the two children and sent them to live with other families.
In her statement, Huerta said she did not know about the other women and girls and that she stayed silent for 60 years because she worried that her coming forward would hurt the farmworker movement.
Other Texas cities have already distanced themselves from Chávez. In Fort Worth, the city removed the street toppers that honored Chávez.
The Cesar E. Chavez Legacy & Educational Foundation — the foundation that hosted the nation’s largest César Chávez march in San Antonio for 29 years — announced it will soon dissolve. The City of San Antonio moved the Cesar Chavez city holiday to Good Friday, and it is requesting the public’s feedback on renaming César E. Chávez Boulevard.
Also, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has directed all public schools to suspend any instruction or activities related to Chávez.
Chávez died on April 23, 1993, at the age of 66.
Austin, TX
Family of Round Rock student hit by car Wednesday asking for prayers from community
ROUND ROCK, Texas — The family of a Round Rock ISD student that was hit by a car Wednesday issued a statement asking for prayers from the community following the incident.
The incident occurred just after 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Teravista Club Drive and Teravista Parkway.
The child was riding a bicycle when he was struck by a vehicle while crossing in a crosswalk. He suffered from “incapacitating injuries,” according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
According to the family statement, the victim sustained major injuries to his brain and neck. The family asked for prayers on Easter Sunday in support of the victim.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Child bicyclist sent the hospital with “incapacitating injuries” after being hit by car
The family of the victim are “asking the Lord to perform a miracle” on their son. They also stated that he “walked through life as everyone’s friend. He is a kind person that would help friend’s in need and with great confidence and strength, stick up for others who couldn’t stick up for themselves.”
Round Rock ISD confirmed that the student was a Teravista Elementary School student. The principal stated in the shared statement that counselors are available to help support students during this time.
The lead agencies on the Wednesday incident are the Round Rock Police Department and Texas DPS.
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