04-2: November 5, 2025 Memo on Pavement Marking Compliance and the Public Spaces Task Force — original pdf

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MEMORANDUM To: Mayor and City Council Through: Michael Rogers, Assistant City Manager From: Date: Richard Mendoza, P.E., Director, Austin Transportation & Public Works November 5, 2025 Subject: Update on Pavement Marking Compliance and the Public Spaces Task Force The purpose of this memorandum is to provide an update on the Public Spaces Task Force and City’s efforts to comply with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) letter regarding pavement markings dated October 8, 2025. The Public Spaces Task Force will be staffed by Austin Transportation & Public Works (ATPW). This task force will be active for up to 90 days. Public Spaces Task Force Roster Six Square Cultural District - Daphne McDole • African American Resource Advisory Commission - Daryl Horton • Asian American Resource Advisory Commission – Padmini Jambulapati • Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Commission – Amanda Afifi • Urban Transportation Commission – Susan Somers • Austin LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce – Colton Ashabranner • Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce – Tam Hawkins • Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – Monica Andry • • Mayoral – Steven Rivas • District 2 – KC Coyne • District 4 – Nikki DaVaughn • District 3 – Miriam Dorantes • District 6 – Skyler Korgel • District 7 – Chas Moore • District 8 – Garry Brown • District 10 – Devan Daniel Representatives for the following groups are pending confirmation: Arts Commission, Design Commission, Downtown Commission, LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission, Parks & Recreation Board, Tourism Commission, Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Council Districts not listed. Date: November 5, 2025 Subject: Update on Pavement Marking Compliance and the Public Spaces Task Force The first meeting of the Public Spaces Task Force will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 5:30pm, in the Permitting and Development Center. The members will be charged with identifying and making recommendations for the City to “celebrate diversity, show our love of equality, acknowledge contributions to Austin’s culture and character, and present Austin as a unique, creative place wanting to be better by being inclusive.” The Task Force’s work shall focus on ideas that do not violate federal or state requirements and consider funding options, including seeking corporate and philanthropic giving. Potential Financial Impacts of Compliance The initial cost associated with labor and materials if the City is required to address all locations is estimated between $125,000 and $140,000. This number can be affected by weather, materials and equipment needs. Funding is available in the Austin Transportation and Public Works operating budget. Communication with TxDOT Austin Transportation & Public Works submitted an official exception request to TxDOT for all impacted locations on Wednesday, October 30, 2025 (attached). Upon receipt of TxDOT’s response, ATPW will update and advise the City Council and share staff’s intended actions. Should you have any questions, please contact Richard Mendoza, Austin Transportation and Public Works at (512) 974-2488 or RichardV.Mendoza@austintexas.gov. cc: T.C. Broadnax, City Manager Erika Brady, City Clerk Corrie Stokes, City Auditor Mary Jane Grubb, Municipal Court Clerk Judge Sherry Statman, Municipal Court CMO Executive Team Department Directors Attachment: TxDOT Pavement Marking Standards Exemption Request Page 2 of 2 301 West Second Street Austin, TX 78701 Tucker Ferguson, P.E. TxDOT Austin District Engineer RE: City of Austin, Texas Pavement Marking Standards Exemption Request This letter serves as a request by the City of Austin for an exception to Pavement Marking Standards as stated in your October 8, 2025, letter, “Compliance with Pavement Markings Standards on Texas Roads.” The City of Austin appreciates your continued focus on safety for the traveling public, and the City believes it is aligned with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Texas Department of Transportation in working towards zero traffic-related deaths through our respective initiatives. The City has conducted an inventory of all decorative or aesthetic pavement markings within its jurisdiction, reviewed crash data at those locations, and has concluded these marking do not pose a risk to safety. In several cases, data suggests these marking might increase safety. The City’s inventory and a description of each location is provided as Attachment A to this letter. The locations where the City of Austin has decorative or aesthetic pavement markings are composed of either non-retroreflective material, are not used to regulate, warn or guide traffic, or are outside of the regulated travel lane and conform to chapter 3G.01 of the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (TMUTCD). Additionally, these locations are not on any of the major arterials that contribute to traffic fatalities within the City. The City strives to consistently comply with the federal Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) by utilizing continental crosswalks with paint or thermoplastic at all crosswalks, including those with additional decoration. Like our national and state government partners, the City uses best available research and local crash data to inform decision-making in improving safety on our roadways. The primary study of impacts to safety from asphalt art found improved safety performance, with a 50 percent crash rate reduction for crashes involving people walking or biking, a 37 percent reduction in crashes resulting in injury, and a 17 percent reduction in the overall crash rate. At the 15 locations in the City of Austin with decorative crosswalks or creative markings, TxDOT’s CRIS crash data shows large percentage reductions on small crash totals as well. When comparing crash data before and after installation of these aesthetic treatments, using up to five years of crash data when available, we see annualized crash rates have declined by 46 percent. Annualized crash rates involving pedestrians have decreased 100 percent, from 0.6 crashes per year across all locations to zero crashes after installation. These safety outcomes are better than the control group of similar locations on similar roadways over the same period. 1 ATTACHMENT 1Based on our interpretation of the MUTCD and TMUTCD I have determined that all locations contained within the City’s inventory are compliant. Below is a summary of our findings: 1. Crosswalks with non-retroreflective colored pavement and do not degrade the contrast of the white transverse pavement marking: i. Morrow Street and Watson Street (partner with FHWA) ii. Manor Road and Leona Street (partner with FHWA) iii. Pedernales Street and Webberville Road (partner with FHWA) iv. 4th and Colorado v. River on Lake Austin Boulevard vi. West Wind Trail and Westgate Boulevard (allowed to fade) vii. Cougar Drive and Sahara (allowed to fade) 2. Locations with non-retroreflective lettering/marking within the travel lane and not used to regulate, warn, or guide traffic: i. East 11th Street between Waller Street and Lydia Street ii. Guadalupe Street between W. 22nd Street and W. 24th Street iii. Traffic Circle, E. 22nd and Salina iv. Fairy Alley – Between Treadwell Street and Dexter Street (allowed to fade) 3. Location with non-retroreflective artwork/markings outside the travel lane and not used to regulate, warn, or guide traffic: i. Traffic Circle, 53rd and Avenue H 4. Locations with retroreflective pavement markings serving as traffic calming and planned to be replaced with concrete curb and planted medians: i. Joe Sayers Avenue between Ullrich Avenue and Theckla ii. Arroyo Seco and Jim Hogg Avenue 5. Locations with unauthorized privately installed yellow crosswalks to be replaced with MUTCD compliant crosswalk after ADA compliant curb ramp installation. i. Lamar Square The City of Austin requests an exception for these locations based on the demonstrated public safety benefit as evidenced by our collective crash data, and adherence to the applicable sections of the MUTCD and TMUTCD. I look forward to a formal response to this request before the City takes action and appreciate the continued collaboration towards safer streets in Austin and across Texas. Richard Mendoza, P.E. Director, Transportation and Public Works Department City of Austin, Texas cc: T.C. Broadnax, City Manager Jon Fortune, Deputy City Manager Mike Rogers, Assistant City Manager Attachments: Marking locations 2 Color Painted Road Markings ATTACHMENT A Morrow & Watson  Installed: October 2024  Partners: FHWA  ATPW did commit to FHWA we would let this fade after the study period Manor & Leona  Installed: October 2024  Partners: FHWA  ATPW did commit to FHWA we would let this fade after the study period Pedernales & Webberville  Installed: October 2024  Partners: FHWA  ATPW did commit to FHWA we would remove and replace this after the study period 7 8 9 0014th & Colorado  Installed: October 2021  Partners: CMO  Thermo used on all four crosswalks  More extensive process to remove “River” on Lake Austin Blvd. (LCRA)  Installed: July 2016  Part of the Austin Public Art Collection  Since it is in our public art collection, would require de-installation process “BLACK ARTISTS MATTER” on E 11th  Installed: June 2021  Refreshed August 2024  Partners: Capitol View Arts & Austin Economic Development 1 11 12 002 “TEXAS” on Guadalupe between 22nd – 24th  Installed: August 2024  Partners: Installed by UT Austin, ROW permits approved by ATPW North Hyde Park Art Traffic Circles 53rd & Avenue H  Installed: unknown  May have been installed by community without ATPW permit Central East Austin Traffic Circle – E 22nd & Salina  Installed: 2014, Neighborhood Partnering Program (NPP) Project  Partners: Blackland Community Development Corporation 13 14 15 003 West Wind Trail & Westgate Blvd.  Installed: 2017, NPP Project  Partners: La Fuerza de Westgate  Retired and allowed to fade. Mostly faded, only minor shading remains. Cougar Dr. & Sahara Dr.  Installed: 2017, NPP Project  Partners: Armadillo Park Neighborhood Association  Retired and allowed to fade. Mostly faded, only minor shading remains. Fairy Alley – Between Treadwell St. & Dexter St.  Installed: 2014, NPP Project  Partners: Wabucy (Walk- Bus-Cycle) Zilker  Mostly faded, need to inspect. 16 17 19 004 Joe Sayers Ave. - Between Ullrich Ave. & Theckla  Installed: 2023, ATPW Shared Streets Project  Partners: no community partners  Note: these are all outside of the travel lanes and represent areas planned for conversion to concrete curb planted medians. Arroyo Seco & Jim Hogg Ave.  Installed: 2023, ATPW Shared Street Project  Partners: no community partners  Note: Plans to be converted to concrete curb and plantable median– area is outside of travel lanes. Lamar Square Dr.  Installed: 2022  3 non-compliant yellow crosswalks that weren’t installed by ATPW  ATPW exploring remedies to convert these to standard crosswalks, currently no curb ramps at these sites. 20 21 22 005