Permanent safety changes proposed for Rainey Street area

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Parks and Recreation Department told the city council on July 6 a consultant group hired by the city has made recommendations for permanent safety improvements along Rainey Street near Lady Bird Lake.

According to a city memo, the proposed changes include:

• A camera at the corner of Rainey Street and Cummings Street.
• Strategies to encourage the use of alternate pedestrian routes after the trail closes at 10
  p.m.: New infrastructure along East Avenue, pedestrian scale lighting fixtures, traffic calming measures, increased visual distinction between the trail and sidewalk.
• Signs that notify of park closing times.
• Improvements to reduce potential tripping hazards.
• New pedestrian scale lighting to the trail and the restroom at the corner of Rainey and
  Cummings.
• The trail lighting will be dimmed after park closure hours to encourage the
  alternative pedestrian route.

The memo said the department estimated the cost of the changes would range from $800,000 to $1 million as of July 2023.

Parks and Rec anticipated the improvements will be installed by Summer 2024, "depending on
the permitting process and any unexpected conditions found during construction."

In an April memo, the city said since March 7, the Parks and Recreation Department had installed temporary solar lighting, a temporary fence barrier, a gate at top of steps to lake access, installed signage, increased park ranger patrols and conducted multiple site visits to monitor light reliability.

In April, the city said the focus on safety was a result of the two recent drowning deaths that occurred this year.

“Since 2014, there have been five late-night/overnight drownings near the Rainey Street Trailhead area. Three previous drownings that occurred between 2014 and 2018 were fully investigated and ruled accidental,” the city said. “Autopsies are performed by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office in each of these types of death investigations. None of these autopsies have revealed any trauma or other indication of foul play.”