Safety upgrades coming to south Austin intersection

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AUSTIN (KXAN) -- City of Austin crews will begin work May 28 to improve safety conditions at Stassney Lane and South First Street.

Officials utilized the city's Vision Zero program data, which noted the area as a high-crash intersection. The construction project is designed to minimize crashes and enhance mobility for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users alongside motorists.

Expected upgrades include:

• Extended, widened medians to improve motorist safety
• Enhanced pedestrian infrastructure, such as restriping of high-visibility crossworks, new ADA-accessible curb ramps
• Protected bike lanes, sidewalks
• New far-side bus stop to service eastbound routes traveling along Stassney Lane
• Driveway modifications to enhance safety conditions

Vision Zero crash data doesn't note any traffic fatalities at the intersection, but the program has tracked several serious injuries that happened near or at the intersection in recent years. Motorists, pedestrians and cyclists are asked to watch for city crews and travel with caution through the construction zone while it's active.

The project is funded courtesy the city's 2018 bond and its included intersection safety and bikeways programs. More information on city-led bond projects is available online.