AUSTIN, Texas — Drivers will soon have to drive slower on several streets in Austin.
The Austin City Council voted last week to reduce the speed limits on particular roads by 5 to 10 mph, according to a report from the Austin Monitor. It's part of an effort to increase safety in target areas throughout the city.
The change will affect parts of eight roadways. The Austin Monitor reports that sections of Convict Hill Road, Salt Springs Drive, Nuckols Crossing Road, St. Elmo Road and West Yager Lane will all see speed limits reduced to 35 mph. Parts of Tech Ridge Boulevard, East Yager Lane and Slaughter Lane will be reduced to 5 mph, 40 mph and 45 mph respectively.
Leaders said they will post new speed limit signs in the coming weeks to alert drivers of the new speed limits.
The changes are a result of a task force the Austin City Council created several years ago called Vision Zero. The task force tackles safety on Austin roadways, where speed-related crashes are one of the priorities. The task force's goal is to achieve zero crashes that result in deaths or serious injuries.
A Vision Zero Action Plan was adopted in 2016. The KVUE Defenders reported in 2019 that City auditors say the Vision Zero Action Plan won't likely be accomplished by 2025.
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