Austin City Council prioritizes cyclist safety in parking code amendment
AUSTIN (KXAN)—Bike lanes are back on the Austin City Council agenda as it considers amending the parking code for the first time in 15 years.
The amendment includes three new defined violations, including making it illegal to park in a designated bike lane. The code amendment process began back in April 2024. The council discussed it again in a January meeting, but postponed action until the next regular session.
Between that meeting and the work session that happened Tuesday, council members worked with the Transportation and Public Works Department to make minor changes.
“We wanted to have time to do our due diligence and to make sure that we were understanding all the angles and details as this proposal moves forward,” Councilmember Paige Ellis said during the work session.
If approved, violators would not be punished immediately. Instead, there would be a three-month education period where they receive warnings and information about the amendment.
Ellis noted that the resolution came from citizens who came to the council with concerns about the danger cyclists face when bike lanes are blocked.
“I look forward to the educational period being part of this, because I think there’s a lot of folks that legitimately just don’t realize the danger that they’re putting other people in,” Ellis said. “I appreciate community members coming and asking for us to look at this comprehensively.”
The other new violations in the amendment include restrictions on parking in other specially designated areas and parking in a right-of-way closure area.
The council is expected to make a decision in their regular session Thursday.
