Austin debate grows over converting one-way streets to two-way to improve safety

AUSTIN, TX — As Austin pushes forward with major infrastructure changes downtown, a growing debate over safety and mobility is putting the city’s one-way streets under renewed scrutiny — with road safety advocates and a nationally recognized urban planner urging Austin to convert them to two-way travel.

Road safety groups say one-way streets can encourage speeding, create confusion and make downtown less walkable. They argue that converting one-way streets to two-way would improve safety and mobility across the downtown core.

Safe Streets Austin said the debate over two-way conversions has been going on with the city for around one year.

“The current one-way, two-way hybrid mess that we have downtown is very confusing to visitors. It’s confusing to locals,” said Adam Greenfield, Interim Executive Director of Safe Streets Austin.

State crash data also highlights the risks associated with one-way streets. According to TxDOT’s 2024 Crash Contributing Factors Report, there were 914 crashes in urban areas caused by a driver going the wrong way on a one-way street. Forty-five of those crashes were fatal.

Greenfield said one-way streets can also create challenges for emergency response and concentrate traffic onto a smaller number of fast-moving corridors.

“It makes it difficult for emergency services to access certain parts of downtown quickly. It concentrates traffic on a couple of high-speed streets,” Greenfield said.

Greenfield’s goal is to convert all of downtown’s one-way streets to two-way travel, arguing it would improve daily travel and safety.

“Really making people’s commutes a little quicker, a lot safer, a lot more pleasant, and a lot more predictable,” Greenfield said.

The push comes as the city advances multiple downtown infrastructure projects, including the Sixth Street redesign. In September, the city recommended a plan that drew backlash from bike advocacy groups over concerns about accessibility and for maintaining one-way streets.

Urban planner and author Jeff Speck, who was in Austin late this week, said the city should reconsider keeping one-way streets as it moves forward with redesign efforts.

“Every street that Austin can revert to two-way travel is going to be better for that street, better for the people on that street, and better for downtown Austin,” Speck said.

The City of Austin was contacted for comment but did not respond.