At its Jan. 15 meeting, the Downtown Commission heard Austin Police Department (APD) officials describe immediate and near-term steps to reduce vehicle threats and improve safety on East Sixth Street, including deployment of Meridian vehicle barriers and an operational change that will limit traffic to westbound flow on weekend nights.

The announcement came as APD Lieutenant Christopher Gisola, the department’s downtown operations lieutenant, and APD Chief Davis said the city had identified funds to buy movable Meridian barricades and that the city council purchased more devices than the commission had originally recommended. Michael Boschler, a Meridian representative present at the meeting, said typical delivery is 45 to 60 days and that he is holding a temporary kit on Sixth Street while production ships equipment.

Commissioners said the changes matter because of recent high-profile vehicle and mass-casualty incidents nationwide and the concentra tion of nightlife activity on Sixth Street. The planned measures aim to reduce fights and prevent pedestrians from spilling into vehicle lanes, officials said.

APD briefed the commission on staffing and crime trends before describing street-level changes. The department reported 1,488 sworn officers citywide and an operational vacancy of 332; the downtown area command staffing rate was reported at 65 percent. APD summarized property and violent crime as roughly stable year-to-year and said targeted enforcement reduced pickpocketing on West Sixth Street. APD also said it made increased arrests for drug and weapons offenses on Sixth Street during 2024 and has emphasized removing firearms.

On operations, Gisola outlined the East Sixth Street plan: from Red River to Brazos Street the city will permit westbound vehicular traffic only, with three travel lanes, wider painted crosswalks, rubber curbs roughly 1 foot high on the south side of the street and temporary fences (the same type used for South by Southwest) to create an expanded sidewalk. The city has already installed pylons, rubber curbs and repainting; fences were expected to be delivered shortly. APD said the plan, now implemented Thursdays through Sundays, will expand to four days per week beginning the coming Thursday.

Gisola described operational goals: slowing vehicle speeds via lane configuration and signal timing, creating continuous pedestrian space separated from traffic, and reducing officer uses of force by decreasing fights that occur in the street. APD said it will monitor outcomes using crime statistics, officer use-of-force incidents, officer injury rates, collision data and EMS/fire response metrics. Stakeholders also requested that APD examine sales figures to measure business impacts.

On equipment and logistics, Boschler of Meridian said he recommended an initial “sixth-street security wrap” to secure the eight-block area and a second kit to make the equipment available for other events citywide. He said deliveries remain at roughly 45 days and that his team has temporarily staged a kit on Sixth Street to provide interim protection while production completes shipments.

Commissioners asked about related issues the department expects to face. Gisola and Chief Davis said they will enforce traffic laws and focus on driving while intoxicated and illegal car- and street-club activity. Commission members asked about rideshare pickup locations and valet operations. Chief Davis said the city can provide suggestions to rideshare companies but cited a state law limiting local regulation of rideshare operations; she said the city will coordinate with private companies but cannot fully regulate their behavior. Gisola said valet access will be allowed on side streets and that stakeholders have discussed consolidated valet services to limit curb conflicts.

The commission also discussed scooters and geofencing. APD and staff said geofencing has been implemented for scooters in the past and that they will prioritize keeping scooters out of the fenced pedestrian area, while acknowledging geofences sometimes lapse and vendors must be re-engaged to maintain the restriction.

Action: Commission tables recommendation. The agenda contained a planned vote recommending immediate council funding for barricades and associated training; commissioners were informed the council had already purchased barricades and one commissioner moved to table the recommendation. The commission voted to table the item by voice vote, and the motion was carried. The chair withdrew the earlier recommendation for council action.

The APD presenters asked the commission to stay engaged and to return any time with requests or to review results from the metrics APD will track.

Ending: APD officials signaled the changes are an experiment with monitored metrics; they said the department and other city agencies will reassess after collecting data on crime, collisions, emergency responses and business impacts. Delivery schedules for the new barriers were reported as 45 to 60 days by the vendor, with interim protection staged on Sixth Street until units arrive.