It's Austin's spring festival season. Here's what you should know about safety, traffic.
This week, Austin will kick off spring festival season with several events – South by Southwest, Austin Rodeo, the World Golf Championships Dell Match Play and the ABC Kite Festival – converging over the next few weeks impacting road traffic, and downtown and airport activity.
With thousands of people expected to flood the streets of Austin, city officials on Monday said they were fully prepared for the influx of visitors, including police presence, traffic congestion and transportation needs.
Brydan Summers, consumer services manager with the Austin Center for Events, said 140 permit applications have been filed for events over the next two weeks, which is a 20% increase over 2022.
He said with so many events happening, the city is working with its community partners to coordinate safe and successful events.
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“Austin is prepared, and we ask for the patience and partnerships of our residents as we navigate the byproduct of these wonderful festivals and tremendous events,” Mayor Kirk Watson said. “Austin, Texas, draws the world here. It's such a special place.”
As South by Southwest kicks off Friday, here are a few things to know before heading downtown or any other event in Austin this month:
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Police will be fully staffed, patrolling festival events
Jeff Greenwalt, assistant chief for the Austin Police Department, said despite the staffing shortage, the department is prepared to respond to any calls during the festival season.
He said the department will provide overtime opportunities for police officers and for 911 call center and dispatcher employees over the next few weeks. He said units across the city will be fully staffed to monitor festival events and respond to any nonfestival-related calls in a timely manner.
“Any time we have a large event like this with a lot of people, we make sure to have a lot of officers there to keep it safe,” Greenwalt said. “There is a long list of events that we staff extra for, so this is not unchartered territory. And despite the staffing shortages, we are all hands on deck.”
He encouraged residents to also be vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
Police will also be focused on patrolling festival events for human trafficking, fentanyl-related activity and gun violence. Targeting drunken driving as well as underage drinking also will be top priorities for officers.
Expect road closures downtown
Greenwalt said commuters should expect an increase in traffic, especially around the downtown area, along with road closures, parking lot disruptions and an increase in pedestrians.
Jim Dale, assistant director for the Austin Transportation Department, said road closures downtown will begin at 3 a.m. Friday and run through March 19. He said Fifth Street from Brazos Street to Interstate 35 will be converted into a one-way eastbound road during this time. Many parking lots will also be closed, and some neighborhoods will require permit parking, so drivers should keep that in mind.
Use alternative transportation like buses, rail, ride-hailing services and scooters
Festivalgoers are also encouraged to find alternative modes of transportation, including using the bus or rail line, ride-hailing services, biking or scootering.
Extra charging stations will be available across downtown for electric bikes. Scooter users should be mindful of parking the scooters so they do not obstruct sidewalks or building entrances.
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There also will be an increase in pedestrian traffic downtown, and drivers are urged to slow down. Around 50 people died in 2022 after being hit by a vehicle while crossing or near a city roadway, according to an American-Statesman report.
Festivalgoers should also make a plan ahead of time to avoid drinking and driving. Visit Austintexas.gov/gethomesafe for more information on safe transportation options to get home.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: SXSW, Austin Rodeo: Events bring street closures, safety issues
