Why do some Austin neighborhoods have black asphalt on sidewalks?
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Just off Menchaca Road in south Austin lies the Canterbury Trails neighborhood. Throughout the community is a smattering of black asphalt covering portions of the sidewalks.
A spokesperson for the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department told KXAN those asphalt coverings offer a temporary, structurally-sound reprieve for sidewalks in need of repair. Each year, the city regularly responds to hundreds of requests made via 3-1-1 for the service before longer-term solutions can be implemented.
It’s part of an ongoing effort targeting sidewalk repairs and overhauls. Right now, city budgets can support 25 to 30 miles worth of full concrete sidewalk rehabilitation annually, the spokesperson said.
Canterbury Trails neighborhood in south Austin is an example of where the city has employed black asphalt as a temporary fix for substandard sidewalks. (KXAN Photo/Kelsey Thompson) Canterbury Trails neighborhood in south Austin is an example of where the city has employed black asphalt as a temporary fix for substandard sidewalks. (KXAN Photo/Kelsey Thompson) Canterbury Trails neighborhood in south Austin is an example of where the city has employed black asphalt as a temporary fix for substandard sidewalks. (KXAN Photo/Kelsey Thompson) Canterbury Trails neighborhood in south Austin is an example of where the city has employed black asphalt as a temporary fix for substandard sidewalks. (KXAN Photo/Kelsey Thompson)
That, however, is a drop in the bucket compared to the existing need. The City of Austin’s 2023 Sidewalks, Crossings and Shared Streets plan noted an “outstanding need for 810 miles of sidewalks,” the spokesperson added.
The same plan also highlighted 370 miles worth of shared streets in need of address. The city’s shared streets program utilizes traffic-calming methods and pedestrian-focused design elements to improve pedestrian safety and “make neighborhood streets without sidewalks safer and more comfortable for people walking, biking and rolling,” the spokesperson added.
In late December, the City of Austin wrapped work on its 2016 mobility bond’s sidewalk program. That $37.5 million initiative helped invest in either constructing or repairing more than 36 miles of new sidewalks citywide.
The City of Austin operates a sidewalk program projects dashboard that denotes current and upcoming construction on sidewalks, shared streets and curb ramps.
While there aren’t flagged projects yet within the Canterbury Trails neighborhood, there is a planned sidewalk adjacent to the neighborhood along Menchaca Road. That project — running from Ravenscroft Drive to Slaughter Lane — is expected to start within the next 30 days.
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