Austin considers options for two-way traffic on 6th Street

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Could Austin’s iconic Sixth Street open to two-way traffic?

The City of Austin highlighted the possibility in a Friday memo. Spokesperson Jack Flagler said the city’s goal is to make Sixth Street a safer and more connected part of downtown.

The memo included an analysis of Sixth Street, if it were to become two ways between Brazos Street and IH-35, plus a “6th Street Preliminary Engineering Report (PER).”

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The city has begun preliminary engineering in order to understand right-of-way constraints, underground utilities, and to define future elements — like sidewalks, bike lanes and parking.

Flagler said making Sixth a two-way street is one piece of the Austin Core Transportation Plan, a “long-term vision for improving transportation and mobility options throughout downtown Austin.”

However, the city is still collecting feedback.

“After considering recommendations from City boards and commissions in spring 2025 and reviewing stakeholder feedback that was received on the draft ACT Plan, staff will complete an analysis of a two-way conversion option between Brazos Street and I-35 that also includes the analysis of several one-way alternatives,” Flagler noted.

Results of that analysis are expected to be released in late August 2025.

East Fifth Street, from Brazos Street to I-35, was converted to two-way traffic in 2017 after Fourth Street was closed to accommodate the CapMetro downtown station.