The Austin Transportation and Public Works Department (TPW) is seeking to better understand the safety and mobility needs of people using Montopolis Drive between Riverside Drive and US 183. Montopolis Drive is a key corridor that spans 1.5 miles in southeast Austin, providing access to community centers, recreation, jobs, schools, places of worship, and more.
Staff are gathering community input through listening sessions and an online survey through June 8, and they will provide an update on findings and next steps in fall 2025.
Input from the community will help staff evaluate opportunities to improve safety and connectivity for people traveling on Montopolis Drive by all transportation modes. Funding for potential future safety improvements is available from the 2020 Mobility Bond and 2022 Safe Streets and Roads For All grant.
Existing Conditions on Montopolis Drive
Crash and speed data
City of Austin crash data shows that from the five-year period between 2020 and 2024 there were 359 crashes (including 174 with a full police crash report) on Montopolis Drive between Riverside Drive and US 183—or one crash occurring every five days. These crashes tragically resulted in two people killed, 12 seriously injured, and another 53 who suffered minor injuries.
Traffic crashes on Montopolis Drive pose a comprehensive crash cost of over $12 million to our community every year. These crashes disproportionately impact Hispanic people, who comprise almost 80% of those killed or seriously injured on Montopolis Drive between 2020 and 2024. The table below shows a breakdown of injury levels sustained in these crashes by travel mode of the person involved in the crash.
Crash injuries on Montopolis Drive (2020-2024)
| Fatalities | Serious Injuries | Minor injuries | All other severity levels | Totals |
Motor Vehicle | 0 | 5 | 45 | 386 | 436 |
| Pedestrian | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 13 |
| Motorcycle | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Bicyclist | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| E-Scooter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 2 | 12 | 53 | 395 | 462 |
Montopolis Drive crash heatmap (2020-2024)
Speed data collected for one 24-hour period on Montopolis Drive in February 2024 revealed 465 vehicles traveling above 45 mph where the posted speed limit is 35 mph. About 20% of these speeding vehicles were traveling above 50 mph.
Previous engagement with young adults on opportunities in Montopolis
In 2024, the City of Austin partnered with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health on a research project to engage young adults with ties to the Montopolis community to map opportunities to reduce traffic-related fatal and serious injuries for the area. The study involved walk audits, peer reviews and photovoice activities in which the young adult researchers explored the topic of transportation safety in Montopolis through photography and narrative writing.
Research findings will be viewable at the listening sessions and through a written report.
Timeline
May 2025—In-Person Listening Sessions
May 14
May 17
June 2025—Survey closes
Fall 2025—Staff report back on findings and next steps
Contact us
For questions or comments about this project, email MobilityBonds@austintexas.gov or call 512-974-2300 and leave a message.