Parkfield Drive Safety Improvements

The City of Austin evaluated Parkfield Drive from Mearns Meadow Boulevard to Payton Gin Road to identify changes that enhance the safety and mobility of everyone who uses these streets. This project improves bicycle comfort and connectivity, pedestrian crossings, and overall safety for everyone using Parkfield Drive, as well as several nearby pedestrian crossings around Wooldridge Elementary School and along Payton Gin Road. These improvements were first identified in the Austin Bicycle Plan, Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Reports, and the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, and were informed by public feedback.

The project is designed to:

  • Repurpose the corridor's outside travel lanes to create safer, more comfortable multimodal facilities, reduce speeds and conflict points and maintain existing traffic capacity.
  • Improve safety and comfort for people biking by providing protected space for people bicycling of all ages and abilities.
  • Improve comfort and safety for people walking and crossing the street to get to school, transit stops, parks or other neighborhood destinations.

Between Mearns Meadow Boulevard and Payton Gin Road, the project will generally change the street from two lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction, with left-turn lanes at signalized intersections. This design improves safety for everyone while maintaining the existing traffic flow.

Scope Map of Parkfield Drive

LEGEND

Phase 1 & 2 Complete
Phase 3 Upcoming
Phase 4 Future Planned Changes
Planned Roundabout

Upcoming Improvements

Phase 3: Spring 2026

  • Between Mearns Meadow Boulevard and Payton Gin Road, the street layout will change from two vehicle lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction with left turn lanes at signalized intersections.
  • Protected bike lanes on both sides of Parkfield Drive from Rundberg Lane to Quail Court, connecting to existing bike lanes at Rutland Drive.
  • Updated bicycle markings at Rutland Drive.

Phase 4: Fall 2026

  • Installation of a single lane roundabout at the Parkfield Drive and Rutland Drive intersection in Fall 2026 as part of Austin’s Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program.
  • Safety and mobility improvements on Parkfield Drive from Quail Court to Mearns Meadow Boulevard, including protected bike lanes on both sides of the street, parking areas located between the curb and bike lane, and potential green infrastructure.

Completed Improvements

Phase 2: Spring 2022

Completed improvements include:

Phase 1: May 2021

The first phase of construction occurred between Payton Gin Road and Rundberg Lane following resurfacing. ATD installed new markings, buttons and flex posts to create protected bike lanes, left-turn pockets, high-visibility crosswalks and pedestrian crossing islands.

Read the stakeholder email update

Project Begins: February 2021

After reviewing community feedback from the summer 2020 public process, the project team updated the design and moved the project forward to implementation.

Virtual Open House: May 2020

Thank you to everyone who shared comments for this project. The comment period was open from May 18 – June 14, 2020.

Contact

For questions about the project, please email MobilityBonds@austintexas.gov or call (512) 974-2300 .