South First and Radam Lane get a safety rebuild. Next up for the same blocks: $3.1 million in new pipes

The city has finished rebuilding the intersection of South First Street and Radam Lane in South Austin, a spot it had identified as a high-crash location. Austin Transportation and Public Works announced the work in its Oct. 26 mobility newsletter.

People who walk, bike, drive or catch the bus there will see shorter crossings, new crosswalks and moved bus stops. And more work is coming to the same blocks: on Nov. 5 the City Council is set to vote on a $3.1 million contract to replace aging water and wastewater pipes on Radam Lane and nearby streets.

What changed at the intersection

According to the city's newsletter, the project added:

• larger sidewalk corners that shorten crossings and slow turning cars;
• high-visibility crosswalks and new ADA curb ramps;
• upgraded traffic signals and signal timing;
• wider sidewalks on South First between Clifford Drive and Normandy Street;
• two CapMetro bus stops moved to safer crossings and easier transfers;
• changes to driveways to improve sightlines, with some shortened, moved or removed.

The work was paid for by the 2020 Mobility Bond. The newsletter did not give crash counts for the intersection. It cited a city Vision Zero analysis that found similar major intersection projects in Austin are associated with a 38% drop in serious-injury and fatal crashes. That is a citywide figure, not a forecast for this corner.

What's coming next door

Item 5 on the council's Nov. 5 agenda is the West Congress (Radam/St. Elmo) Water and Wastewater Pipeline Renewal. According to the staff recommendation:

• Where: West St. Elmo Road, Clifford Drive, Radam Lane and Richland Street in the West Congress neighborhood, ZIP code 78745, District 3.
• What: about 4,200 feet of new water mains and service lines, and about 1,330 feet of wastewater line, manholes and service connections.
• Cost: $2,837,732 plus a 10% contingency, for up to $3,121,506 from Austin Water's capital budget.
• Contractor: Facilities Rehabilitation Inc., the lowest responsive of nine bidders.
• Time: 377 calendar days.

Residents should expect lane closures and short planned water and wastewater shutoffs, with at least 48 hours' notice, staff say. If a driveway can't stay open, the owner gets written notice at least 24 hours ahead. The Water and Wastewater Commission recommended the contract 6-0 on Oct. 14.

What our records add

The safety numbers staff have given the council. At the January Mobility Committee, transportation staff said the city completed six major intersection safety projects in 2025, along with speed management work, nine new signalized crossings and three street lighting projects, using the 2020 bond's Vision Zero money. They cited the same 38% reduction at major intersection project sites from the city's Vision Zero 10-year report. At the Oct. 1 committee meeting, staff told Council Member Zohaib "Zo" Qadri that similar intersection treatments have seen 30% to 37% reductions in fatalities and serious injuries.

How much 2020 bond money is left. The city's first quarterly bond report shows the $460 million 2020 transportation program about 61% spent as of Sept. 30, with $179.7 million to go. Our story on that report has the details.

Who represents the area. The intersection and the pipeline project are in District 3, represented by Council Member José Velásquez, who is on the Nov. 3 ballot. Our District 3 guide covers that race.

What's next

Photos of the finished intersection are on the city's Flickr page, the newsletter says. The council votes on the pipeline contract Nov. 5, likely on consent. Construction dates have not been announced. Austin Transportation and Public Works takes questions at 512-974-1150.