Even more walkability is coming to UT with plans to convert Speedway into a pedestrian mall with space for outdoor learning andcampus-wide activities to create a new focal point for campus life.

Neighborhood-plan contact teams manage adopted neighborhood plans in the city, reviewing and initiating plan amendments and serving as points of contact for the community, developers and city staff. But new proposed code amendments may help address the lack of transparency and diversity these teams have with new guidelines that may determine how meetings are advertised, where they are held, and how they can better handle contact team grievances. 

On this week's Streetsblog podcast, Dan Parolek of Opticos Design chats about CodeNEXT, their new website missingmiddlehousing.com, and how people are often worried by the phrase “density,” then surprised by density designed well.  Tune in to learn more about what kind of housing types lie between high-rises and 1-story single family homes. 

There may not be a silver bullet that will fix Austin’s increasing traffic fatality problems, but the city is taking a leap forward by funding safety improvements to its five most dangerous intersections starting in October. 

Amtrak has suffered a bad reputation from years of long delays and undependable service, but Ben Wear has an interesting explanation for their chronic delays. If Amtrak trains have to wait for freight traffic that dominates these shared tracks, it's no surprise that ridership drops as economies improve. 

An exciting mixed use project will soon be in the works for South Congress south of Ben White. The development hopes to bring office space and a unique indoor public market centered around Austin's culture of food, live music, and creativity. 

A neighborhood with a mix of services and amenities can not only make your daily errands easier, it can help establish a strong neighborhood identity to be proud of. Downtown Austin Blog proposes a few interesting ideas on how to bring that neighborhood feel to downtown residents. 

The Episcopal Church is looking for a development partner to turn a downtown parking lot it owns into a mixed-use development. The lot includes 281 parking spaces for downtown visitors but could offer retail, office, residential and parking as soon as mid-2018.

Austin leaders announced a partnership Monday morning between the city and Colorado-based nonprofit Rocky Mountain Institute to develop “innovative mobility solutions” to the transportation woes that frustrate many Austinites. 

With creative design in smart places, compact and connected living can come in a host of different shapes and sizes. Here are a couple shout-outs from Imagine Austin on some of 2015's model projects that are helping to advance the plan's guiding principles. 

Think it's unrealistic to compare Austin's walking and biking potential to some of Europe's most walkable cities? Think again! Even Copenhagen had to go through a 'Copenhagenizing' process to retrofit their streets and become a model for active transportation. 

Massive mono-use office parks might be able to find a new life as mixed-use developments. Minneapolis plays with the idea of creative infill strategies to bring residents closer to work and take advantage of existing transportation infrastructure.

Looks like Congress might be getting a new urban park! Dubbed Fairground at One Eleven Congress, plans are in the works to help activate this once overlooked plaza into a vibrant downtown hub. 

Council's Mobility Committee makes a move on funding improvements for Austin's top 5 most dangerous intersections. Improvement aim to preventing drivers from making unsafe turns, reduce driver speeds, force drivers to yield and make crosswalks safer for pedestrians.

CodeNEXT consultants Opticos Design describe why making pedestrian-friendly communities is a central tenant of their work. As Optics puts it, destinational walking is more than just recreation, it is an important part of creating healthy, vibrant, and cherished neighborhoods that are accessible to many walks of life. 

Apple has big plans for expansion in North Austin with their new campus on West Parmer Lane.. That campus will bring thousands of jobs to the area, but does its location continue a tradition of car-dependency or will it present a new chance for innovative commute options?

The City's Neighborhood Housing and Community Development opens the door to new and innovative strategies to help bring affordability to residents. Austin’s Community Land Trust, a first-of-its-kind lending model in Texas, makes homeownership more affordable by taking the land out of the equation. 

The City's South Central Waterfront wants to hear from you as they begin to form their master plan! Make sure to attend their design workshop sessions to get involved with the area's exciting new plans.

Mueller continues to attract new development, this time in the form of rentals catered to “active adults” ages 55 and over. A total of 201 units will be added to the area with a portion of the rentals reserved for residents making 60 percent or less of Austin’s median family income.