From Jacci Howard Bear,
Your Guide to Austin.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

There were almost 40 curb extensions along Shoal Creek Boulevard between 38th Street and Foster Lane (a block south of Anderson Lane). In 2006 the curb islands were removed. These curb islands occupied the shared parking, bike, pedestrian lanes on each side of the road. Each white-painted curb island was planted with a crape myrtle tree and had a reflective black and yellow striped sign facing on-coming traffic.

October 2005: City May Remove Curb Islands - Failed Experiment?

A. Installed along Shoal Creek Boulevard in 2005 and removed in 2006, curb islands or curb extensions were part of an overall compromise plan to make Shoal Creek Boulevard more bike and pedestrian friendly as well as accommodate residents who want street parking.

Curb Islands Keep Motorists in the Travel Lanes
The curb islands act as "traffic-calming devices" in conjunction with reduced width travel lanes and a shared lane for parking, bikes, and pedestrians. They serve to slow down motorists and keep them from using the shared parking/bike/pedestrian lanes for passing and to keep them from swerving into the parking/bike/pedestrian lanes as they go around curves. The curb islands occupy a large portion of the parking/bike/pedestrian lanes - preventing parking at the site and leaving a narrow area for bicyclists to pass through.

Curb Islands and the Shoal Creek Boulevard Transportation Project
Many bicyclists were opposed to the islands and the overall implementation of the shared parking, bike, and pedestrian lanes along Shoal Creek Blvd. For some history on the issues see:

• Shoal Creek Bouldevard FAQ - Provides historical data on "the most critical north-south route for bicycle commuting in the city."

• Shoal Creek Updates April 13, 2005 at M1EK's Bake-Sale of Bile - Get a brief introduction to the history of Shoal Creek Blvd. and attempts to keep it bike-friendly, including events leading up to the installing of the curb extensions.

• Peace and Progress Come to Shoal Creek - The Austin Chronicle summarizes the Shoal Creek Boulevard Transportation Project.

• Pretending to accommodate bicyclists - Editorial by John Schubert that appeared in Southwest Cycling News focuses on the role of parking and bike lanes, cars and bikes sharing the road, "dooring" and specifically looks at Shoal Creek Boulevard.

• No Car-free bike lanes on Shoal Creek - BicycleAustin.info addresses the issue of shared parking and bike lanes and includes comments on the Shoal Creek curb islands.

• City May Remove Curb Islands - The City of Austin may have been persuaded that the curb islands were a "thinking outside the box" venture that failed to deliver.

The curb islands are gone now, never to return... maybe.