How to Help Save Healthy Streets
You may remember back in April that Austin Outside, along with lead member Walk Austin and others advocated the City of Austin to create “Slow Streets“, now known as “Healthy Streets”. This program prioritizes safe walking and bicycling on neighborhood streets, while still allowing local traffic, to address the mental and physical health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the City says it'll wind down Healthy Streets in the coming weeks and likely won't release further batches.
For as long as the pandemic is with us, we need Healthy Streets. In fact, Austin City Council directed City staff to continue expanding Healthy Streets through the end of social distancing and then to consider long term implementation. Let's call on the City to keep its word.
Will you join us in writing to your City Council Member to tell them how you have benefited from having access to a Healthy Street near you and to ask them to continue to expand the program?
Contact your City Council Member (find your district)
District 1: Natasha Harper-Madison (Natasha.Madison@austintexas.gov)
District 2: Delia Garza (Delia.Garza@austintexas.gov)
District 3: Pio Renteria (Sabino.Renteria@austintexas.gov)
District 4: Greg Casar (Gregorio.Casar@austintexas.gov)
District 5: Ann Kitchen (Ann.Kitchen@austintexas.gov)
District 6: Jimmy Flannigan (Jimmy.Flannigan@austintexas.gov)
District 7: Leslie Pool (Leslie.Pool@austintexas.gov)
District 8: Paige Ellis (Paige.Ellis@austintexas.gov)
District 9: Kathie Tovo (Kathie.Tovo@austintexas.gov)
District 10: Alison Alter (Alison.Alter@austintexas.gov)
CC: gina.fiandaca@austintexas.gov, healthystreets@austintexas.gov
BCC: info@bikeaustin.org
What you might write
Your name and City Council District
Your experiences (if you've had any) on a specific Healthy Street and how Healthy Streets can or has helped you during the pandemic
Why you want that specific Healthy Street to stay through the end of social distancing and for the Healthy Streets program to keep expanding to 3 batches and beyond
Remember to follow up if you don't get a reply within a couple of days.
Thank you for supporting Healthy Streets. And spread the word!