ATX Traffic Engineer takes Gridlock Challenge

Downtown Cesar Chavez is the only way to access the northbound MoPac expressway.

City traffic engineers, Tuesday, admitted the popularity of this new option out was the tipping point for a transportation network that's essentially a house of cards.

"I don’t think they are to blame necessarily, MoPac has looked great ever since those lanes have opened. It’s just getting to it, that’s the hard part? Exactly that’s just a natural progression or how transportation networks in general operate,” said Traffic Engineer Robin Osborne.

Osborne has the unenviable job of trying to figure out ways to unclog Cesar Chavez and the rest of downtown.

"I have this weird desire to be the guy that figures out the solution to this,” said Osborne.

From his desk in the city transportation control center Osborne will spend the next several weeks testing out new traffic signal patterns. 

"Sometimes you can put in a plan, and it may have unintended consequences, so you've got to make sure what you put in the field is doing exactly what you want it to do,” said Osborne.

He's realistic about what can be accomplished.

"Signal timing is a different animal, you’re not looking at progressing people through 10 signals on a green, you are really looking at trying to make sure everybody is finding gaps when they need them and hopefully making through one signal at a time,” said Osborne.

Other options being considered include adjusting signals on Enfield to address the back up there. Modifying traffic app programs to encourage commuters in south Austin not to cross Lady Bird Lake to reach MoPac. And getting Austin police to do more, don’t block the box enforcement campaigns. Past efforts by APD have improved traffic flow.

Addressing those drivers who block intersections is certainly part of the short term solution. But most people who talk to FOX 7 said, the long term solution should involve thinking outside of the box.

So far- thinking big hasn’t been embraced by city hall or voters. Things like expanding commuter rail.  Reversible traffic lanes. Gondolas and riding capsules through pressurized tubes have been rejected as being too expensive or too outlandish. But for commuters, like Carina Halligan, managing the status quo is no longer a viable option.

"I think we are at a point where Austin is growing so fast, there are so many people coming here, that we are going to have to start thinking real fast on how we are going to accommodate all of them, and I don’t think we should leave any of those crazy ideas out of the mix,” said Halligan.

Doing that will require action by city hall, and right now the focus there seems to be on adding bike lanes, building sidewalks and embracing self-driving vehicles. Last year Austin voters passed a multimillion dollar transportation bond.

A bulk of that money is to improve major corridors. A proposed list of what will be done is not expected for council review until sometime next year.