Is Austin crime reducing after opening 6th Street to cars?
Crime down on 6th Street
In a city memo with preliminary data, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis says they've seen fewer arrests, use of force cases, and officer injuries.
AUSTIN, Texas - Sixth Street has been open to cars on weekend nights for about a month and a half. It's part of a pilot project the city is trying in an effort to reduce crime.
Is it working so far?
6th Street opens up to traffic
Sixth Street opened to traffic in downtown Austin on Thursday. The Austin Police Chief believes it will help the city reduce crime.
By the numbers:
In a city memo with preliminary data, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis says they've seen fewer arrests, use of force cases, and officer injuries.
Data compares numbers from Jan. 1, 2025–Feb. 11, 2025 to the same timeframe as last year.
It shows arrests are down 11 percent on 6th Street. Crimes against persons dropped 21 percent, and the number of simple assaults dropped by 33 percent.
The memo says use of force is down 50 percent, and officers note fewer fights in the Entertainment District.
What they're saying:
APD also noted more police visibility and traffic enforcement could be helping.
Mayor Kirk Watson says it's already making a big difference.
"They're early numbers. It's a pilot project, and we call it that for a reason, because we're studying it, but we're seeing the success we were hoping to see as a result of that pilot. We're seeing good results," he said.
What's next:
Sixth Street will be closed to cars during the week of South by Southwest. After that, it will open back up to cars, the way the pilot project is now.
The Source: Information from data and interviews with Austin city leaders