City to replace water-filled barriers with concrete ones on 6th Street this week

AUSTIN, Texas - The water-filled plastic barriers on 6th Street in downtown Austin are going to be replaced with concrete ones this week. 

What we know:

Earlier this year, the city opened the street to cars on weekend nights in an effort to reduce crime. This is the third type of barrier the city has gone through as it looks for a long-term solution. Initially, the city used temporary white fencing.

On Monday, Aug. 11 and Tuesday, Aug. 12, the water barricades will be removed from 4 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the concrete ones will be installed from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

What they're saying:

"Changing the water barriers to the concrete barriers is a good idea, provided now they're doing the painting of them, and they're going to make them look artistic looking," Marc Roppolo, owner of Roppolo's Pizzeria. "With those water bollards that are there now, it's more like a warzone than an inviting place to go."

The city says they want to improve how the street looks. 

"It really gives it a feel like you're in a construction zone," Anna Martin, assistant director of Transportation and Public Works said.

"It is an aesthetic change and it will be a safer design," Mike Chancellor, assistant chief of Austin Police said.

When the concrete barriers are up, the Downtown Austin Alliance will have local artist Emily Eisenhart put art on them. 

"She has developed a multi-block graphic design with several variations to it that will be painted on in the course of several days," Hannah Rangel with Downtown Austin Alliance said.

However, some business owners don't like the barriers. 

"Close the side streets, close 6th Street when it gets to critical mass. Allow parking for the people that do retail and restaurants," Bob Woody, 6th Street bar owner said.

"When the officers that are working there and the supervisor see that potentially there is overcrowding and issues like that then we go ahead and shut down the street so that people can expand and have a little more room," Chancellor said.

Data on 6th Street crime

By the numbers:

At the beginning of the year, Austin Police preliminary data showed fewer arrests, use of force cases, and officer injuries. Later this month, they'll have an updated report on crime statistics.

"Use of force is down significantly from this time this year versus last year," Chancellor said.

Roppolo says the violence typically occurs after midnight.

"No question the violence has dropped," Roppolo said.

What's next:

Transportation and Public Works says they're going through an engineering study for long-term upgrades.

"We're looking at how wide should our sidewalks be? Do we need loading and unloading zones for cars, trucks, deliveries? Do we needs lanes for scooters, bikes? How many travel lanes do we need?" Martin said.

The water barricades were rented for $40,000. The concrete ones were bought for $150,000. They'll be there for a couple years until there's funding for a long-term project.

"Next year, we would start engineering, so actual design work, leading up to potentially including it as part of that 2026 bond proposal," Martin said. 

Roppolo said he would like a different design, but says the changes are promising.

"I personally prefer to have the nice bollards, the stainless steel bollards that you see all over the world actually," he said. "Hopefully in the next 18 months, I see lots of positive changes to the street."