Downtown Traffic Considerations For The 2017 Texas Relays

All streets will be monitored and will reopen when it is safe to do so.

The 90^th Annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays begins Wednesday, March 29, 2017, and will last through Saturday, April 1, 2017, in Austin, Texas.

A large number of local residents, along with visitors, are expected to attend this event. In an effort to assist with the flow of traffic, beginning on Friday, March 31, 2017, alternative routes have been planned for commuters arriving downtown.
 
The APD will be working with the City Right-of-Way Management and Texas Department of Transportation to assess traffic flow throughout the weekend and make changes as necessary to assist drivers in safely reaching their destinations.
 
Consistent with normal Austin downtown special event procedures, during the evenings of Friday, March 31, 2017, through Sunday, April 2, 2017, East 6th Street between Brazos Street and the west frontage road of IH-35 will be closed to ensure pedestrian safety.

Additionally, the 500 and 600 blocks of Sabine, Red River, Neches, Trinity and San Jacinto Streets will be closed. Motorists are asked to adhere to signs posted in these areas that will provide warning of when vehicles will be towed.
 
The street closures may begin as early as 6 p.m. The following streets may be intermittently closed, when necessary, for traffic safety: 

• Southbound Frontage road at 11^th Street 
• 8^th Street exit ramp from IH-35 Southbound
• Cesar Chavez exit ramp from IH-35 Southbound
• Northbound frontage at 8^th Street
• Northbound frontage at 6^th Street 
• 6^th Street exit ramp from IH-35 Northbound
• Northbound frontage road at the entrance ramp from 7^th Street 

APD will be assigning officers to intersections with a history of gridlock to ensure that people do not enter a blocked intersection, which is a violation of City Ordinance.

In the event IH-35 ramps are required to be closed, traffic will be continuously monitored and ramps will be reopened when traffic safety will not be compromised.

All streets will be monitored and will reopen when it is safe to do so. Alternate routes to the Downtown area are highly recommended to reduce the amount of traffic congestion on IH-35 in the 6th Street area.
 
Drivers are encouraged to use Mopac Expressway, Congress Avenue, Martin Luther King Boulevard, Guadalupe Street or Lamar Boulevard to get into the Downtown area. 

Motorists are encouraged to drive with caution when in the 6th Street Entertainment District due to high pedestrian traffic.
 
Though there may be a high volume of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, remember to be patient when traveling in the Downtown area. Businesses will be operating as normal and visitors are encouraged to visit downtown Austin.