Category Archives: News Releases

The latest news releases from Mayor Adler’s office

Austin Selected as National Vision Zero Network Focus City

National Program of 10 Cities to Collaborate to Eliminate Traffic Fatalities, Severe Injuries

Austin was selected as one of 10 leading cities to participate in a new national program announced today to advance Vision Zero, the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries among all road users.

The new Vision Zero Focus Cities program, launched today by the Vision Zero Network, includes: Austin, TX; Washington, DC; New York City, NY; Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; and Los Angeles, CA. Austin will be represented by the Mayor’s office, Planning and Zoning, Austin Police, and the Health and Human Services departments, and will work with other city departments, the Vision Zero Task Force, and other partners to end serious injuries and traffic fatalities in Austin. Continue reading →

Our Big Accomplishments of 2015

In our first year under the new 10-1 form of government, your Austin City Council set high goals for what we could accomplish in the first year. We are proud to have made real progress toward improving Austin for everyone. We’re looking forward to an even more productive 2016.

See the full list here.

Continue reading →

NEWS: Mayor Adler to attend Harvard Conference for Newly Elected Mayors

This week Austin Mayor Steve Adler will join newly elected mayors and mayors-elect from across the country at Harvard Institute of Politics’ (IOP) upcoming Seminar on Transition and Leadership for Newly Elected Mayors. Every two years, the IOP hosts the country’s leading ‎educational and preparatory program for new U.S. mayors.

Newly elected mayors from large cities will gather Dec. 8-11 for the IOP’s conference on exercising leadership in City Hall and addressing legislative and policy challenges. The program, co-sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, has hosted hundreds of current and former mayors since its inception in 1975. The Institute primarily invites newly-elected mayors from cities with populations over 75,000.

“Austin is not the first city to deal with mobility and affordability challenges. This conference is a great opportunity for me to learn what has worked – and not worked – in other cities,” said Mayor Adler. “As much as Austin is an example to other cities across the world about fostering innovation in technology, culture, and renewable energy, I’m always in the market for new ideas that we can put to good use in Austin.”

“We gladly welcome newly elected U.S. mayors to Harvard,” said Christian Flynn, Harvard IOP Director of Conferences and Special Projects. “Our seminar provides an opportunity for new city leaders to gain critical guidance from experts, practitioners and each other.”

The 21st biennial Seminar on Transition and Leadership for Newly Elected Mayors features a diverse group of policy and political experts. The seminar begins Tuesday, December 8, concluding Friday, December 11 at the IOP at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. The newly elected U.S. mayors will participate in a variety of sessions led by current and former U.S. mayors, academics, policy analysts and practitioners. Topics will include Move: Putting America’s Infrastructure Back in the Lead, Policing and Public Safety, Communicating in Real-Time During a Crisis as well as workshops on transitioning from the campaign to City Hall, finance and administration, economic development and competitiveness, the tech and data-driven city and attracting the Millennial generation to cities.

NEWS: Mayor Adler joins White House call on Syrian refugees

The mayors of Detroit and Austin said Monday they are welcoming Syrian refugees despite pushback by their states’ Republican governors following the deadly attacks in Paris.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said his city can support 50 Syrian families annually for the next three years and is “moving down that road.” Mayor Steve Adler said Austin has accepted three Syrian refugees in the past two years and another is coming.

The Democrats spoke during a White House-arranged conference call, a week after numerous Republican governors spoke out against federal refugee policies.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has instructed refugee-resettling organizations to stop helping Syrians. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who has lobbied federal officials for refugees and immigrants, urged a pause in the resettlement.

NEWS: Mayor Adler votes for IH-35 improvements

Mayor Steve Adler voted to approve traffic improvement projects on IH-35 in Austin at last night’s meeting of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

“IH-35 where it goes through Austin is the worst road in Texas, and last night we did something about it,” Mayor Adler said. “Improving mobility in Austin is one of the top challenges we face in Austin, and tonight we met part of that challenge. These improvements won’t fix everything, but they will make a real difference on a really bad road.”

One project (0015-13-378) will add shoulders, auxiliary lanes, and ramp improvements, rehab pavement, make bike and pedestrian improvements, and deal with the road intersection at I-35 and Oltorf. This will cost $54,512,000 and be paid for with Proposition 1 money from the state of Texas in FY 2016.

Another project (0015-13-380) makes improvements to the IH-35/51st Street interchange. The project will construct a new roundabout at the intersection of the I-35 southbound frontage road and 51st Street intersection, minimizing delay particularly in the off-peak hours and increasing safety. The southbound frontage road will be realigned to make room for the addition of a collector-distributor road between the main lanes and frontage road, reducing congestion at the roundabout. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be improved.

Construction will begin next year. The IH-35/51st Street interchange will $10,517,000 from the state and $9.2 million from the city of Austin to be considered at Thursday’s city council meeting.

For questions and media requests, please contact Jason Stanford, Communications Director, Office of Mayor Steve Adler, (512) 978-2153 office (512) 619-5756 cell.