BrykerWoods Neighborhood

Formal Appeal to the City's Traffic Calming Department (archived content)

Request made to help slow & control MoPAC cut-through traffic

The BrykerWoods Neighborhood Association has formally requested to be evaluated for a potential traffic-calming project. Our neighborhood was a final candidate last year in the city’s list of neighborhoods eligible for traffic calming initiatives; BrykerWoods finished 2nd place (right behind the CherryWood neighborhood).

The BrykerWoods neighborhood continues to be hammered with cut-through traffic, with most of the traffic stemming from MOPAC. And when the neighborhood streets are not packed with rush hour traffic, the cut-through traffic frequently travels at high rates of speed directly through the heart of the neighborhood. The BrykerWoods neighborhood is also quite concerned about the additional loads (and speeds!) of cut-through traffic accessing MOPAC on the neighborhood streets resulting from the University Neighborhood Overlay development plan.

Read the letter [PFD 76k] sent to the City of Austin's Traffic Calming Department and click here to learn more about BrykerWood's traffic problems.

Illegal dumping in neighborhood parks

Illegal dumping has been observed in neighborhood parks. Suspect are University of Texas fraternity members dumping left over materials used to construct massive party sets. Items frequently dumped are bamboo, cedar trees and lumber. Should you witness any dumping, please call 911 immediately and report the abuse to our central austin parks!

Construction has started on the 29th to 34th Street Tunnel (archived content)

Construction will begin soon on the Shoal Creek Wastewater Improvements - 29th Street to 34th Street Tunnel. Construction will begin in August 2004 and is schduled to conclude in Summer 2006 (see invitation and project map - pdf file) . Bryker woods neighbors are invited to meet the contractor Thursday, August 5, 2004 6:00 to 7:30 P.M. Bryker Woods Elementary Cafeteria 3309 Kerbey Lane. Please RSVP to the ACWP Hotline 684-3204 (refreshments will be served). Click hear to learn more on the project! (pdf file)

Some deatils outilned for the Shoal Creek WW Improvements 29th Street, 32nd Street, 33rd Street/Churchill Drive/Seton

Install a new 12-inch wastewater line in 34th Street that will accommodate the expansion at Seton Hospital. Work will begin in spring 2004 at West 34th Street.
Replace existing sewers on 32nd Street, Churchill, 33rd Street. This includes creekbank improvements and reconstruction of the west trail pavement, and at the request of Parks and Recreation Department (PARD), it features construction of a new pedestrian creek crossing south of West 34th Street. Work will begin in summer 2004 and conclude in spring 2005.
Install an 8-inch wastewater line that serves the area west of Shoal Creek, south of 29th St. This improvement will enable the City to take the existing line out of the creek. The installation of this line will impact the existing creek-side trail, so the trail will be rebuilt with an improved long-life surface. At the request of PARD, the project will include construction of a new pedestrian creek crossing south of 29th Street. Work will begin in summer 2004 and conclude in spring 2005.
New manholes will be designed using new city guidance for creek manholes.
Old manholes to remain will be rehabilitated.
(for more information see official notice (PDF 252k) and latest project plan (PDF 150k)

Visit the ACWP website for the latest information and a complete overview!

Neighborhood maps now available

See a collection of maps for the Bryker Woods Neighborhood and the Old West Austin Historic district. More maps of Austin can are located on the brykerwoods.org hyperlinks webpage.

Bryker Woods neighborhood boundries (approximate)
Bryker Woods Neighborhood Association map (PDF 453k)
USGS topographic map of Bryker Woods
Aerial photographic map of Bryker Woods (PDF 1700k)
Old West Austin Historic District map (PDF 4500k!)

Shoal Creek Greenbelt Improvements (archived content)

Several improvements are scheduled for the northern part of the Shoal Creek Greenbelt. Contact the City of Austin Watershed Protection and Development Review department for more information (974-6045).

Erosion control on the Greenbelt sidewalk west of the creek and south of 34th Street
An improved low-water crossing in the park behind Bryker Woods Elementary
A new bridge crossing south of the 29th Street (currently a dangerous low-water crossing)
For more information see official notice - PDF 292k and latest project plan (PDF 150k).

Old West Austin Historic District (archived content)

It's official! The nomination of the Old West Austin Historic District was approved for admission to the National Register of Historic Places on Friday, September 12, 2003 in Washington, D.C. The new District is the largest National Register District in the state of Texas. Historic Plaques Now Available!! If your property is listed in the nomination as a "C" for contributing vs "N" non contributing, your home is eligible for a Plaque. Many thanks to both LW of Old Enfield and CV of Pemberton for their relentless commitment and passion to make this project a reality.

> More on the Old West Austin Historic District at http://www.OWAHD.org

"Bandit Signs" in the neighborhood

What are bandit signs? Section 25-10-103 of the City's Land Development Code states that signs are prohibited in public right of way (ROW). This means that a person may not install or use a sign maintained on a structure located on or over public property or public right of way. This ordinance has been on the City's books for almost 20 years.

Concern has been expressed over the removal of neighborhood garage and yard sale signs possibly viewed as "Bandit Signs" in the BrykerWoods neighborhood. Commercial signage placed in public property and public right of way are the "Bandit Signs" that have created recent outcry within the city. Garage sale and yard sale signs (although technically bandit signs *if* located in public property) are not considered a nuisance to the neighborhood. Rather, these signs should be left in place for service and benefit to local neighborhood residents. Please respect the interest's of neighborhood residents and leave these signs in place.

The problem "Bandit Signs" are the commercial signs placed at the Mopac exit ramps and the island at the intersection of 34th Street and Jefferson (two prominent public spaces within the BrykerWoods neighborhood). If you find such COMMERCIAL signs an eyesore to the neighborhood, take them down and send a message to the commercial enterprises polluting Austin neighborhoods! It is ILLEGAL for businesses to use our neighborhood's public green spaces for advertising.

Report illegal Commercial signage in the neighborhood at 974-6576. First offenders will receive education, but repeat violators will have charges filed. A violation is a Class C misdemeanor with fines up to $500 per violation.