Downtown Austin wayfinding public discussion to be held Aug. 21

“(The Downtown Austin Wayfinding Project) is an initiative to make it easier for residents, commuters and tourists to find Austin destinations and attractions and also to increase mobility in downtown by highlighting different modes of travel,” said Christine Freundl, senior planner with the Urban Design Division of the Planning and Development Review Department.

An overview of the existing conditions analysis and the Downtown Austin Wayfinding Master Plan also will be presented. A public discussion will follow the presentations.

The project was an action item in the Downtown Austin Plan that was adopted by Austin City Council in December, and the first step for the Planning and Development Review Department was to conduct an analysis of existing conditions in and around downtown, including existing downtown initiatives, existing wayfinding systems and traffic issues. A wayfinding system deals with how people get from one place to another, according to Freundl.

The team developed three design options and presented them to public in March. Through the comments and critiques, a fourth design option was created for the DAWP.

“The team merged them into one (plan) based on the positive and negative feedback we received,” Freundl said.

The meeting is being held at the Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River St. For more information, contact Christine Freundl at 974-2868.