The Austin Transportation and Public Works Department’s mission is to be a highly reliable organization that builds and maintains mobility infrastructure for our community. Transportation and Public Works works with all modes of transportation and many Austin-area partners and agencies to deploy an all-ages and abilities network, as well as ensure the transportation network is reliable, safe and well-maintained for all users.

Responsibilities

  • Active Transportation and Street Design — The Active Transportation and Street Design Division works to help everyone walk and bike around Austin safely, comfortably and conveniently as they travel to work and school, run errands, exercise and have fun. The street design team works to improve City streets to better serve people of all ages and abilities as they drive, walk, bike and take transit.
     
  • Arterial Management and Signal Operation — The Arterial Management Division works to manage mobility and safety for all modes of travel on Austin’s arterial roadways. Arterials are roadways that are intended to carry higher amounts of traffic at a higher speed than neighborhood streets.
     
  • Community Services Division — Community Services include a host of programs that serve the Austin community, including Living Streets, the Neighborhood Partnering Program, the Placemaking program, and Safe Routes to School.
     
  • Ground Transportation Regulation — The Ground Transportation Regulation Division permits and oversees all vehicle-for-hire services such as taxi, pedicabs, shuttle service, limousine service, charter service, electric low-speed vehicles, group cycle, and horse-drawn carriage and touring/sightseeing companies.
     
  • Land Development Engineering — The Land Development Engineering team assists the public with obtaining rights for the use of City right of way and easements (streets, sidewalks, alleys, public utilities) through a variety of means depending on the project.
     
  • Office of the City Engineer — The Office of the City Engineer manages the evaluation, maintenance and repair of our street infrastructure systems including bridges and the right of way. The Office of the City Engineer oversees six groups including pavement maintenance management, bridge maintenance management, customer service and underpass cleanup management, asset management, right-of-way investigations, and engineering reviews.
     
  • Parking Enterprise — The Parking Enterprise Division works to make access to curb space convenient and user friendly through the regulation of public parking spaces.
     
  • Project Delivery — The Project Delivery Division works to ensure a centralized and predictable role in project delivery and construction management for local mobility, safety, intersection infrastructure and regional projects.
     
  • Right of Way Management — The Right of Way Management Division manages many of the day-to-day activities in the right of way. The right of way is the public-owned land, including streets, sidewalks and the area behind the curb — everything from the street to the property line. This division manages the right of way to preserve and prioritize safety and mobility.
     
  • Sidewalks and Urban Trails — The Sidewalks and Urban Trails Division oversees both the City of Austin Sidewalk Program and Urban Trails Program. Guided by community-informed plans adopted by Austin City Council, the team focuses on creating a sidewalk network that aligns with the Americans with Disabilities Act’s call to ensure the right -of -way along Austin’s streets are safe and accessible for all. The goal of the Urban Trails Program is to create a network of wide, paved trails that help people of all ages and abilities travel from one end of Austin to another in a safe and healthy way.
     
  • Signs and Markings — The Signs and Markings Division is responsible for the installation and maintenance of signs and street markings. Pavement markings and road signage provide a smooth, orderly flow of traffic for safe and efficient mobility for all users.
     
  • Street and Bridge Operations — Composed of professional and technically skilled staff, Street and Bridge Operations manages and maintains public right-of-way infrastructure including streets, bridges, sidewalks, guardrails, trees and vegetation. Our five divisions patch potholes, resurface streets, repair utility cuts, maintain the City’s medians, right-of-way maintenance on trees and respond after storms.
     
  • Transportation Development Services — The Transportation Development Services Division provides review services to developers/applicants and their consultants on all aspects of transportation associated with a proposed development or redevelopment.
     
  • Transportation Engineering — The Transportation Engineering Division prioritizes, designs and coordinates projects for multimodal improvements with our Speed Management, Vision Zero Implementation, Transit Enhancement, TIA Fiscal, and Roadway Safety and Design Programs.
     
  • Transportation Systems Development — The Transportation Systems Development Division is responsible for long-term transportation planning for the City of Austin, coordinating long-term planning efforts with other jurisdictions and agencies and providing travelers with effective choices to improve travel reliability and reduce drive alone trips.
     
  • Vision Zero — Austin Transportation’s Vision Zero program aims to end all traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all. The Vision Zero team partners with other City departments, state and federal agencies, and community organizations to lead the planning and development of a safe multi-modal transportation network.

Transportation User Fee

One of the methods to fund the City’s transportation system and fulfill the department’s mission, is a Transportation User Fee (TUF) assessed to residents and businesses.

This monthly fee funds street maintenance and repair, annual street overlay and striping and other activities necessary for keeping Austin's roadways in good condition. City of Austin residents pay the mandatory fee to help prolong the life of City infrastructure and assets.

By managing and maintaining public right of way infrastructure, the City of Austin is able to save taxpayer money by intervening before full reconstruction is needed. Full street reconstruction can be costly and time-consuming, therefore preventative maintenance provided by the fee helps reduce these costs.

View the City of Austin Ordinance regarding the fee

Some examples of programs and projects funded by the Transportation User Fee are:

  • Roadway signage and markings
  • Traffic engineering
  • Traffic and pedestrian signals
  • Transportation systems planning
  • Active transportation infrastructure such as sidewalks and bikeways
  • Roadway safety features

Austin Transportation Department

Transportation and Public Works is the City department that strives to be the model for safe, reliable and sustainable transportation. Customers can get information on temporary uses of the right of way, on-street parking, bicycle commuting and annual street maintenance plans.

Austin Transportation and Public Works Logo

Visit: austintexas.gov/TPW

Visit: GetThereATX.com

Date last reviewed or modified: 2/6/25