The City of Austin's Public Works Department designs, manages, and inspects major capital improvement projects; promotes bicycle, pedestrian, safe routes to school, and urban trail projects; and maintains the City's network of trails, roadways, and bridges once they are built.
Programs
- Capital Project Delivery — The Public Works Department manages the City of Austin's Capital Project Delivery projects through all phases of design, construction, and inspection. Projects range from street reconstruction and water/wastewater infrastructure improvements to new fire stations and libraries.
- Sidewalk Program — The Public Works Department Sidewalk Program is responsible for installing miles of sidewalks in Austin for transportation and recreational use. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a driving factor in making sure that the right of way along Austin's streets are safe and accessible for all.
- Neighborhood Partnering Program — The Neighborhood Partnering Program provides opportunities for community and neighborhood organizations to effect public improvements by sharing in the costs of those efforts with the City of Austin government.
- Safe Routes to School — The Safe Routes to School Program helps children choose human power to get to school. Through crossing guards, education, outreach, and infrastructure projects, we aim to make sure elementary and middle school students across Austin can walk, bike, and roll safely.
- Street and Bridge Operations — Composed of professional and technically skilled staff, Public Works 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.
- Urban Trails — The Urban Trails Program creates, promotes, and maintains Austin’s urban trails network. Austin currently has around 50 miles of urban trails. Our goal is for the urban trails network to help people of all ages and abilities travel from one end of the city to another in a safe and healthy way.
View all Public Works programs, projects, and services
Transportation User Fee
The Transportation User Fee (TUF) is assessed to residents and businesses based on the traffic levels generated by each dwelling unit or business. It funds the maintenance and repair of roadways, signs, signals and markings, sidewalks, and urban trails. The fee is charged on City of Austin utility bills.
Residential customers may be eligible for an exemption if the person who is responsible for paying the utility bill meets one of the following criteria:
- Age 65 or older; or
- Does not own or regularly use a private motor vehicle
Austin Public Works is the City department that maintains the network of roadways, bridges, and urban trails. Customers can get information on street and bridge operations, safe routes, and right-of-way vegetation maintenance. Information on the Transportation User Fee (TUF) and exemptions are also available.
Visit: austintexas.gov/public-works
