We all remember (maybe) when the corners of the intersection of East Sixth and Waller streets got painted with polka dots, right? To reduce accidents on the notoriously pedestrian-overrun site, the Austin Transportation painted polka dots on all corners—what CityLab called a "bulb out" in its coverage—to give people on foot more walking room. Oh, and they put up some short poles for the cars to hit instead of running into people.
Well, that, as S.E. Hinton wrote, was then (three weeks ago). This is now.
According to photos taken by East Sixth vendor Via 313 Pizza and posted by KOOP Radio's Tracey Shulz, many of the posts have already been knocked over by service trucks that can't make the narrow turn the poles created.
Better luck next time, happy safety clowns. Remember what they say about roads and good intentions, though.
Those new pillars on E. 6th? They make the corner too narrow for service trucks to turn. Lasted, what, two weeks?
Posted by Tracey Schulz on Thursday, February 11, 2016