The Austin Transportation Department (ATD)  added sticks to the existing bike lanes along Barton Skyway from Barton Hills Drive to Skyway Circle and extended the protected bike lanes along Barton Skyway and Lightsey Road from Skyway Circle to Cody Court.

The changes were expected to offer safer and more comfortable bicycle connectivity to existing and emerging bicycle routes serving nearby destinations as well as additional protection for pedestrians
walking along and across Barton Skyway. 

Unfortunately, this is not the case.  We, the residents of Barton Hills have witnessed many near accidents, and confusion as drivers try to navigate the path. In addition, the sticks have narrowed both sides of the road to the extreme and make it very difficult to turn in or off of Barton Skwy.  We also find the design to be extremely unattractive. 

More specific feedback regarding this issue from residents:

"This has to be one of the most poorly conceived, communicated and implemented street projects I have witnessed so far in our city. Safety is far worse AFTER than before, and Barton "Poleway" has become one of the ugliest and most impractical streets imaginable. Every intersection is far too narrow for even two standard vehicles to turn through simultaneously, making for vehicles stop unexpectedly to allow one to negotiate a turn before the other. School buses, trucks with trailers, and many other vehicles cannot safely negotiate a turn at any intersection and have difficulty remaining within the narrow lanes even on the major road. And on trash pickup day, the inconsistent placement of bins in the "poleway" striped median means the garbage trucks must also use the only lane available for vehicle travel, further congesting and frustrating all users. Scary to imagine the impact of street sweeper trucks trying to do their job effectively in this unnecessarily compromised configuration! 

Uncertain as to why the city staff did not conduct a neighborhood design charette and get some local constructive input BEFORE spending $185K? Even now such a collaborative approach could be used to help remedy this abomination. Adding speed humps and controlled crosswalks would better address the expressed goals of traffic calming and pedestrian safety. Reconsideration of a two-way bike lane alternative should be addressed. In the short term, restriping to widen every intersection and replacing all the "sticks / poles" with buttons would be a significant correction of the most egregious flaws, and a minimally effective if piecemeal improvement."

"The City was unresponsive to complaints about the impossible geometry of the reconfigured intersection at BHD and Barton Skyway.  For those of us driving out of the Horseshoe Bend area the tire marks over the corner’s curbs are evidence of the mistake.  And it is not just landscape trailers and UPS trucks as the scuff marks on my right rear tire can attest. I suppose that it is much easier to adjust the white sticks than the protruding concrete curbs at that intersection but it would be great if the measurements taken by that City Transportation guy that you saw could lead to a more realistic and safer intersection for pedestrians, bikes, and cars.  I would be glad to help wield the jackhammer."

"I’m not as offended as some with the new poles, though there are issues (garbage, street sweeping, EMS, etc).  The poles slow traffic and at slower speeds roads and corners seem navigable.  The intersection at Lamar/Skyway doesn’t feel much different from the one at Mary, albeit with more lanes.  That said, I’ve seen more elegant solutions and I’m baffled that the neighborhood wasn’t consulted.  Wonder who thought, “BH residents will be fine with this, they never speak up!”  Haha. Getting ahead of myself here and it may be too late, but...  These may be too flashy for some and I’m not sure on the cost, but how about “armadillos” as an option for concrete buttons?  (My teenager calls the buttons turtles btw… may have to paint one that way.).  Armadillos are made of recycled material and unlike the concrete buttons, they're designed to stay in place due to the way they’re anchored.  Plus they have built-in visibility.  Tangent done."

"The poles at the side streets, such as Westhill, are placed too far into the intersection, creating a right angle. It is geometrically *impossible* for a car to turn from Westhill onto Barton Skyway without (a) blocking the other lane on Westhill and (b) veering into the oncoming lane on Barton Skyway. Other cross streets are likely the same. The extra poles at the cross streets MUST be removed for the streets to be driveable and safe. I mentioned that the school bus has to do a three-point turn on one street. It's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, and in the meantime, everyone in the neighborhood is risking scraping the heck out of their auto paint. I pointed out Bluebonnet and Barton Springs Rd. in Zilker Park as examples (poles don't jut into the intersections). I said if they make this simple change, the streets will be safely driveable."

"At night driving home I felt like I was on an airplane runway!  But it's confusing & disorienting especially if you need to make a turn! As it becomes narrower & dangerous!  I’m gonna end up running them over!" 

"The sticks are already black from collisions with cars, numerous ones have already been crushed by large trucks. It's a terrible design"

"Also I have twice now had near misses with large trucks with trailers coming over the hill left of the double-yellow center line.  I am unable to get over to my right and they are unable to stay on their side because of the sticks.  The narrow lane and the lack of a shoulder do not accommodate landscapers and contractors who have wide trucks or trailers to haul....so they are driving over the hill left of center coming into the neighborhood as I am heading out to work.  Truly unsafe."

"The place on BHD where the sticks shove cars up against the curb does not look safe for cars or bikes. Perhaps the city can fine-tune that."

"This is absolutely ridiculous and incredibly dangerous!  As a cyclist, I would seriously hesitate to cross over!  Especially with the hills!"

"In the week since Stick-a-geddon (you know, the white "poles" better suited for the Mopac tollway), I have had a chance to drive BSW. Other than the daily near-head-on collisions and the inability to safely turn right, it is a real joy. That was sarcasm folks. 
This is my personal assessment, but the traffic sticks are more dangerous than good. My neighbors have reported to me that they have struck the poles to avoid oncoming traffic that crossed the yellow line due to the narrower lanes. Also, the flipp'n sticks consume so much of the right & left side of my home street that when turning right I have to enter the other BSW lane before I can straighten out in the correct lane (kinda defeats the purpose of improving safety). On top of that, if I see a neighbor returning home via BSW and turning right/left onto Rock Terrace I have to stop or back up to allow the turning neighbor enough room to complete the turn.  Both of these scenarios highlight the new dangers caused by the "safety" sticks. Action...I  too, want slower traffic on BSW. 
However, this current "solution" introduced more dangerous variables into the car+pedestrian+cyclist+speed equation."

We respectfully request the removal or immediate redesign of the current installation.