Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More

Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts.

Please enter a valid zipcode.

AUSTIN, Texas — Since the mid-1980’s, Austin resident Danny Saenz has been fighting to share the sidewalks in the Capital City. 

As a 62-year-old person with a disability — in his case, cerebral palsy — daily commutes can be a challenge. Starting in June, the Austin Transportation Department has been working on a way to make those trips a bit easier. 

“I’ve run into different scenarios. Hopefully this crackdown will help,” Saenz said. “We talked about how this is an issue and we’ve posted things on social media to say this isn’t cool."

At its peak this year, ATD was seeing between 6,000 to 8,000 scooter trips weekly on Congress Avenue from the State Capitol to Cesar Chavez Street. Between many complaints and safety concerns, a reduction in devices was needed.

“What you end up seeing is a cluster in certain locations. We’re looking at how we can meet the demand as well as keep this area safe to use not only for people using scooters," Mobility Demand Program Manager Joseph Al-Hajeri said.

Under the new capped guidelines, four companies will now be limited to 100 total scooters and five per block face. Several other high-traffic areas, including Guadalupe Street, The Drag (UT-Austin) and South Lamar Blvd. could soon follow.  

“It’s great, we have the curbs back and we have access,” Saenz said. “The scooters can be a problem, but today they are nice and tidied up.”

“We’re just going to keep an eye on it and see if the policies we use on Congress Avenue can be used at other places like this,” Al-Hajeri said.

The early returns have been positive, says the City of Austin and community members like Saenz. More space in this ever growing city is never a bad thing.

“I think people are going to be more conscious and start to think about how it’s going to affect other people,” Saenz said.