Each year, SXSW presents a challenge for the entire city of Austin's mobility system, which is already pretty strained from years of booming growth.
You might remember the mayor urging people to work from home in 2016 as President Obama's visit, the first day of SXSW and Friday traffic collided. Or you may recall Uber and Lyft were absent in 2017 as they fought with lawmakers over regulations.
There's always something, and having 200,000-plus visitors in town can make travel tricky.
For 2019, scooters are the new thing. And, without a doubt, this will be a major test of how well scooters can supplement other transportation forms -- as well as how they interact with heavy pedestrian traffic.
So, let's look at a few tips and updates from transportation businesses and local government.
City of Austin and Capital Metro
The bus is a great way to get downtown during SXSW, but they're much more packed than usual. And, as the city notes, Daylight Savings Time starts on Sunday at 2 a.m., so check your clocks.
Several streets will be closed to traffic during the festival, most notably 6th Street and a one block stretch on the side streets that intersect with it and Red River between 5th and 10th streets.
Scooters are NOT allowed in pedestrian zones, and riders have to follow the same rules as bicycle riders -- not using downtown sidewalks and yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks. Yes, you can get a ticket.
Check out the city's full mobility guide.
Lyft
As downtown's foot traffic is set to explode when SXSW starts Friday, ride-hailing giant Lyft has announced new scooter docks around town. The company partnered with Bird's Barbershops for its docks.
They'll be located at:
- 905 East 41st Street
- 1902 South Congress
- 2110 South Lamar
- 1107 East 6th Street
Meanwhile, the company said its ride volume will spike in the early evening and continue through the night, much as you'd expect during SXSW. Volume is also high from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. when everyone is headed from their hotel or house to downtown.
You can check out their full guide here.
Uber
Uber has its traditional rides, in addition to JUMP electric bikes and scooters. Their app will find the best pickup spots, as some streets are closed or so congested they don't make good spots for drivers and riders to meet.
They've set up three support hubs -- 2nd St. and Trinity, 5th St and Neches and 5th St. and San Jacinto.
Uber Eats has also set up a drive-thru style spot at 600 E. 6th Street.
