Local news and fun, every day 6am.
Featured
austonia newsletter
Most viewed
Surge slowdown: Austin now at threshold for Stage 4 COVID guidelines

After over a month of increasing cases and hospitalizations, Austin is now back at a Stage 4 threshold for risk-based guidelines. (St. David's Medical Center/Facebook)
For the first time since July 30, the seven-day moving average for COVID hospitalizations dropped below 50 on Tuesday, reaching the Stage 4 threshold.
At 49, the number is low enough to lower guidelines, but the city has not yet changed its Stage 5 status.
Austin has been in Stage 5, the highest level of Austin Public Health's COVID risk-based guidelines, for over a month as case rates and hospitalizations surpassed last summer's surge, the Delta variant targeted the unvaccinated and a younger demographic and ICUs surpassed capacity in the Austin metro. But with the seven-day moving average at 49 on Tuesday, it may be a sign that the third surge is beginning to end.
On Tuesday, 515 new cases were reported, down from a third-surge peak of 1,261 on Thursday, Sept. 7. Two days after the peak, Austin reported 1,000 COVID deaths and broke a daily death toll record with 23 deaths in a single day.
But while cases and hospitalizations are dipping, the city still has many factors to consider before dropping safety guidelines. Austin Public Health told KXAN Wednesday that key indicators including "positivity rate, the doubling time of new cases, and current ICU and ventilator patients" will need to be evaluated first.
The metro continues to have no ICU beds available as Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes says patients from other counties come into the area to seek care. Travis County saw 35 COVID deaths for the week of Sept. 17, slightly down from a peak of 36 for two weeks prior.
The lower hospitalization rate comes as Austin reaches a 70% vaccinated population, a number once thought to be needed to reach herd immunity. With the highly contagious Delta variant, however, many think that the new herd immunity rate is closer to 80%. But Austin officials have reported being "cautiously optimistic" as the moving average for hospital admissions slowly declined from their peak of 83.6 on Aug. 11.
"We're starting to see our case numbers decrease over time, and that is an exceptional thing to say at this point, but we're still cautiously optimistic," Walkes said.
Under Stage 4 guidelines with the Delta variant, APH continues to recommend limiting dining to takeout/curbside for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals and slightly lifts shopping and travel guidelines to "only if essential." Stage 4 continues to recommend masks for vaccinated individuals in social and public settings but now includes high-risk vaccinated individuals that were recommended to stay home unless essential in Stage 5.
(Austin Public Health)
(Austin Public Health)
- Austin reenters stage 4, in which residents asked to mask up ... ›
- COVID hospitalizations reach Stage 4 threshold - austonia ›
- Austin enters Stage 5, residents urged to stay home - austonia ›
- Austin reaches Stage 5 as hospitalizations and cases rise - austonia ›
- Austin at stage 5 COVID threshold, ICU capacity at critical levels ... ›
- Austin ties for highest COVID deaths in a single day in Sept - austonia ›
- COVID death toll higher now in Austin than last year - austonia ›
- Austin-Travis County shifts herd immunity goal to 80% - austonia ›
- Austin-Travis County approaches COVID-19 herd immunity threshold ›
Popular
(Project Connect)
Designs for stations along Project Connect’s Blue Line were presented this week, giving a detailed look at what part of the rail system extending from downtown to the airport could look like.
The planned stations that have gotten the latest focus include Waterfront, Travis Heights and Lakeshore stations past Lady Bird Lake.
At the Waterfront station, the preliminary design aims to prevent visual obstructions and save on costs. This is accomplished by a transit guideway that will lower from the bridge to a level station.
Heading onto East Riverside Drive, the light rail faces a curve requiring a slow down to about 10 miles per hour.
The Travis Heights station could involve relocating a pedestrian crosswalk zone at Alameda Drive to Blunn Creek. Since light rails can't effectively operate on a steep grade, this allows the transit guideway to avoid that.
From there, the rail will extend to the Norwood Park area, and though it will reach along the right-of-way zone, the park will be able to remain open.
A view of the Blue Line by Lady Bird Lake. (Project Connect)
The line involves some coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation. That's because the department is working on an intersection that will have to be built before the phasing of the section of the Blue Line involving an I-35 crossing.
When it comes to the safety of cyclists and walkers, design ideas include a pedestrian hybrid beacon by East Bouldin Creek that would provide a protected signal to cross. And for the intersection TxDOT is carrying out, Project Connect is working with them on pedestrian access across the intersection. It could involve shared use paths along the street and crossings beneath it.
This summer, the public can expect 30% of design and cost estimates to be released. Though the project was $7.1 billion when voters approved it in November 2020, the latest estimates factoring in inflation and supply chain constraints show it could ultimately be upwards of $10 billion.
- Austin faces rocky road in hiking taxes for Project Connect - austonia ›
- City launches $65M in Project Connect anti-displacement plan ... ›
- CapMetro CEO switches to role in D.C. as Project Connect moves ... ›
- Project Connect doubles cost of Orange, Blue lines - austonia ›
- With Project Connect in the works, what place do EVs serve ... ›
- 5 ways Project Connect is moving forward in Austin - austonia ›
- Federal Transit Administration awards $750K for Project Connect ... ›
- Project Connect begins scoping phase, officially hitting the road ... ›
- Austonia answers: How feasible is the $7.1B Project Connect price ... ›
- The pros and cons of Austin's $7.1B transit plan Project Connect ›
(ABIA)
The Austin airport has made a graceful entrance into what has been predicted to be a record-breaking summer for travel starting on Memorial Day weekend.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport expects more than 4.8 million passengers this summer, projecting a record-breaking year of 22 million in 2022, but operations on Friday morning seemed to run smoothly.
ABIA Public Information manager Sam Haynes said the smoothness of the morning can be attributed to a few things: Adequate staffing levels from airlines and at TSA as well as passengers heeding advice of arriving early.
We appreciate you arriving early!! Safe travels and enjoy your holiday weekend ☀️✈️
— Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) (@AUStinAirport) May 27, 2022
“Airport staff, including the Department of Aviation, TSA and airline employees have been working tirelessly to support our community’s air travel needs and we are grateful for our passengers’ understanding that these are unprecedented times for our airport,” Haynes told Austonia.
The airport has recently seen huge traffic surges–especially after major events like F1 and ACL—in late March, travelers spoke about lines stretching outside the terminal doors and rental cars left abandoned.
Though there were some minor lines in the morning, some travelers took to Twitter to share surprising low wait times.
This is great news, especially on what is a huge vacation weekend. Good job @AUStinAirport !!!! https://t.co/sOlSLFK7TH
— Scott Henderson (@SHenderson1975) May 27, 2022
My kiddo got through TSA in 5 minutes this morning! We were prepared for a much longer wait. Awesome job y'all, thank you!
— Dammit Dacia (@DammitDacia) May 27, 2022
The austin airport is empty and I’m SHOCKED. It’s been unbelievably packed every time I’ve been here this year
— Sofia Barcellos | Austin • FMTY 🦋 (@SofiaBarcellosx) May 27, 2022
The airport currently recommends arriving for your flight at least two and a half hours early, or three if it is an international flight.
“We take great pride in being able to connect our community with so many destinations and continue to ask for our passengers' patience, preparedness and kindness as more people travel through AUS than ever before,” Haynes said.