This is the view of Alternative 3 facing east. | Rendering courtesy City of Austin
After polling the city on three designs in summer and fall, the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department recommended a plan for historic 6th Street, complete with renderings.
City staff ultimately chose Alternative 3, with construction expected to begin as early as 2027.
Why Alternative 3?
Notably, Alternative 3 is the sole design that doesn’t include bike lanes, but it does have the widest pedestrian zones. The city has been testing wider sidewalks using concrete dividers in the area, which the report said is “essential” to support a vision to create a day-and-night district and enhance safety.
Eberly’s canon event was later called the Archives War.
Photo by Alan Stanhope via OpenVerse
History
The end of December marks the 183rd anniversary of innkeeper Angelina Eberly firing a cannon to sound the alarm of a militia party storming the Texas Republic Archives, in a conspiracy to move the state capital to Houston. She’s memorialized in a statue on Congress Avenue thanks to her bravery.
Development
After developers filed to demolish the shopping center at 600 Lamar Blvd. — the former home to Waterloo Records — Amy’s Ice Creams and 24 Diner are searching for new locations. Don’t fret — both local businesses said they’re confident they will reopen. (CultureMap)
Civic
Travis County is under a burn ban until Tuesday, Jan. 6 due to fluctuating temperatures causing dry vegetation. That means fireworks are discouraged and outdoor fires are banned, but on the bright side, grilling is still allowed.
Real Estate
The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metropolitan area saw the No. 3 highest median home valuation decline out of the top 100 metros in the country, according to Realtor.com. Year over year, local homes dropped by 6.1%, or around $26,970.
Open
The owners of Bar Hacienda debuted a new bar in east Austin earlier this month. Parley serves coffee from Idlewild by day, and by night, it transitions into a $10-$16 cocktail bar serving bites from Oseyo, its nextdoor neighbor.
Weather
December 2025 is shaping up to be one of the top 10 hottest Decembers on record in Austin, and January is likely to follow the same trend. Though it is usually the coldest month of the year, January is forecast to be warmer and drier than usual. (KXAN)
Sports
The Cowboys may be out of the playoffs, but the Texans secured a spot for the third consecutive year. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Houston Texans with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Read
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If you’ve ever wanted to have a hand in ATXtoday’s coverage, now is your chance. | Photo by ATXtoday
Happy (almost) New Year, Austin.
As 2025 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the stories we followed this year and looking ahead to what we’ll cover in 2026.
We want to start a new tradition, so as we look toward 2026, we’re asking: What should we dig into next?
Whether it’s a dish you’re always searching for, a development you pass every day, a niche you want to try out, or an Austin topic you’ve always wondered about, submit your questions to shape the stories you’ll read in the year ahead. No topic is too small.
It’s our New Year’s resolution to answer as many as we can, so feel free to submit more than one.
A personalized weight loss plan from Noom. Begin the new year by trying Noom’s science-backed program that blends cutting-edge technology with expert coaching to drive lasting behavior change. Take this 5-minute quiz to receive a plan that’s tailored to your goals for 2026.
Hearing from readers is one of the highlights of my job. I got a lovely email from Van K., who turned 65 yesterday. Congrats on the big birthday, Van, I hope you have stellar plans for 2026.
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