Bryker Woods is an urban core neighborhood and because of that the neighborhood has vulnerabilities frequently associated with older neighborhoods close to downtown. Proximity to a greenbelt and a location between a large university and highway expose the neighborhood to several safety concerns. Probably the greatest safety concerns are those associated with crime and traffic.
Crime & Graffiti
Although not frequent, neighbors are encouraged to report crime, vandalism and graffiti to the APD as well as the Bryker Woods neighborhood email listserv. Neighborhood residents keep an eye open for suspicious activity and alerting neighbors helps maintain neighborhood vigilance. Recent crime has been theft from vehicles most of which have been left unlocked overnight. If you see a crime in progress, immediately call 911. If you notice graffiti or the consequences of vandalism call 311. Or make use of the convenient City of Austin 311 app! It is important that neighborhood residents also report any vandalism or graffiti occurring on the Greenbelts or in the Parks. It is important to help APD maintain our urban green spaces. Research has shown that the best way to discourage graffiti is to have it removed as soon as possible.
Traffic
Traffic in Bryker Woods continues to increase as the city of Austin grows. Consequently the quality of life within the neighborhood continues to be threatened because of excessive traffic volume and speed. Despite the fact that many choose Bryker Woods as a “walkable” neighborhood, the streets are narrow and most streets lack side walks. Certainly there are times of the day that traffic is worse (e.g. rush hour) however when the traffic is not congested there is always the looming chance that a car will be speeding down a neighborhood street to get to MoPac. Neighborhood residents are urged to take caution when walking and riding bikes in the neighborhood and of course some streets have more traffic than others. Despite the sometimes threatening traffic, Bryker Woods is a very pedestrian neighborhood and every opportunity should be made to get out for a walk or ride a bike. Concerns about excessive speed can be expressed to the City of Austin Transportation Department. A new traffic calming program and process has been implemented and citizens can nominate streets for traffic calming.