United States
Austin
UMR Index Rank
#39
Score: 49%
Sustainable Mobility
#44
Score: 42.5%
Public Transit
#57
Score: 36.3%
Technology Adoption
#31
Score: 44.5%
| Population | 2.1 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 1,606 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 1,313 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 100,955 |
UMR Index Rank
#39
Score: 49%
Sustainable Mobility
#44
Score: 42.5%
Public Transit
#57
Score: 36.3%
Technology Adoption
#31
Score: 44.5%
What Austin Does Well In Urban Mobility
Austin has well-connected roads and fluid traffic. In 2023 city authorities announced the Mobility Program of Projects, a partnership with the US Department of Transportation that will invest $22 billion in the Texas capital’s mobility infrastructure. Plans include rebuilding an 8-mile (13-kilometer) corridor of the I-35 freeway, which cuts through the heart of the city. The project will cover downtown portions of the highway with parkland and reconstruct bridges over the highway to better and more safely connect communities on both sides.
Austin is well positioned in the race for connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology developments thanks to the publicly funded University of Texas’ Center for Autonomy, which specializes in CAV research. Austin also is a hub for autonomous vehicle startups. The city had five autonomous vehicle operators in 2024, with one company already deploying autonomous vehicles in public spaces, three testing their services, and one in the mapping stage.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Austin’s Transportation System
Like many American cities, Austin has poor road safety. A Vision Zero plan was launched in 2015 with the aim of eliminating road fatalities and serious injuries caused by traffic accidents by 2025, but that’s unlikely to occur. Still, the city has invested in safety features like sidewalks, signage, crosswalks, and traffic signal upgrades on 13 high-injury roads in downtown Austin. Traffic fatalities have been decreasing, including by about 20% between 2021 and 2023.
Austin lags in active mobility, with inadequate pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. Austin’s CityLeap plan is petitioning for 130 miles (81 kilometers) of arterial roads with two or more lanes in each direction to be repurposed, so that one lane in each direction is for cycling and bus use. The city launched a pilot in August 2023 on Barton Springs Road, representing a small yet positive step for improving cycling infrastructure. Austin has also invested more than $100 million since 2020 into its pedestrian walkways, including sidewalks, curb ramps, and shared streets.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Austin Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
The city performs better than its Texan peers Houston and Dallas in electric vehicle (EV) market share in sales, but Austin has a low density of charging stations. In 2024 the City Council established new regulations for chargers, including a 1,000-foot (305-meter) distance requirement between stations. To catch up to top US performer San Francisco, Austin would need to multiply its charging station density by seven. Austin can expand on the current 50% rebate offered on the cost of purchase and installation of at-home fast charging stations and can invest more into public infrastructure.
Austin’s public transit station density is low, with residents often facing long distances to their nearest stop. To improve, Austin can accelerate initiatives in its public transport improvement program, Project Connect, to implement solutions faster. One cost-effective way that Austin can improve station density is to invest in more buses and bus routes, as this reduces distances residents have to their nearest stop and can encourage more time spent traveling via public transport.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley