At Your Doorstep, June 2004

At Your Doorstep Departments

Streetscapes

Portion of Second Street Project to begin this month

As part of the Great Streets program of widening sidewalks and providing more trees, benches and lighting in downtown Austin, the project is just what its name implies: a streetscape improvement along a seven-block stretch of Second Street between San Antonio and Trinity streets. Although the east and middle sections of the project -- Colorado to Trinity -- are still in the conceptual stage, construction on the west end is about to begin.

In late June, roadway reconstruction will start between Colorado and San Antonio streets. Within those blocks, 16 inches of old, deteriorated roadway material will be removed and replaced with new asphalt paving. The project will see the installation of new curb and gutter and a new, wide sidewalk on the north side of the street. Limited but important drainage work will take place at the intersections of Second and Guadalupe streets and Second and Lavaca streets. Parallel parking will also become available along the north side of those blocks as part of the project.

At start up, J-Reese Contracting Co. will install concrete barriers to separate the work zone from traffic lanes. Crews will first reconstruct the south half of Second Street before switching to the north half. Traffic meanwhile will be reduced to one westbound lane (from two) for the four-month project. The Contractor may close Second Street and the Guadalupe Street or Lavaca Street intersections on weekends only to expedite the work. In November, when the work draws to a close along with that of the new City Hall, the former one-way street will reopen with two-way traffic.

To facilitate the project and to improve westbound traffic movement in general, several other permanent traffic patterns will be put in place at the late-June start up:

Second Street between Colorado and Brazos streets will convert to two-way traffic.

Third Street between Brazos and Colorado streets will convert to one way westbound to facilitate westbound traffic out of the central city toward Cesar Chavez Street and MoPac Expressway.

For questions about the Great Streets Program or the Second Street District Streetscape Improvements Project, please call Pollyanne Melton, (512) 972-6459, with Transportation, Planning and Sustainability. For construction-related questions, call Project Manager Dennis Crabill, (512) 974-7232, with the Public Works Department.

Austin streets receive sealcoat in annual program

Although sealcoat crews have had to work around this year's May showers, two crews have already begun to make progress in two areas of the city. By the end of September, more than 529 Austin streets ? about 352 lane miles ? will have been refreshed and protected with sealcoat.

What is sealcoat? Sealcoat is a water-based asphalt binder applied to an asphalt street and then covered with a thin layer of gravel. Because asphalt is vulnerable to aging and the oxidizing effects of water and air, it can become brittle and crack, causing water to penetrate the surface. Over time the road will begin to develop potholes and break up.

An application of sealcoat ? usually 10 to 15 years after the road is built, with additional applications at 10- to15-year intervals ? protects the surface and restores the skid resistance needed for safe wet weather driving.

It dries fast. A typical one-block residential street takes only about 30 minutes. It also is economical at about $1.50 per square yard, as compared to the price of a new asphalt surface at $11 to $15 per square yard.

Austin residents may find door hangers on front doors indicating a day and time crews will work in your area. The City provides four weeks notice with another three-day notice to follow.

If you see sealcoat crews in your area, know they're working hard to keep the bumps out of your day.

For more information, e-mail Ron Koehn, Public Works, ron.koehn@ci.austin.tx.us.

Let us know your thoughts

The City of Austin is working hard to improve the streets and outdated infrastructure downtown. The City appreciates your patience and wants to hear from you.

Send your suggestions and questions to public.works@ci.austin.tx.us.

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Neighbor to Neighbor

June: Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month

This month, Town Lake Animal Center will reduce the regular adoption fee for cats from $75 to just $20, in hopes that more will be adopted into caring families.

"This time of year the City can receive 50 or more cats and kittens in a single day," reports Shelter Director Dorinda Pulliam. "We hope that by reducing our fees and really pushing cat adoptions, we'll be able to send more of these wonderful pets home with caring people?hoping that folks will consider adopting more than one, or maybe we'll even convince some "dog people" to take a walk on the feline side."

Of course, owning a cat is a long-term commitment that deserves serious thought. A well-cared-for, indoor cat can live for 12 to 15 years. Living with cats is different but not difficult.

A good place to begin is to understand that cats know they are family members, not possessions. In fact, they often consider themselves the leaders of their families! As heads of their households, cats want things their way. That may mean drinking from the faucet or walking across the kitchen table.

Cats like to be the center of attention and always detect where your attention is centered, whether that be the open pages of the book you're reading or on the keyboard of your computer.

If you've never loved a cat before, or if you're a lifetime cat-person, this month is the perfect time to adopt a cat!

Explore your options and get to know some wonderful kitty characters by visiting Town Lake Animal Center, 1156 W. Cesar Chavez St., or by visiting www.petfinder.com.

Town Lake Animal Center has professional staff members available for interviews about cat adoption, cat overpopulation, cat behavior and many other pet-related topics and issues in Central Texas.

For more information, call (512) 972-6025 or (512) 972-6080 for information or to set up an interview.

Help ease pet anxiety during July 4 celebration

Town Lake Animal Center, Austin's largest animal shelter, needs the donations to help keep the more than 300 dogs in its care calm and safe July 4.

The shelter's location, on the north shore of Town Lake, makes it accessible for all of Austin. But it also puts the animals in very close proximity to the City's largest Fourth of July fireworks display. The noise and lights of the fireworks can cause a great deal of stress for the dogs at the shelter, so shelter managers are putting out the call for rawhide chew treats and toys.

While ingesting a great deal of tough rawhide can be hard on a dogs' digestive system, the rewards of providing chews to the dogs at this time of year or at other times of stress far outweigh the minor risks the chews might pose.

Natural rawhide treats of all shapes and sizes are needed, and can be dropped off at the shelter anytime the Town Lake Animal Center offices are open: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Church, youth, neighborhood and business groups, as well as individuals, are encouraged to organize collections and bring the rawhide treats in to the shelter anytime before July 4.

Town Lake Animal Center is at 1156 W. Cesar Chavez St., between MoPac Expressway and Lamar Boulevard on the north side of Town Lake.

Fly smoothly through Austin-Bergstrom this Summer

Meeting friends or family at the airport? Garage parking is simple and inexpensive. Under 30 minutes of parking is free in the Airport's On-site Garage. Additionally, the garage is the only airport parking with an hourly fee structure: 31-60 minutes is $2; each additional hour is $2; up to a daily maximum charge of $18. Park in the garage rather than circle the airport and burn fuel.

Easy access to flight information

Travelers interested in booking a flight should call airlines or travel agencies, not the airport.

New City Hall takes shape

On the exterior, masons are installing limestone blocks on the concrete walls surrounding the plaza. The three-tone limestone, known as "lueder," matches the exterior limestone on the Computer Sciences Corp. buildings that flank the New City Hall.

While masons work from the ground up on the south side of the building, other construction crews are working their way down from the roof installing exterior sheathing. Specially designed to withstand harsh weather, the exterior walls will be covered with copper panels in upcoming weeks. Workers are also installing special tube steel that will frame the rows of windows that will encircle the building.

For continued updates on the construction of the New City Hall or to watch live action from the construction camera at the New City Hall, visit www.cityofaustin.org/cityhall.

Austin Library offers summer reading program

The 2004 program theme is "Color Your World ?Read!" The eight-week program will be June 7 - July 31. This summer makes the third year Austin Public Library is providing a program just for teens ages 12 to 17. These youth will have an opportunity to win special prizes through drawings at the Teen Finale Festival Thursday, Aug. 5.

The purpose of the reading programs is to encourage youth to maintain and improve their reading skills during the summer months when school is not in session. Children and young adults are encouraged to visit the John Henry Faulk Central Library or any neighborhood branch library and register for the program.

Incentives will be awarded for reaching and completing program goals. Children who do not read may take part by being read to. The Austin Public Library Youth Services mascot "Echo" the Bat presents more than 100 free special event programs for Austin youth during June and July. Each branch library will host a special event one day a week. The Faulk Central Library will offer special events on Saturdays.

Visit www.cityofaustin.org/library for a complete events listing or call the Events Hotline at (512) 974-7302.

Storytimes will be offered, as well as puppet shows, animal shows, magic, and safety presentations. All Library youth programs are free, including the Youth Star Card for Kids and Wired for Youth computer centers for youth ages 8 to 18.

Visit the Library for videos, DVDs, CD-ROMs, Internet computers, magazines, music, special programs, and, don't forget, books. A list of library locations is available at www.cityofaustin.org/library/map.htm.

The 2004 Summer Reading Program is made possible and sponsored in part by the following organizations: The Friends of the Austin Public Library, The Austin Public Library Foundation, H-E-B, Austin Energy, Frost Bank, KXAN 36 Austin, Univision, KLRU, Austin American-Statesman and the Texas State Library.

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Money Wise

Free home energy improvements

Help for the income qualified

Austin Energy offers free home energy improvements to customers with a low-to- moderate income. Improvements will reduce your energy use and costs and enhance the comfort of your home.

• Insulation in attics.
• Sealing and repairing or replacing ductwork.
• Caulking around plumbing penetrations.
• Weather stripping around doors.
• Installation of solar screens.

1. You must be an Austin Energy electric customer.
2. You must occupy the home you want weatherized. If you are renting the home, you must have lived in the home for at least one year.
3. The home must be a single-family home, mobile home or duplex.
4. Homes with an appraised value of more than $150,000 may not be eligible.
5. Austin Energy must be able to verify your income level and/or disability status. This requires documentation to verify income for everyone in your household, 18 and older, and/or disability status.

1. You must have lived in the rental home for one year or more.
2. Household income must meet the listed eligibility guidelines.
3. The owner must agree to the improvements and must sign an Austin Energy Rental Release Form, available at www.austinenergy.com/.
4. The renter must be prepared to provide a copy of the lease or rental agreement.
For more information, visit the Austin City Connection, the official Web site of the City of Ausitn, www.austinenergy.com/.

Duct diagnostic, sealing

Ducts in the average 10-15 year old home leak 15 to 40 percent of the home's heating and cooling right into the attic.

Leaking ducts can also affect air quality in your home. They can pull dust, molds and other pollutants into your air system.

Diagnostic testing

For $50 per air conditioning system, you will receive a diagnostic test of your home and a complete report that will tell you:

• If your ducts have significant leaks.
• If each room is receiving sufficient air flow and properly cooled air.
• If unsafe carbon monoxide is being drawn into your home.
• If your return air vents are taking in sufficient air.
• If your return air vents are drawing in unconditioned air, introducing allergens into your home.

• You must be an Austin Energy electric customer.
• The property owner must apply for the program.
• You must haven an existing central air conditioner or heat pump.

Be a Power Partner: Free thermostat program

As a Power Partner, Austin Energy will provide you with a Free Honeywell Superstat? thermostat plus free installation and warrantee ? valued at $200-$280. You agree to allow Austin Energy to cycle off your air conditioner briefly during peak demand ? when demand for electricity is at its highest.

Cycling off on summer weekdays will not exceed 10 minutes per half-hour. Residential customers may experience cycling from 4 to 8 p.m.. Commercial customers may experience cycling from 3 to 8 p.m. Cycling off only occurs the few days each summer when both the demand for electricity and Austin Energy's load are the highest.

To sign up for the Power Partner Free Thermostat Program or to receive more information about the program, visit www.austin.energy.com or call toll free at (877) 549- 2774.

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Environs

City looking for attractive, earthwise yards

This spring has been so cool and moist that Austin has rarely looked more beautiful. Yards that are particularly attractive and meet the earth-friendly criteria could receive a Green Garden Award.

The Green Garden Initiative includes six City of Austin departments that encourage landscaping practices that help protect the environment. During the blooming season, the initiative offers awards for eye-catching yards that incorporate a variety of earth-friendly practices, such as using little water and few herbicides or pesticides.

Composting, rainwater collection and creating a backyard habitat also help qualify. Winners are given T-shirts and free admission to a Green Garden class. In return, the Austin residents are asked to put a Green Garden sign in their yard and have photos of their yard on the City's Web site.

To receive additional information about the Green Garden competition, call (512) 974- 2550 or visit www.cityofaustin.org/greengarden.

City gets award for landscaping program

Grow Green offers sound advice on designing, planting and maintaining a yard and least toxic solutions to pest and disease problems in Central Texas gardens.

Grow Green materials can be found at almost all local nurseries or online at www.growgreen.org.

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Zone In

The following zoning cases are tentatively scheduled for the July 6 Planning Commission Agenda and the Aug. 5 City Council Agenda.

C14-04-0071 ? Dennis Dement & Assoc. (Dennis Dement), by City of Austin (Glenn Rhoades), 8423 W. Texas 71. From RR to LO. (Williamson Creek). City Staff: Glenn Rhoades, (512) 974-2775.

C14-04-0072 ? Powerhouse Lounge (Tommie Lopez), by City of Austin (Glenn Rhoades), 515 Pedernales St. From CS-1 to CS. City Staff: Glenn Rhoades, (512) 974-2775.

C14-04-0073 ? Spasco (Sandy Aron), by (Jim Bennett), 1200 W. Howard Lane. From CS-CO to CS-1. (Walnut Creek). City Staff: Sherri Gager, (512) 974-3057.

C14-04-0074 ? Lunbermen's Investment Corp. (Robert Mann), by Vaughn & Associates (Rick Vaughn), South I-35. From I-RR to GR, CS-1, SF-6. (Onion Creek). City Staff: Wendy Walsh, (512) 974-7719.