Daylighting in Austin: A Proactive, Data-Driven Approach to Safer Intersections 

2/18/2026 at 3:00 pm 
Webinar Recording

Presenters: 

The City of Austin recently completed a daylighting study with Toole Design to improve intersection safety and advance its Vision Zero goals. (Daylighting involves removing sightline obstructions near intersections and physically preventing cars from parking too close to a crossing.) While many cities implement safety treatments after crashes occur, Austin is pioneering a more proactive, data-driven approach for daylighting. Building on five years of crash data, the study used a machine learning algorithm to identify systemic risk factors, developed a prioritization framework, and virtually reviewed more than 200 intersections. This approach allows Austin to target high-risk sites through facility profiles, ensuring the City invests resources where daylighting countermeasures can help prevent the largest number of crashes, injuries, and fatalities. The initiative also created an implementation toolkit with quick-build and long-term design strategies, as well as communication tools to build public support. This webinar will share findings from the study, lessons from peer cities, and how Austin is embedding daylighting into policies, design standards, and capital planning. Participants will leave with practical strategies for systemically evaluating, prioritizing, and implementing daylighting in their own communities.