Five months into a pilot program to improve safety on Sixth Street, Austin police officials said there have been fewer fights, arrests and incidents where they used force.
Late last year, Austin began reopening Sixth Street to vehicles on weekend nights, erecting barriers to keep people on newly expanded and protected sidewalks.
Water-filled, orange-and-white plastic barricades have been installed, replacing metal fences that were damaged by people leaning on them or vehicles driving over the footings…