Transportation Tips

Austin streets to avoid during Formula 1, plus tips to get around town

Austin Photo: anthony_formula 1 review_nov 2012_vettel hamilton

Formula 1 takes over Austin this weekend.

Photo by Keith Rizzo

Austin roadways will be jam-packed this weekend as Formula 1 races into town. Here's a rundown of street closures to be aware of and tips for getting to and from Circuit of The Americas with relative ease. Take note, because parking passes are sold out.

Shuttle service
An affordable shuttle service will run between the Austin Convention Center and the McAngus parking lot at COTA. Round-trip day passes cost $15 online or $20 onsite; you can also pay $50 to be dropped off right at the front gate. There are two new shuttle options in South Austin this year too: the Travis County Expo Center and the Toney Burger Center, also available for $15 online or $20 onsite.

Downtown shuttles run Friday through Sunday, while the South Austin service will be available Saturday and Sunday only. If you wait more than 55 minutes in the shuttle line to exit COTA, you'll receive a refund.

Public transportation
Capital Metro is bulking up its service to and from the downtown area to accommodate traffic to Fan Fest, the free F1 music festival, and the Austin Convention Center shuttle pickup.

The MetroRail line between the Lakeline and Downtown stations will run on Saturday, October 22, and Sunday, October 23, from 10:20 am to midnight. Pay as little as $3.50 for a one-way trip or $7 for a day pass. Don't forget about downtown bus routes, which include late-night service.

Road closures
Fan Fest will take place on Sixth Street this Friday and Saturday. The downtown shuttle stop will also cause a few clogged roadways. Here are the areas to avoid between Friday, October 21, and Sunday, October 23.

Trinity Street between Cesar Chavez Street and Seventh Street; reopens 9 am Sunday
East Second Street between Trinity Street and San Jacinto Boulevard; reopens 10 pm Sunday
No through traffic on East Third Street between Trinity Street and San Jacinto Boulevard; reopens 10 pm Sunday
Sixth Street between San Jacinto Street and Neches Street; reopens 8 pm Sunday

sports transportation

growth news

Surprising Central Texas county is among fastest-growing in the U.S.

City of Lockhart - City Government/Facebook

Caldwell County was the ninth fastest-growing county by percentage in 2024.

Newly released U.S. Census Bureau data has revealed that Caldwell County was one of the top 10 fastest growing counties nationwide in 2024.

The new population report, published March 13, estimated year-over-year population data from 2023-2024 across all 3,144 U.S. counties and 387 metro areas.

Caldwell County – comprising Central Texas cities like Lockhart, Luling, Uhland, and Mustang Ridge – ranked No. 9 among the top 10 U.S. counties with the highest growth rates by percentage.

The county added 2,323 residents from July 2023 to July 2024, bringing its total population to 52,430. That's a growth rate of 4.6 percent.

Caldwell County cities have been gaining in popularity in recent years, likely due to their location between Austin and San Antonio. Jaded city dwellers may flee to these areas in search for a "small town" feel that's uninterrupted by skyscrapers and bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-35.

Three other Texas counties appeared among the top 10 fastest growing counties by percentage: Kaufman County (No. 2) southeast of Dallas, and the Houston-area counties Liberty (No. 6) and Montgomery (No. 7).

Most populated U.S. metro areas
The Austin metro didn't make any huge strides, but Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands nearly led the nation as the second-fastest growing metro area in 2024.

From July 2023 to July 2024, the Houston metro added 198,171 residents, bringing the total population to 7,796,182.

New York-Newark-Jersey City was the only metro area to outpace Houston's growth during the one-year period. The East Coast metro added 213,403 new residents, which brought the total population to more than 19.94 million last year.

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington was right behind Houston as the third-fastest growing U.S. metro in 2024. The Metroplex gained 177,922 residents last year, and now has a total population of more than 8.34 million.

Kristie Wilder, a Census Bureau Population Division demographer, said in the report that the nation's population growth in its major metros was largely impacted by international migration, rather than changes in birth rates.

"While births continue to contribute to overall growth, rising net international migration is offsetting the ongoing net domestic outmigration we see in many of these areas," Wilder said.

The top 10 U.S. metros with the highest numeric growth from 2023 to 2024 are:

No. 1 – New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York-New Jersey
No. 2 – Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Texas
No. 3 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
No. 4 – Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida
No. 5 – Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia
No. 6 – Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
No. 7 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
No. 8 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Georgia
No. 9 – Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois-Indiana
No. 10 – Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington

census bureau population growth caldwell county