Barton Springs Pool Opens Extended Spring Hours
Austin, TX · March 19, 2026
Good morning, Austin — spring is officially in session.
Local Pulse
Barton Springs Pool Shifts to Extended Spring Schedule Starting today, the pool opens at 5 AM for lap swimmers and stays open until 10 PM daily. Weekend night swims return in April. The city completed sediment removal during the winter closure, and water clarity is the best staff have seen in three years.
City Council Approves South Lamar Bike Lane Extension A unanimous vote greenlights 1.8 miles of protected bike lanes on South Lamar from Riverside to Oltorf. Construction starts in May and will include new crosswalks at three intersections.
H-E-B Plans Second Distribution Center Near Austin-Bergstrom The San Antonio-based grocer filed permits for a 400,000-square-foot facility on SH 71, expected to create roughly 600 jobs. Construction could begin by late summer.
Today's Outlook
- High 82°F · Low 60°F Warm and sunny with light southerly winds. UV index reaches 7 by midday — sunscreen is a must if you're heading to Barton Springs.
What's On Around Town
Wednesday Night Jazz at the Elephant Room Elephant Room, 315 Congress Ave 9 PM – 11:30 PM The Jon Blondell Quartet plays their monthly residency. No cover before 9:30 PM.
Austin History Center Lunchtime Lecture Austin History Center, 810 Guadalupe St 12 PM – 1 PM "Austin's Lost Streetcar Network" — a look at the electric trolley system that crisscrossed downtown until 1940. Free admission.
Trail of Lights Planning Committee Open Meeting City Hall, 301 W 2nd St, Room 1101 6 PM – 7:30 PM Residents are invited to provide input on this December's Trail of Lights route and vendor selection. Public comment period included.
Spotlight & Story
- BookPeople Austin's largest independent bookstore has anchored the corner of Sixth and Lamar since 1970 — surviving the rise of big-box stores and e-readers by doubling down on community. The store hosts over 300 author events each year, runs a fiercely loyal kids' book club with 1,200 members, and keeps a "staff picks" wall that has launched more than a few bestsellers. Their hand-lettered recommendation cards are so popular that customers have been known to frame them.
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