AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Wednesday, the City of Austin and community leaders gathered to discuss upcoming changes to Sixth Street. The discussion came following a vehicle attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day, which ultimately prompted the Austin Police Department to provide an update on the pilot program. During the discussion, APD Chief Lisa Davis said opening Sixth Street to traffic on Thursdays and Sundays was going as planned without issues. The city began a "soft launch" of the change in early December 2024. Mayor Kirk Watson also highlighted multiple renovations he said he believed Sixth Street needed. The renovations include expanded sidewalks, rubber curbs and fencing to stop pedestrians from entering the street. Mayor Watson and Chief Davis said the plan was to increase pedestrian safety and lower the number of officers being injured in the area. "Without careful attention and investment it will begin to lose its luster," Watson said. Chief Davis said the efforts would also help connect Sixth Street with the rest of downtown Austin, allowing pedestrians to get where they need to go quicker and easier. The city is expected to continue with the plan by allowing traffic to flow through Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This is expected to start this coming weekend, according to the city. Davis told KXAN last week that reopening the street to vehicular traffic was "the responsible thing to do," to prevent safety issues from arising when pedestrians crowd the roadway.