AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The City of Austin has announced plans to open Sixth Street up to vehicular traffic this upcoming weekend. Since December, the City has tested out a soft launch of this pilot, opening the street up to cars on Thursdays and Sundays. This weekend, that will extend to Friday and Saturday. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said APD will monitor the situation closely, highlight any issues, and assess how to proceed with the pilot from there. Davis said she will personally be out there to see how the opening goes. Rubber bumpers are already up between Red River and Brazos Streets, and street parking on Sixth Street will no longer be offered "in order to create more space for pedestrians to walk safely," according to the city. Additionally, APD said fencing, as pictured in the rendering below, will soon be installed. Rendering shows fencing that will soon line Sixth Street sidewalks. (Courtesy: City of Austin) Wednesday's 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. However, Mayor Kirk Watson said Austin's plans regarding Sixth Street were in the works well before the New Orleans attack. Davis said opening Sixth Street to traffic on Thursdays and Sundays has gone without issue since December's soft launch. Watson also addressed other changes needed on Sixth Street. Some include safety measures like expanded sidewalks, others include revitalizing the street as a whole to draw more folks there during the day. Watson and 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. You can view the full press conference below. 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. 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.