Austin council members, community call for rapid safety fixes on North Lamar after imam struck and killed

Community leaders and three Austin City Council members called for immediate pedestrian-safety improvements on North Lamar Boulevard after Imam Islam Musad was struck and killed on the corridor on Sunday, July 27.

Shaima Zayan, operations manager with the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Austin chapter, opened a July press conference saying the group had organized to honor the imam’s life and to press for safety changes near the North Austin Muslim Community Center. “What a life, what a death, and what a legacy,” she said.

Adnan Suleiman, an engineer and volunteer at the North Austin Muslim Community Center, told reporters the mosque has raised safety concerns with city staff repeatedly since 2018 and asked for a pedestrian-activated signal near the center. “This long-standing concern has sadly turned into heartbreak with the tragic loss of Imam Islam Musaad,” Suleiman said, describing missing sidewalks, inadequate crossings and unsafe entrance/exit conditions used by worshippers and children.

Council Member Mike Siegel (District 7) said he, Council Members Zoe (District 9) and Chitavella (District 4) have formed a council team to press for immediate and long-term fixes. “Imam Mossad was a community treasure,” Siegel said. He told reporters city leaders had given the council members assurances that funds were available and that a pedestrian beacon could be installed by the end of the year.

“I absolutely value the work of North Austin Muslim Community Center,” Siegel said. “The city really does need to give back by making sure that the members of this community center can get to prayers and get to programs safely.”

Council Member Zoe (District 9) said Musad’s death underscored a broader pattern of “traffic violence” on Austin roads and added, “One death is one death too many on our roads.” Council Member Chitavella (District 4) described technical and funding barriers to a full rebuild of North Lamar, saying engineers found that existing drainage along large stretches of the road is substandard and must be repaired before major street reconstruction.

Chitavella said that a 2016 bond ballot measure originally allocated money for safety improvements but that later design work showed the bond funds were insufficient. She and the other council members said they expect to seek additional funding in the 2026 bond cycle and noted potential regional funding partners could help bridge gaps as the I‑35 reconstruction diverts traffic onto North Lamar.

Speakers emphasized a two-track approach: short-term operational fixes such as a pedestrian-activated crossing beacon and sidewalks where feasible, and long-term corridor reconstruction that will require drainage work and larger funding commitments. Suleiman said the mosque has asked for a revised entrance/exit design and for a turn lane to reduce danger when congregants enter and leave the property.

In a question-and-answer period, a mosque volunteer asked whether the short-term traffic beacon could be installed before the bond process. Siegel repeated that city leadership had indicated funds and readiness to install a crossing beacon by the end of the year but did not cite a formal vote or ordinance to authorize the work.

The press conference combined expressions of grief for Imam Musad with community demands for safety improvements along North Lamar and public statements of urgency and forthcoming action from council members and city staff. Speakers said they will continue to work with city staff and with TxDOT on solutions where the state retains jurisdiction.

Ending: Council members said they will pursue near-term installations of pedestrian beacons and pursue additional funds for a full corridor rebuild in the 2026 bond process; speakers asked the public and city staff to prioritize safety improvements near the North Austin Muslim Community Center.