Austin Mom To Honor Son's Life, Legacy

AUSTIN, TX — Sunday will mark the fourth anniversary since Alexei Bauereis — a promising young ballet dancer who was the subject of a documentary on the artistic expression — tragically was killed while walking with a friend. But his memory and legacy endures in the mind of his mother, who is set to honor his brief yet impactul life on Sunday.

On June 7, 2016, Alexei was struck by a car at the intersection of Spicewood Springs and Rustic Rock Drive. He was just 14 years old, by then something of a veteran dancer at Ballet Austin where he learned his artistic craft with a mastery that belied his youth.

At around 9 a.m. on Sunday, his mother Anna and dad Eric have scheduled to erect a cross and marker at the site where their son was killed. "We think it is important at this time to remember or beautiful son and what a difference his life made to many in the community during his life and after his death," his mother told Patch.

Related story: Austin Mom Writes Book In Tribute To Ballet Dancer Son

The mother takes solace in knowing her son's life triggered a number of safety improvements by the city following Alexei's premature demise — enhancements for which she and other members of Central Texas Families for Safe Streets lobbied.

"In the last four years, we have seen real progress in the City of Austin, the Austin region and across Texas," she said. She pointed to a few of the "remarkable" changes that have occured since that tragic day four years ago:

• The Austin Strategic Mobility Plan is now centered around the primary goal of ending traffic deaths and serious injuries and giving all Austinites safe streets on which to walk, bike and drive.

• The 2016 and 2018 municipal transportation bonds approved by voters that include substantial investments in Vision Zero programs to reduce risk of traffic injuries.

• Austin is currently investing more per capita than any other major US city into Safe Routes to Schools, including completing a needs assessment around every school in the city.

• Austin leads the state in deploying safe crossings and other safety upgrades to make it safe and comfortable for children, seniors and other residents to cross busy streets.

• Next Thursday, June 11, Austin City Council is expected to adopt a comprehensive speed management strategy that will bring safety improvements to every neighborhood in the city.

Other enhancements in the Austin region and statewide include:

• The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) developed its first Regional Safety Study & incorporated support for local Vision Zero efforts into regional plans.

• The Texas Department of Transportation has adopted an organization-wide system safety approach.

• The Texas Transportation Commission adopted a goal to end traffic deaths statewide by 2050, cut them in half by 2035 and added $300 million a year dedicated to safety to help achieve this goal.

In tragedy and with the pain of loss still felt, Anna Baureis takes comfort in the changes that have taken place to improve road safety — not just in the vicinity where her son died, but well beyond. "so that other families do not have to suffer," she said.