Pedestrian Bridge Planned for the Grove

Plans for the pedestrian bridge (Courtesy of Norris Design)

When ARG Bull Creek, Ltd. announced plans for a pedestrian bridge over Shoal Creek as part of its proposed planned unit development at 45th and Bull Creek called The Grove at Shoal Creek, they treated it like a breaking news story. News of the possibility of a bridge being built is just naturally hard to frame as breaking, but it's even more so when you consider that this has been on the community's agenda for quite some time. Shoal Creek has been a stubborn dead spot in the trail network for years.

"Shoal Creek Conservancy, from its founding, has been advocating for a trail from where Shoal Creek meets Lady Bird Lake, all the way up to the headwaters of Shoal Creek," said Ted Siff, Conservancy board president. "This pedestrian bridge that's being proposed at 45th and Shoal Creek is a very important connector piece to achieve that ultimate goal, and more immediately extend the current trail up to 45th Street."

Before ARG bought the 75-acre parcel of land, it was state-owned property. And other land along the creek belongs to private owners, which has made it harder for the public to gain access. Across the creek from the property sits a state archives building. That fact alone has given the Bull Creek Road Coalition, the neighborhood watchdogs negotiating with ARG, pause about this plan, though it has proposed similar plans in the past. "We're pleased to see this proposal, but we also understand that there hasn't really been any coordination with the state on this," said BCRC vice president Grayson Cox. "We want to make sure that the developer is following through and actually trying to make this a real possibility."

"Pedestrian safety and multi-modal mobility is at the forefront of community concerns regarding the Grove," ARG said in a statement. "With today's announcement, the Grove will fund and build the bridge."