The Austin Transportation Study will consider funding the following trails
this month:
1. Boggy Creek. This 2.6-mile trail would link the Downs-Mabson baseball field
north of 12th Street in East Austin to the Town Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail via
Zaragosa Park. The city is requesting $428,580 to repair an existing trail
along Boggy Creek, and to build bike lanes on Pedernales Street connecting the
trail from Zaragosa Park to Town Lake.
2. Blunn Creek. The city wants $724,317 to extend the trail running through
Stacy Park in Travis Heights to Town Lake. The extension would take cyclists
and pedestrians under busy Riverside Drive to sidewalks on the other side of
the street. Eventually the trail could connect with a boardwalk that is planned
to close the gap on the Town Lake Hike-and-Bike Trail’s south side. Considered
to be “highest potential” by the AMTC, the trail would eventually connect the
Town Lake trail to
St. Edward’s University and McKinney Falls State Park.
3. Gilleland Creek. Travis County is asking for $768,000 to build a
10-foot-wide concrete trail from I-35 to Pflugerville Park. The trail would
connect two parks, three schools, and a baseball field to residential areas.
4. Slaughter Creek. Travis County’s request for $660,800 for this trail between
Slaughter Creek Park and Mary Moore Searight Park in south Austin is likely to
be withdrawn because of opposition from creekside residents (see main story).
5. Walnut Creek. The city might ask the ATS for part of the $2.75 million
needed to build this 4.3-mile trail that connects schools, parks, and major
employers near Walnut Creek in north Austin.
Two new trails are already in the works:
6. Bull Creek. The Bull Creek Foundation is building a 3-mile trail with
volunteer workers as a demonstration project to show how trails can be built
without public funding. It follows Bull Creek through mostly public parkland
from the
Loop 360/Spicewood Springs intersection to
Bull Creek District
Park.
7. Gaines Creek. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept., recently awarded $11,979
to build a 1.5-mile dirt trail along scenic Gaines Creek from Southwest Parkway
to the Barton Creek greenbelt, just downstream of the MoPac bridge.
Construction will be performed, without public funding, by 13 members of the
National Civilian Community Corps, a national service organization for young
people created by Congress in 1993. — N.E.
This article appears in November 15 • 1996 and November 15 • 1996 (Cover).