Series of detours start soon along Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail at Waller Creek
The detours are to construct new pedestrian bridges over Waller Creek and the Lagoon Overlook and Leaf Deck.
Over the next several months, users of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail are urged to slow down and be prepared to stop when approaching Waller Creek. A series of detours will be in place to construct new lattice bridges and the Lagoon Overlook and Leaf Deck for The Confluence, the second phase of the Waterloo Greenway.
The first detour is scheduled to start Monday, July 22, and last through the end of August, weather permitting. While this detour is in place, the construction crew will be installing a new lattice bridge and preparing a temporary creek crossing for later detours. Subsequent detours will differ on the route over the creek.
The first detour will route users of the trail onto a temporary, 12-foot wide, crushed granite trail just east of the existing bridge over Waller Creek. The temporary trail will be fenced on either side, and users will continue to cross Waller Creek on the existing bridge.
Periodically, bicyclists and pedestrians may need to stop briefly to allow construction traffic to cross the trail. There will be a flagger, and gates will keep trail users separate from vehicular traffic. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend work.
Please be aware that there are other, unrelated project detours happening simultaneously on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail. For a complete list of trail closures, visit TheTrailConservancy.org/Detours.
The Confluence includes approximately 13 acres along Waller Creek from 4th Street to Lady Bird Lake. The project allows for a continuous, off-street, bike and pedestrian trail between the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike trail and 4th Street. It also stabilizes the creek bank, improves water quality and provides access to nature. Construction began in May 2023 and is expected to be complete by the spring of 2026.
Among other things, the project features three lattice bridges providing new east-west connections over Waller Creek, a continuous, elevated walkway connecting Palm Park to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, a new Lagoon Overlook and Leaf Deck adjacent to the lake, the shaded, family-friendly Lakeview Terrace and Explorers Garden, and a new connection to the creek at 4th St. with the Cypress Grove and Trailhead Plaza.
The Confluence is funded by the City of Austin, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The estimated construction cost, including contingencies, is $75 million dollars.
For more information about The Confluence, visit AustinTexas.gov/Confluence.
ABOUT WATERLOO GREENWAY:
Waterloo Greenway Conservancy is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create and maintain an extraordinary urban park system and a restored Waller Creek, in partnership with the City of Austin, for the benefit of all. The Conservancy renews the natural environment, promotes play, health and wellness, economic vitality and mobility, and engages the community through outreach, education, cultural events, and the arts.
ABOUT WATERSHED PROTECTION
The City of Austin Watershed Protection Department protects lives, property, and the environment of our community by reducing the impact of flooding, erosion, and water pollution. Visit AustinTexas.gov/Watershed to learn more.
ABOUT AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION
Austin Parks and Recreation Department seeks to inspire our community to learn, play, protect
and connect by creating diverse programs and experiences in sustainable natural spaces and
public places. This City of Austin Department protects and maintains parkland, urban forest,
and trails as well as offering sports, recreation, educational enrichment, arts programs, cultural
opportunities, and nature and aquatic activities for Austinites. For more information
visit AustinTexas.gov/Parks and follow @AustinCityParks.
ABOUT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES
Capital Delivery Services builds public projects to support the community. Our team comprises engineers, architects, and construction professionals with extensive experience in managing projects of varying sizes. We collaborate with community members, consultants, contracting teams, and other City departments to ensure projects are delivered on-time and on-budget. Our approach centers on the philosophy of one City, one team, one approach.
ABOUT THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY
The mission of the Trail Conservancy is to protect, enhance, and connect the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake for the benefit of all. The Butler Trail is a 10-mile lush, urban path in the heart of Austin that receives more than 4.9 million visits every year. Since its founding in 2003, The Trail Conservancy has served as the primary stewards of the Trail, helping to achieve restoration and beautification projects to the Trail’s infrastructure and environment while honoring the original vision of the Trail’s founders and ensuring its vibrancy for generations to come. For more information, visit The Trail Conservancy.