Hidden among the glimmering towers in Austin’s downtown district is a quaint trestle bridge that serves as a window into a bygone era. The bridge, located on Third Street, rests 35 feet above Shoal Creek and was constructed nearly a century ago by the International-Great Northern Railroad. The trestle facilitated the transportation of goods in […]
Shoal Creek Conservancy
A nonprofit to restore and protect Shoal Creek.
Posted inDevelopment
Shoal Creek/Third Street redesign aims to create greener, safer spaces downtown
The Urban Transportation Commission’s hefty meeting agenda on Sept. 7 included a proposal to significantly redesign the heavily trafficked area of downtown surrounding the intersection of Third Street and Shoal Creek Trail. The Cypress and Shoal Creek Public Space Strategy, a joint effort between the Downtown Austin Alliance, Shoal Creek Conservancy and the city of […]
Posted inTransportation
A long time coming, Red Line Parkway could be completed by decade’s end
The City Council Mobility Committee heard an update on the Red Line Parkway last week, one of the city’s most anticipated urban trail projects. Austinites can look for significant progress on the trail this year with new segments under development and the Red Line Parkway Initiative beginning its Parkway Plan process. “It’s a pretty ambitious […]
Posted inParks
Council OKs purchase of Wood Street parkland
After a lengthy discussion about the rules regulating acquisition of city parkland, Council voted 7-2-2 on Thursday to purchase 0.214 acres of downtown property at 702 Wood St. Council members Jimmy Flannigan and Pio Renteria voted no, and Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison and Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza abstained. Renteria complained that the $1,174,250 price […]
Posted inCity Hall
Cypress and Shoal Creek Project potential recipient of hotel tax dollars
The Public Works Department has studied various ways to prioritize and fund the Cypress and Shoal Creek Project on the northeastern edge of the Seaholm District. Now the department has determined that the Historic Preservation portion of the Hotel Occupancy Tax could help get part of it completed. Public Works Director Richard Mendoza wrote a […]
Posted inRadio
Austin Monitor Radio: Shoal Creek Conservancy
Shoal Creek Conservancy Executive Director Joanna Wolaver visits the show this week to discuss the Shoal Creek Vision to Action Plan, long-term goals, short-term plans, and everything else Shoal Creek with Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard and editor Elizabeth Pagano. Listen to it all below: Austin Monitor Radio is produced in a partnership with KOOP […]
Posted inBicycles
Planning Commission hears about 30-mile loop of urban trails
City transportation officials have a grand vision to dramatically expand the Shoal Creek Trail and eventually connect it to a 30-mile loop of trails around the northern half of the city. But it’s anybody’s guess when that vision will be realized, if ever. In a presentation to the Planning Commission Tuesday night, Janae Spence of […]
Posted inBicycles
Big plans for Shoal Creek Trail unveiled
The nonprofit steward of Austin’s premier urban trail has published its draft plan for extending the hike-and-bike path north from Central Austin all the way to the Domain. The Shoal Creek Conservancy on Friday publicly debuted its Shoal Creek Trail: Vision to Action Plan, a document that calls for more than tripling the length of […]
Posted inBicycles
One small trail for North Austin, one giant loop for the whole city
Last year, Mayor Steve Adler declared in his State of the City address that great cities do big things, a message that the Shoal Creek Conservancy apparently took to heart. On Wednesday evening at a community workshop in Central Austin, the group officially debuted its vision for the Big Loop, a 30-mile circular system of […]
Posted inCity Council
Despite consensus, park dedication fees delayed
To the apparent disappointment of all sides, a long-lingering proposal to change the city’s Parkland Dedication Fees was postponed by City Council on Thursday. Council Member Leslie Pool pushed for the postponement of the changes and explained that she needed more time to review the compromise that stakeholders and the Parks and Recreation Department had […]
Posted inDevelopment, Transportation, Water
Shoal Creek Conservancy partners with city
The Shoal Creek Conservancy announced Tuesday that it has signed a collaborative agreement with the city. The agreement comes out of a May 2014 City Council resolution that directed the city manager to explore a public-private partnership in order to create a plan for the area. Under the agreement, the conservancy will be working with […]
Posted inDevelopment, Transportation
Short-handed Planning Commission fails to endorse bicycle, trails plans
A depleted city Planning Commission was unable to approve either a new city Bicycle Master Plan or an Urban Trails Master Plan last month. Though a majority of commissioners present (four) voted to approve the Bicycle Master Plan, a no vote from Commissioner Brian Roark sank the idea. Because the Planning Commission consists of nine […]