The Confluence

Some highlights of The Confluence include:

• Stabilization of the creek banks and improved water quality from 4^th St. to Lady Bird Lake.
• Improved access to nature along a restored Waterloo Greenway.
• Three lattice bridges providing new east-west pedestrian connections over Waller Creek.
• A continuous, elevated walkway connecting Palm Park to Rainey St. and 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.
• A new connection to the creek at 4^th St. with the Cypress Grove and Trailhead Plaza.

Construction Status

August 2024: : In the coming months, construction will focus on the installation of major new park and trail amenities south of Cesar Chavez St. To construct the lattice bridges, Lagoon Overlook, and Leaf Deck, there will be a series of detours on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail. The first detour started on July 22 and should last through the end of August. The second detour will start immediately afterwards and last into October. Meanwhile, work continues to progress on other features including:

• A biofiltration pond to improve water quality in Waller Creek,
• A creek-level trail between 3rd and 4th Streets,
• An elevated walkway connecting Palm Park to Rainey St. and the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, and
• The new Cypress Grove Bridge over Waller Creek at 4^th St. 

Detours on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail

A series of detours of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail will be implemented to enable construction while accommodating continued use of the trail. We are avoiding detour routes that direct users to Cesar Chavez or other streets.

Current Detour

• Started on August 26 and goes into October
• Bicyclists must dismount for parts of the detour
• Varies from 8 to 12-feet in width
• Crosses creek on newly-installed lattice bridge
• Fenced on either side and includes covered section
• Two vehicle crossings where 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 to ensure safety.

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.

Upcoming Detour

The current detour will remain in place until the new detour starts. The new detour is planned to start October 14 and go into December.

Vision

The vision for The Confluence includes: 

• Sustainable SITES Initiative certification, which recognizes projects that use nature-based solutions to increase resiliency
• A restored creek habitat that integrates green water quality infrastructure 
• Approximately one mile of new and improved trails, including a creek-level trail and elevated boardwalk. 

Location 

The Confluence is shown in green on this map.

Construction Impacts

• Work will be between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and potentially some weekends.
• A portion of Palm Park will be closed during construction for a staging area. The playground, picnic tables, and stone shelter house are outside of the staging area.
• Part of 3rd St. will be closed, including the sidewalk near the Convention Center pond. 
• Fencing will be installed around active construction and staging areas. Additional staging and storage will be at:
  • The Waller Creek Tunnel inlet facility between 4th and 5th Streets
  • On the west bank of Waller Creek, south of Cesar Chavez
  • The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center parking lot. This parking lot is currently closed to the public for the ESB-MACC Phase 2 Improvement Project.
• There will be temporary traffic controls near access points.
• Impacts to the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail will be coordinated with The Trail Conservancy and communicated to the public. 
• A public trail that connects Cesar Chavez to the Butler Hike and Bike Trail will be closed for the duration of the project. The trail is next to the Lakeside Apartments.
• You may notice trucks, equipment, dust, and noise.

Timeline 

The project is currently in the construction phase. Construction for this project began in May 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2026. 

Please note that as in any construction project, schedules are projected as accurately as possible. All dates are subject to change due to the nature of construction and the weather. 

Cost

The total construction cost, including contingencies, is $85 million dollars.

The Confluence is funded by:

• The Waterloo Greenway Conservancy has committed $12.5 million dollars towards the project.
• The City of Austin funding totals over $62 million. It comes from the Tax Increment Financing Zone No. 17 fund and multiple departments, including Watershed Protection, Parks and Recreation, Development Services, Austin Energy, Convention Center, and Austin Water. The Tax Increment Financing Zone only uses funds generated from the increased property values and property taxes within a portion of the Waller Creek District.
• The project has received approximately $11 million in federal funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  

Boards and Commissions 

The project team reports to the following boards and commissions: 

• Waller Creek Local Government Corporation 
• Environmental Commission 
• Parks and Recreation Board 
• Mexican American Cultural Center Advisory Board 
• Design Commission 
• Tax Increment Financing Zone No. 17 Board 

Documents

• Public Meeting Presentation, April 2023
• Recording of Virtual Meeting, April 2023
• News Release, January 2023

Email Updates 

Email Joan Esquivel to receive future email updates about the project. 

Contacts  

• Main Point of Contact: Ana Seivert, Capital Delivery Project Manager, Capital Delivery Services Department, 512-974-3566, Email Ana Seivert
• Project Sponsor: Melissa Carugati, PMP | Project Manager, Watershed Protection Department, 512-974-8082, Email Melissa Carugati
• Project Sponsor: Lana Denkeler, Project Manager, Parks and Recreation Department, 512-974-9414, Email Lana Denkeler