A new detour route on the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail at Waller Creek will be put into place on Monday, August 26. Varying from eight to 12 feet in width, the new route will take users over Waller Creek on the recently installed lattice bridge. For safety reasons, the entire route will be fenced on either side and a section of it will be covered for overhead protection.

Users of the trail are urged to slow down and be prepared to stop. Bicyclists will need to dismount and walk their bikes along parts of the detour, including the bridge, the covered section, and a sharp turn near the bridge.

There are two places where construction vehicles may cross the trail. There will be flaggers at these locations and gates to keep bicyclists and pedestrians separate from vehicular traffic. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend work.

While this detour is in place, the contractor will be demolishing the existing pedestrian bridge, installing a third lattice bridge over Waller Creek and preparing a temporary creek crossing for a future detour route.

This is the second of a series of detours that will be in place for the next several months for The Confluence, the second phase of Waterloo Greenway’s design plan to revitalize Waller Creek and create a 1.5 mile greenway stretching from Waterloo Park at its north all the way to Lady Bird Lake. The first detour started on Monday, July 22, and will remain in place until the second detour starts. Subsequent detours will differ on the route over the creek.

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 in 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 4^th 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 total construction cost, including contingencies, is $85 million dollars.

For more information about The Confluence, visit AustinTexas.gov/Confluence. For more information about the Waterloo Greenway, visit waterloogreenway.org. 

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.