The project is identified as a primary trail in the trails plan adopted with the city’s Mobility Master Plan, Senior Projects Manager Paul Naughton said during the meeting.
About the project
Spanning roughly 3.9 miles, the 10-foot-wide path would connect the existing shared-use paths on Little Elm Trail and New Hope Drive, Naughton said.
He said the scope of the project includes:
- Multiple creek crossings, which would require bridge widenings or a new pedestrian bridge
- Retaining walls
- Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps
Design costs as well as a portion of the construction costs will be covered through the city’s Community Development Corporation Type B Board, according to city documents. Naughton said the city expects the remainder of construction costs to be eligible for federal funding.
What officials are saying
“[This] is going to be a really important project for our city’s future in terms fulfilling the vision we’ve had—as embodied in our Mobility Master Plan—of a city where there’s many different ways to get around and it’s everyone’s choice on which [method] they want that day,” Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin said.
More details
Engineering consulting firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. will conduct the design and engineering services for this project. Officials said the firm designed a shared-use path project in Buda and is working on a citywide concrete trail system in Kyle.
A few council members asked if the project will include signage with directions on how to use the path.
“As we transition [to] being a community that moves around [in ways] other than just cars, we want the mobility piece to tie in,” council member Kevin Harris said. “It’s going to be important that people know which path to take, who can be on it and how.”
The firm’s representative, Travis Michel, said the team will look into the proper signage and factor in all modes of transportation intended for the path. He said the team will also try to protect and minimize the impact on the trees along the path.
