What's new?
As part of the plans for the second phase of the Waterloo Greenway—a project known as The Confluence—the Hartman Bridge opened to the public Jan. 27, during a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony furthering the project's goal of increasing pedestrian east-west connections.
“The opening of the Hartman Bridge is an important moment for the community and a visible milestone in the transformation of Waller Creek,” said John Rigdon, Waterloo’s chief planning and design officer, in a statement. “Not only does it create an enhanced connection along the Ann and Roy Butler Trail, but it also symbolizes our shared commitment to connecting Austin’s natural beauty with its vibrant urban fabric.”
According to the organization, the opening of the Hartman Bridge marks a significant milestone in plans to revitalize and create a 1.5-mile greenway, stretching from Lady Bird Lake up to Fourth Street.
This phase of the project includes trails, park spaces and creek restoration as well as the revitalization of the historic Sir Swante Palm Park, along with:
- 1,550 new trees planted
- 200,000 mature plants
- Three suspension bridges
- An 800-foot boardwalk under Red River Street and Cesar Chavez Street
- Public green spaces, including Lagoon Overlook, Explorer Garden and Lakeview Terrace
- A biofiltration pond that uses organic filtration to remove pollutants and manage stormwater runoff
The Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, in partnership with the city of Austin, broke ground on The Confluence back in May 2023.
The entire three-phase project aims to connect 35 acres of green space along Waller Creek in downtown Austin from Lady Bird Lake to Waterloo Park near the Capitol.
A nonprofit dedicated to creating and maintaining Austin’s urban park system, The Conservancy has raised an estimated $70 million for the entire project thus far, with another $13.5 million still needed to finish the second phase of the project.
The Confluence portion of improvements are currently being funded by the city of Austin, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
- $9 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Over $50 million from multiple city of Austin departments, including Watershed Protection, Parks and Recreation, Development Services, Austin Energy, Convention Center and Austin Water
- Over $12 million in funding for Phase 2 gathered by Waterloo Greenway Conservancy
The project is expected to be fully completed by spring 2026.
Residents can click here to receive construction updates related to The Confluence and more information on how to get involved with the project.
