Waterloo Greenway Conservancy will unveil new trail systems on June 6 as part of the Waterloo Greenway project. The Confluence, Phase 2 of the project, features a half-mile stretch of trails along Waller Creek between Fourth Street and Lady Bird Lake, according to a news release.
The Confluence showcases a design meant to bring wildlife, green spaces and a place for community gathering to the center of downtown, said John Rigdon, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy’s chief planning and design officer.
The features
The Confluence sports many safety and accessibility details that were implemented during construction. For example, the trails are a minimum of 12 feet wide, and all paths are lit at night to provide a safe walking and biking experience after dark, Rigdon explained. In addition to trails, The Confluence also has public meeting spaces and an outdoor classroom for schools and programs to utilize. The project reflects a $91.5 million investment into environmental restoration efforts.
Additionally, temperatures on the trail are about 5-7 degrees cooler than the street level, Rigdon said, which he hopes will encourage more people to utilize the trail, even in warmer months.
Why it matters
The new trail also showcases over 1,600 trees, 200,000 plants and 200 different native species that were planted as part of the project. For context, Rigdon said, Waterloo Park features 90,000 plants and 5,000 trees.
“This is a landscape reconstruction as much as it is a restoration,” Rigdon said. “So, really building from the bedrock up.”
The natural green space was built for humans and animals alike. Prior to its opening, The Confluence is already open to birds, turtles, fish and a beaver, Rigdon reports.
“Even before we finished, nature was making its way back in,” Rigdon said. “It's like nature was hungry for this beautiful regional habitat that doesn't exist really anywhere else. As soon as we started building it, we were seeing all types of critters taking over the space, which is really affirming of the work we're doing.”
The grand opening
Waterloo Greenway Conservancy will welcome the public to The Confluence for the first time June 6, debuting its new environment. The grand opening is free and will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. at Grandpa’s Lake View Terrace, a self-guided tour, activities, refreshments, live music and art.
People can access the trail from a few entrances, including:
- Fourth Street and Sabine Street
- Third Street and I-35
- Cesar Chavez Street
- Second Street and Sabine Street
- 74 Trinity St.
- Red River Street and Davis Street
- Hike-and-bike trail South
Up next
For the next phase of the project, Waterloo Greenway Conservancy will develop Fourth Street to 12th Street, as well as Palm Park.
Once completed, Phase 3 will complete the fully off-street, 1.5-mile and 12-foot wide pedestrian network that connects along downtown Austin, The University of Texas campus and Lady Bird Lake.
