Path along the west side of the Longhorn Dam now open to the public

The Austin Transportation Department opened the 12-foot wide shared-use path that crosses the west side of the Longhorn Dam to the public Aug. 25.

The 8-foot wide shared-use path along the east side of the Longhorn Dam was already open, as construction was completed June 27.

The project is a part of the 2016 Mobility Bond and costs $2 million. It aims to improve safety and mobility from Cesar Chavez Street and Elmont Drive on South Pleasant Valley Road.

Much of the connectivity between the path and the Butler Hike and Bike Trail has also been completed but “continued work will occur south of the bridge to Lakeshore Drive,” according to an Austin Transportation Department spokesperson.

The transportation department will continue to extend the pathways north and south, with work continuing into mid-November.

Additional elements of the South Pleasant Valley Road project include “new travel lane configurations, signal upgrades to better serve the Krieg Softball Complex and flex posts separating the north and southbound travel lanes to reduce motor vehicle crashes,” according to a transportation department press release. That work is on track to finish by the end of the year.