New Braunfels approves contract for final design of pedestrian improvements in Gruene

New Braunfels City Council approved a $1.35 million contract with Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc. for the final design of the Gruene Area Multimodal Improvements Project during an Aug. 10 meeting.

The project aims to address pedestrian, bicycle and Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, improvements in the Gruene Historic District, according to agenda documents. The project includes:

• Shared-use paths on Gruene Road and Hunter Road
• Intersection improvements at Gruene Road and Hunter Road
• Intersection improvements at Gruene Road and Rock Street

City Council also gave approval to the New Braunfels Economic Development Corp., or NBEDC, to invest $1.4 million for the final design of the improvement project, which will cover final design, stakeholder outreach and state coordination, according to agenda documents.

The details

RPS Engineering prepared a preliminary design for roadway and pedestrian improvements along Gruene Road in September 2022 in anticipation of the 2023 bond program. The project was not advanced through the 2023 bond, but the area remained identified as a priority corridor with pedestrian and bicycle improvement needs, agenda documents state.

A grant funding opportunity became available through the Alamo Area Metropolitan Organization, or AAMPO. Project construction totals $7.09 million, with AAMPO pledging $5.57 million and the NBEDC paying the remaining 20% of construction costs, or $1.52 million, according to agenda documents.

What’s next

Project construction is anticipated to begin in 2031, agenda documents state.