5 key developments on Austin-area trails in 2025

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2. Local officials break ground on east-west trail connection in South Austin

Once a bustling rail line, the construction of a trail in South Austin will bring new purpose into the bygone Bergstrom Spur transit corridor.

City of Austin officials broke ground Jan. 31 on the first phase of the Bergstrom Spur Trail, transforming the abandoned Union Pacific Railroad tracks into an east-west shared-use path.

The trail is expected to be 6.5 miles long in total and connect Vinson Drive in South Austin to East Riverside Drive and US 183 in southeast Austin.

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3. Lady Bird Lake trail access to be impacted by I-35 construction

Those who regularly enjoy the Lady Bird Lake hike-and-bike trail through Downtown may now encounter detours and construction zones as the Texas Department of Transportation begins rebuilding the I-35 bridge overhead. The project is part of the state’s larger I-35 overhaul—bringing both temporary disruptions and long-term transformations to the lakeside path.

This segment of the project will see the reconstruction of the Lady Bird Lake bridge, including a new type of intersection at Riverside Drive that will make room for future CapMetro light rail trains, as well as an additional pedestrian-only bridge at Woodland Avenue, and improve bicycle and pedestrian paths along the corridor.

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4. Austin’s Shoal Creek Trail receives lighting as part of broader safety, improvements initiative

The Shoal Creek Conservancy, the nonprofit behind the Shoal Creek Trail system in Central and North Austin, celebrated the installation of new lighting on the historic Sixth Street Bridge in downtown Austin Nov. 12. The project, completed in partnership with the city of Austin, joins an initiative aimed at improving accessibility and safety for trail users.

Once the western border of the city, the trail today plods through Austin's urban core, beginning at Lady Bird Lake and stretching north up near The Domain.

“This is more than just a lighting project. It is an investment in the continued vitality of the Shoal Creek Trail,” said Ivey Kaiser, executive director of the Shoal Creek Conservancy.

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5. 36-mile regional trail project to spur economic growth across Austin

A 36-mile trail initiative could be the next economic railway plodding through neighborhoods across the Austin metropolitan area.

Leaders of what’s known as the Red Line Parkway Initiative are heralding a renewed effort to plot out the remaining 29 miles of trail that could connect neighborhoods across Austin, extending up into the suburbs.

The Red Line Parkway, conceived over two decades ago, is poised to become the largest trail system north of Lady Bird Lake, connecting major Austin trailways in a unique way.

The vision for the Red Line Parkway follows a transit-oriented development model, with the proposed path weaving along Metro Red Line rail stations, offering a solution for reducing traffic and creating communities where residential and daily needs are easily accessible without a vehicle.

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