We are thankful to have you as part of the Red Line Parkway community. We have a few exciting trailside updates for you today. We also encourage you to stay tuned via social media. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Update on Planning the Parkway

After unexpected delays, we anticipate that CapMetro, with the City of Austin, will kick off the planning process to determine the end-to-end route for the Parkway in late 2022/early 2023. The Red Line Parkway Initiative will play a critical role in community engagement, supported in part by funds from Travis County. In preparation, we will reach out to community members in the coming months. Do you know any community groups that would be interested in learning more and getting involved? If so, let us know!

Projects Underway to Close Gap & Create New Connectivity

Major roadway improvements are now underway that will close a large gap in the Parkway and create safe connections to neighborhoods. Airport Boulevard Corridor improvements are underway between 55th Street and Lamar Blvd. and include a new shared-use path under Koenig Lane. Between 43rd Street and Koenig Lane, the Parkway is also receiving on-street Neighborhood Bikeways improvements. When complete, Parkway users will enjoy a continuous improved route from downtown to Crestview.

A Successful Parkway to Downtown Series

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Parkway to Downtown Series earlier this year! Together, we enjoyed a beautiful day touring downtown Austin parks. We rode the train from Crestview station to tour the tasty tacos of our great city. And we braved the heat for an enjoyable - and educational - ride to view murals along the trail and in downtown. 

A big thank-you to our lead sponsor, Downtown Austin Alliance, for supporting the events and helping us to promote car-free ways to get downtown! And thank you to Electric Avenue for providing further support for our events.

Images courtesy of Julio Carrillo.

Hancock Center Urban Design Charette - Proposed Solutions 

Over 30 planners, architects and other professionals attended the Hancock Center Urban Design Charette hosted by our partners AIA Austin and Texas ASLA in June. We thank AIA leader and Red Line Parkway Initiative Board Member Julio Carrillo for organizing the event. The Charette explored creative solutions for the extremely complex area located near 43rd Street and I-35, including opportunities for a transit-oriented development and an improved trail crossing and trail experience over the freeway. You can view the proposed solutions from the Charette here.

Opportunities to Shape the Red Line Parkway

There are several current and upcoming opportunities for you to help shape the Red Line Parkway:

• Advocate for Pleasant, Direct, Safe I-35 Trail Crossings: Did you miss the first Public Open House to envision new public spaces over I-35 last Saturday? Do not worry! You can sign up for updates from Our Future 35 - Austin's Cap and Stitch Program and share your input online here soon. TxDOT is including car-free crossings over I-35 for the Parkway both at 4th Street and at Hancock Center near 43rd Street. Join us in voicing support for ensuring that the caps and stitches provide pleasant, safe, and direct crossings for Parkway users.
  

• Take the Austin Core Transportation (ACT) Plan Survey by Sept. 30: The City is studying transportation and mobility options into, out of, through and within downtown. Please join us in expressing the need for a downtown that is safe, convenient and enjoyable for people to walk, bike and wheelchair. Make sure to mention the 4th Street corridor between I-35 and Shoal Creek (Rio Grande Street) in particular. You can take the survey in English or Español. Learn more and sign up for updates here. 

A 32+ Mile Trail in Austin?! How can I help?

Together, we can make the vision of a 32+ mile trail from Austin to Leander a reality. Support the vision and join our community of supporters by donating today.