Plans for 35-mile hike and bike trail take a new turn

Plans for 35-mile hike and bike trail take a new turn

By Administrator Monday, 01 February 2010

AUSTIN — A new nature haven is in the works for southwest Austin bikers and hikers. This fall, trail builders will break ground on phase I of the approximately 35-mile Walk for a Day trail. Connecting the existing Barton Creek Greenbelt trails with the City of Sunset Valley trails, phase I may be finished by next spring and will cost $250,000.

Leading the project’s funding and planning is the nonprofit Hill Country Conservancy preservation group. George Cofer, HCC executive director, said phase I will allow people to enjoy miles of trail even while work continues on subsequent phases.

“By rehabilitating some existing trails [on the Greenbelt] and building a little new trail, we can get to [Sunset Valley],” Cofer said. “From Barton Creek Greenbelt to Hwy. 290, there is only a couple of miles of new trail [that need to be built].”

Initially, Cofer planned phase I as the portion from Slaughter Lane to the Travis and Hays county line.

“We noticed after looking at a lot of maps, that rather than starting in the middle, this phase I makes a lot of sense,” Cofer said.

Plans for the trail were first announced in November 2007. Since then, HCC has been busy acquiring permission for property easements, applying for state and federal funding and drafting potential routes for the trail.

Ultimately, the trail will lead hikers and bikers south of Sunset Valley into the Onion Creek Management Unit nature preserve. Cofer said when the Walk for a Day trail is completed, it could join a network of regional trails, linking several counties together.

“This is exciting in and of itself, but when you think of it being part of a trail system that could be a couple hundred miles over three or four counties, it’s like, ‘Wow,’” Cofer said.

Estimating a cost of $7.5 million for the total project, planners envision five to 10 more years of planning and construction before the entire trail is complete.

Who foots the bill?

By partnering with the City of Austin, Sunset Valley, Hays County, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and local professional and service organizations, Cofer said the price of the trail itself is relatively inexpensive. The City of Austin is contributing staff time to work on the project in addition to hiring the Wildflower Center to perform an environmental assessment on the city’s sensitive water quality lands where the trail might traverse.

Meanwhile, HCC, the sole party responsible for raising funds, hired Greenways Incorporated, an alternative transportation consulting company from North Carolina, to draft the trail master plan. The conservancy is depending on various other groups to contribute time and expertise to make that plan a reality.

“We’ve got a whole list of professional consultants donating their time,” Cofer said. “And that’s how we’re able to get this trail done so cost effectively.”

Austin-based Bury+Partners Engineering and Consulting Firm has already logged hours of professional engineering services.

“I think it’s going to take a coalition of partners to ensure the trail is built and maintained properly,” Cofer said. “Maintaining a trail system this long is too costly for any one community.”

Luckily, all partners see the benefits possible with such a project, Cofer said.

“This is going to be one of the best trail systems that was ever built,” Cofer said. “It’s a big deal.”

American Youthworks

Beyond joining other regional trails lies another social mission — connecting at-risk youth to their community.

The Environmental Core Program of American Youthworks, a local nonprofit organization that educates at-risk youth, has been hired by HCC to build the trail.

Director of the program Parc Smith said youths ages 17-27 will have the opportunity to learn job skills and gain knowledge about environmental conservation while serving the community.

“They’re getting to plug into their local community and that’s really important,” Smith said. “We’re doing really high quality work — they’re learning masonry skills, erosion control techniques and professional trail-building skills.”

The program charges HCC anywhere from $800-$1,200 per day for labor. Because the cost is much lower than a contractor, Smith said it’s as much of an attractive deal for HCC as it is for him.

“We’re bringing to the table our lowered fee structure through the other grants that help support our program,” Smith said.

Sunset Valley

Sunset Valley Mayor Pro Tem John Moore said he is excited about the opportunities the trail will provide, though cautious of other potential outcomes.

“One of our concerns in Sunset Valley is we want to make sure that we maintain the face and the feel of a rural community,” Moore said.

Still, the trail embodies the character of the City of Sunset Valley, Moore said.

“It ties in to everything that Sunset Valley participates in now, which is outdoor activities, the environment, the Hill Country feel,” Moore said. “We have a very active community and we want to make sure to feed that.”

To work and play

Aiming to please diverse crowds, the trail will offer a variety of uses.

Marty Stump, landscape architect at the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department, said parts of the trail will be modified to allow a smooth stroll for someone in a wheelchair, but at some points, it may prove rocky.

“There are places where you’ll go through much more rugged terrain where you’re essentially traversing exposed field stone and other areas where it will be more in a woodland setting,” Stump said. “It’s a much more rustic experience than an urban trail like Lady Bird Lake.”

Even so, Cofer said some uses may be beyond a weekend mountain bike ride or hike as cycling commuters could forego the roadways for a more scenic route to work.

“We want this to be recreational, yes, but also this will be transportation for some people, “ he said.

An eco-friendly education

Although precise plans remain undefined, Cofer said the educational component of the trail is integral.

Signs along the way may tell the stories of cattle ranches or Native American sites that once inhabited the area as well as the unique ecology of the aquifer zone.

“The whole idea is to celebrate the continuum of Barton Creek from the springs up through the trail corridor,” Stump said.

Because the trail will be built with a natural surface tread, animal habitats and plant ecosystems will enjoy more than just the educational spotlight. Composed of dirt and rocks, the trail will be no more than 30 inches wide. Stump said in the planning process they have to take inventory of species in the area and develop plans to prevent land erosion and protect trees to avoid harming native plants and animals.

“This trail is envisioned that it’s all hand construction; there won’t be any heavy equipment,” Stump said. “So the footprint will be kept to minimum.”

The natural surface tread is also attractive because of its low maintenance costs.

“If they built it right, it’ll stay there — it’ll be sustainable, it won’t take a lot of upkeep,” Cofer said.

Ribbon-cutting

To celebrate National Trail’s Day, the HCC will hold a ribbon-cutting June 6 at the Barton Creek Greenbelt Trailhead. The event is open to all. Sign up to volunteer at http://www.hillcountryconservancy.org/volunteer-opportunity-national-trails-day.