City Begins Shoal Creek Trail Upgrade Between 29th and 31st Streets
By Sofia Estrada Ferrufino
Reporting Texas
A narrow sidewalk runs along North Lamar Boulevard near The Shoal Creek Trail on Nov. 17, 2025. Sofia Estrada Ferrufino/Reporting Texas
Austin Transportation and Public Works started construction along North Lamar Boulevard and the Shoal Creek Trail between 29th Street and 31st Street to address accessibility and safety concerns.
The Shoal Creek Trail is Austin’s oldest hike and bike trail, stretching from Lady Bird Lake up to U.S. 183. The section between 29th and 31st Streets has two paths: one leads to The Bluffs and the other is a sidewalk inches from Lamar Boulevard.
The Bluffs offer a natural escape but are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Its uneven, narrow surface makes trail users step aside to get around each other. Along Lamar Boulevard, the sidewalk narrows to 5 feet and is close to traffic in an area with high crash rates.
“I like how close it is to the city, yet still feels like you’re in nature,” said Caitlin Gorman, a regular trail walker.
Gorman has been taking walks on the trail every day for the past week, but she avoids this stretch because it feels less safe and has fewer people around. She finds the trail to be inconsistent and hopes the city will improve the terrain and add lighting.
Daniel Kavelman, projects and policy manager at Shoal Creek Conservancy, said the conservancy has worked closely with the city to incorporate community feedback into the improvements
The 2018 Shoal Creek Trail Plan identified this section as a high-priority area. Over time, it became part of a larger effort to improve the trail from 24th to 34th Street. The construction project now underway is the second phase of fulfilling that plan and includes Vision Zero improvements aimed at reducing serious injuries and deaths on the city’s roads.
“We want people to feel safe and comfortable on the Shoal Creek Trail,” Kavelman said.
John Eastman, sidewalk and urban trails division manager for Austin Transportation and Public Works, said the project is funded through the 2020 mobility bond and is designed to improve the safety and accessibility of the trail system.
He said the trail consists of an “amazing” nature trail, but has significant hazards for anyone who needs an accessible route, including cyclists or individuals with mobility impairments.
To address that issue, the new trail design will be a 10-foot-wide, ADA-compliant, shared-use path running along Lamar Boulevard. There will be adjustments to the roads, including moving curbs, retaining walls and adjusting turning lanes to improve safety.
Eastman said the real challenge is fitting those improvements into a constrained space to create a protected path accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
“If we’re going to help more people get around the city and do it sustainably, we have to create facilities that they feel safe and comfortable walking and biking,” Eastman said.
The project is estimated to take about a year to complete. Stakeholders can find detour information on the Austin Urban Trails website and the Shoal Creek website.