Waterloo Greenway updates phase work; city staff outline cap-and-stitch coordination and funding questions

Watershed Protection Department and the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy briefed the committee on the Waterloo Greenway partnership’s progress and coordination needs with pending I‑35 'cap and stitch' work.

Jorge Morales and Waterloo Greenway Vice President Melissa Yalla reviewed the multi-phase Waterloo Greenway project. Phase 1 (Symphony Square and Waterloo Park) has been completed and is operating; phase 2 includes the Confluence under construction with completion expected next year and Palm Park in design development after renewed community engagement. Morales noted public and private funding sources for the project and said a partnership model — city plus conservancy — has allowed private fundraising to supplement public financing for enhanced programming and maintenance.

The Conservancy said its phase 2 programming and maintenance work has produced extensive free community programming and that the organization continues private fundraising for capital and operations. Staff cited a $110 million tax-increment financing (TIF) allocation that was authorized in 2018 and said the U.S. Army Corps has contributed $13 million for the Confluence project; Waterloo staff said philanthropy and grants will continue to be needed for later phases.

The committee also received a combined briefing on the proposed 'cap and stitch' work over I‑35, which would create a series of decks and new public spaces across the depressed highway. Assistant City Manager Mike Rogers, project staff and representatives from downtown partners described a vision plan that identifies eight potential cap locations and highlighted four priority areas where the city and partners see programmatic opportunities: the Fourth–Seventh Street corridor (events, nightlife and culture), a Fifth Street corridor, the Eleventh–Twelfth Street cap (civic/gathering space tied to the African American Heritage Corridor), and connectivity to Waterloo Greenway’s Palm Park and the Confluence.

Speakers emphasized coordination with TxDOT design milestones and Project Connect. Project partners and the Downtown Austin Alliance urged that the city 'future-proof' roadway elements now because, as one stakeholder said, without roadway elements being built, “there is no opportunity for us to do this in probably the next 50 years.” Staff warned council that a major grant under review may take a 90-day evaluation and recommended postponing final decisions until federal funding certainty is clearer; staff said they were seeking to extend the grant timeline and that if the council moves forward before grant outcomes are known, contingency language and contracting approaches would be included.

Committee members asked about air quality, noise, microclimate and pedestrian access on caps. Staff said they are funding a microclimate and mobility study (using Reconnecting Communities pilot grant funds) that will analyze air-quality and noise implications and recommend design measures (planting, building siting and edge treatments) to improve conditions on decked caps. Staff also said signal operations on frontage roads — which the city will operate — can be calibrated to improve pedestrian crossings and reduce vehicle speeds functionally, even if posted road design speeds do not change.

Staff presented a timeline that includes council work sessions in March and individual briefings with council offices to discuss funding and phasing. The committee emphasized cross-agency coordination with Waterloo Greenway, Parks, Watershed Protection, Transportation, TxDOT and philanthropic partners so features and operations on caps and Greenway parcels are complementary rather than duplicative.

No council vote was taken at the committee; staff requested time with each council office before the March work session to discuss financial and scheduling decisions.