A trailhead has been created on a dusty, abandoned plot of land that is tucked between Union Pacific’s train tracks and Bolm Road. It contains a seating area and a fountain that can fill water bottles and provide water for dogs.
Along the Mokan Trail, which connects to the Southern Walnut Creek Trail and runs parallel to a portion of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas rail line, the triangle trailhead discreetly debuted this spring. Union Pacific rail employees used to park there in an unmaintained manner.
Around $500,000 was spent on the project. The funds came from a mobility bond that was approved by voters in 2016. It is a component of the city’s endeavor to increase the number of urban trails and facilitate transportation for those without cars.
Casey Hartsfield, who lives close by and frequently uses the trail, said it was a significant improvement. It was somewhat run-down and resembled abandoned terrain. It’s beautiful now.
Nevertheless, Hartsfield stated that the pocket park needed more sun protection on a Tuesday afternoon with highs in the upper 90s.
He claimed that it would be almost ideal if they added shade.
Shade has been scarce thus far. The budget does not include a permanent shade structure, according to John Eastman, who oversees the city’s sidewalks and urban trails.
He claimed that the cost would have skyrocketed if an engineering shade structure had been used. However, we did construct an irrigation system for the existing trees. We are optimistic that there will be a considerable amount of shade in a few years.
Ten trees—a variety of cedar elms and crepe myrtles—were planted at the location; they were picked for their modest growth rate and ability to withstand dryness. Cedar elms have an annual growth rate of up to 2.5 feet. Drought-tolerant flora like blanket flowers and prickly pears can be found in the rest area.
Decomposed granite and reclaimed bricks from a downtown building project cover the trailhead’s surface. The city also erected a concrete pad and subterranean electrical current to make room for a future CapMetro Bikeshare station. The addition of one is not currently planned.
A city-owned unoccupied piece of land sits next to the trailhead, between the road and the train tracks. Affordable housing has been planned for the property. According to Eastman, the investment in a more permanent public area was justified in part by the development plans.
The new trailhead is only a portion of the larger MoKan Trail, a 1.5-mile urban trail project that the city designated as a high priority in 2023 after locals expressed a need for amenities to improve the trails’ usability.
Regarding the public input that shaped the 2023 Urban Trails Plan, Eastman stated that they would also like to have a place to sit and rest, be shaded, grab a little water, and have that very well-connected and well-integrated into the trail system.
The MoKan Trail will link Pedernales Street to the Southern Walnut Creek Trail when it is finished, which should be by late 2026. The pathway will eventually join a 30-mile network of urban trails that encircle a large portion of Austin, according to the city’s plans.
As part of the Austin Monitor’s reporting collaboration with KUT, this story was created.
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