Construction is starting this month on long-promised improvements to the Shoal Creek Trail....

Construction is starting this month on long-promised improvements to the Shoal Creek Trail. The city will widen a section of sidewalk along North Lamar Boulevard that runs parallel to a canyon below in an effort to improve accessibility and safety.⁠ ⁠ Between 29th and 31st streets is one of the weirdest sections of the city's oldest hike-and-bike trail. One path leads down into a heavily shaded rocky ravine while the upper route is just a five-foot-wide sidewalk next to busy traffic on Lamar.⁠ ⁠ Down in the valley known as Split Rock Canyon or the Bluffs, the sounds of traffic are muffled, and the air is noticeably cooler.⁠ ⁠ "I think this is a really great space for people to come and relax and get away from all the craziness of Austin," said Hayley Bedwell said while sitting on a large boulder.⁠ ⁠ "That's why we're here. We want to get away from the city," said Sam Kreitner, who was walking by. "Even though you can hear the cars and stuff, this to me feels like I'm out in the woods."⁠ ⁠ But the lower trail can be tough to navigate. Its uneven surface challenges cyclists, parents with strollers or anyone using a wheelchair. For those travelers, the alternative has been the sidewalk above. But parts of that sidewalk have been deemed "functionally deficient" by the city, meaning those sections violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.⁠ ⁠ "The sidewalk is very narrow," said Ivey Kaiser, executive director of the @ShoalCreekConservancy. "There are a lot of trees that grow over into the trail and further narrow that pathway that people have to pass through. And it's very, very close to North Lamar."⁠ ⁠ That's the part the city is about to change. The Transportation and Public Works Department will replace the sidewalk with a 12-foot-wide concrete path, bringing it up to the city's standards for an urban trail.⁠ ⁠ "The goal is to have a little more width and a separated curb to allow for people to cycle and walk comfortably without feeling like you're directly up next to those cars on North Lamar," Kaiser said.⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in our bio to read more from Nathan Bernier (@KUTNathan).⁠ Photo: @MichaelMinasi