AUSTIN, Texas — During a community meeting on Tuesday, the City of Austin presented three options for its "Zilker Park Vision Plan," according to a report from Community Impact. The plan is intended to guide the development of the park for the next several decades.
Each of the three options presented includes different solutions to issues in Zilker Park, including differing approaches to parking, transportation, safety and accessibility.
However, Community Impact reports that all three plans include the rehabilitation of Barton Creek, ecological restoration, the implementation of a green stormwater infrastructure, the coordination of people and roads and accessibility for people with disabilities, as well as unique approaches to roadway connectivity and safety.
Community Impact reports that the plans were not presented as definitive options for the community to vote on but will instead serve as a way to make decisions moving forward.
The three plans are called "Stitch," "Edges" and "Regenerate."
The most prominent features in the "Stitch" plan are a land bridge to make crossing Barton Creek safer and a semi-underground central parking garage with smaller parking closer to distant areas of interest.
The "Edges" plan features two parking garages on the edge of the park, as well as one centrally-located garage. According to Community Impact's report, the idea of this plan is to decentralize traffic and incentivize visitors to frequent the outer edges of Zilker Park. This plan also includes a tunnel under Barton Springs Road for pedestrians and the creation of several play areas on the park's perimeter.
The "Regenerate" plan includes the least amount of changes. It focuses on repurposing the Caretaker's Cottage and Quonset Hut into a welcome center and also includes more organized and purposeful parking lots, rather than parking garages.
Community Impact reports that additional concepts were also presented that can work in tandem with any of the three plans. Those options include an enhancement of the trail connection with the Butler Hike and Bike Trail and an enhancement to the pedestrian bridge that connects the Polo Field to the Botanical Gardens.
To see a more in-depth breakdown of the three plans presented by the City and to learn more about the Zilker Park Vision Plan as a whole, read Community Impact's full report.
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