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Runners, bikers excited for new guardrail on popular Austin trail

The guardrail will serve as a safer and more secure barrier between regular traffic and runners and bikers who use the Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.

AUSTIN — Crews with the City of Austin began removing temporary water barriers along the southern portion of Cesar Chavez between B.R. Reynolds Drive to make way for a permanent guardrail Monday.

The guardrail will serve as a safer and more secure barrier between regular traffic and runners and bikers who use the Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail.

Officials said 480 feet of the new, permanent guardrail will begin from behind the curb of B.R. Reynolds Drive to Sandra Muraida Way.

The guardrail will cost the city of Austin about $50,000 for both the material and labor work.

Pirouz Moin, City of Austin interim city engineer, says his team with the Public Works Department is excited to finally be moving forward after years of community members reaching out asking why it had taken so long to find a permanent solution.

"The issue was the number of pedestrians using the trail each day, that made us look for additional safety for all of our citizens," Moin explained.

It's a part of that stretch of the hike and bike trail that has a history. In May 2012, a driver fell asleep at the wheel, lost control of his vehicle and hopped the curb, killing a man and injuring a woman on the trail. Afterward, the city placed plastic barriers as a temporary measure. In 2016, KVUE reached out to the city to check on the status of putting in permanent barriers, but the city said legal issues and funding were holding up the project.

Stephanie Creighton and Lorii Whitmire visit the trail weekly. They said they're happy to hear about the guardrails being put into place.

"I think this is the highest traffic area that's this close to the trail," said Creighton

"That area right there seems really close to the trail where the cars are coming around a lot of times. In rush hours, they try to go faster -- miss the light and stuff. So I think it can protect the pedestrians and bicyclists a little bit better. That'd be good," said Whitmire.

Taylor Berman, who runs the trail with her daughter nearly three times a week, said she's grateful the guardrail is being placed.

"I appreciate that Austin has those values to create a space like this for people, then willing to do the extra to make sure people are safe," Berman explained.

In order to ensure safety during the construction process, the city has announced the following closures will occur:

The segment of the Butler Hike and Bike Trail along Lady Bird Lake from B.R. Reynolds Drive to Sandra Muraida Way will be closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. (but will reopen for use). During the time of the closure, trail users will be rerouted to the Lance Armstrong Bikeway on the north side of Cesar Chavez.

Additionally, the curbside eastbound lane on Cesar Chavez will also shut down between the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The project is expected to take two weeks to complete if the weather permits, ending the project with a targeted date of Monday, Sept. 24.

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