The Big Loop is a 30-mile connected trail system north of the Colorado River and the Shoal Creek Trail is the 11-mile western link within it.

Once gaps between the major trails are reconciled, the Big Loop will allow Austinites to walk, run, or bike from the Butler Trail at Lady Bird Lake north to the Northern Walnut Creek Trail at the Domain by way of the Shoal Creek Trail and Red Line Trail, then head southeast to the Southern Walnut Creek Trail and back downtown along the Lance Armstrong Bikeway. The 30-mile loop will eventually frame an urban trail network that connects to numerous other existing or proposed trails within Austin and beyond.

 

Progress on Gaps along the Shoal Creek Trail

In October 2024 the Austin Parks and Recreation Department began work to replace the existing 6-foot wide sidewalk on N Lamar Blvd with a 12-foot wide multi-use, shared use path from the Shoal Creek Blvd and N Lamar Blvd intersection south to the rock hop over Shoal Creek, located just north of 24th Street. This marks the initial implementation of designs for the Shoal Creek Trail Connectivity Gaps projects from 24th-34th Streets.

Overview map of the three Shoal Creek Trail gaps between W 24th Street and W 34th Street

Learn more about the 24th-34th Gap Project

Read SCC comments on the 24th-34th Gap Project

 

Progress on Gaps from the Shoal Creek Trail to the Northern Walnut Creek Trail

In September 2024 the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department collected feedback from the community on their safety and mobility project on Rutland Drive, Longhorn Blvd and Neils Thompson Drive in north Austin. The plan proposes to extend the Shoal Creek Trail by 0.7 miles and  helps to close the gap between the Shoal Creek Trail and the Red Line Trail!

The extended Shoal Creek Trail along Longhorn Blvd shown in yellow, labeled “Proposed Urban Trail”

 

On October 18th, the city’s project team announced that, in response to the feedback received, they are moving forward with the planned design, which includes a concrete urban trail on the west side of Neils Thompson Drive and the north side of Longhorn Blvd with separation between people walking and bicycling! Construction on the urban trail is expected to begin in late 2024 and construction on other portions of the project in 2025.

Learn more about the Rutland Drive Project

Read SCC comments on the Rutland Drive Project

 


Back to Projects