The entire Waller Creek District Master Plan can be downloaded here.
The vision for more and safe public spaces along Waller Creek, including park like connectivity from Waterloo Park to Lady Bird Lake, was a primary motivation for choosing to live at the Sabine. When I tell people about Waller Creek, a common response is “Waller Creek… they’re still tryin’ to get that done, huh?”
The Waller Creek Tunnel Project and subsequent improvements to the district represent one of the most significant urban renewal project in Austin. I was appointed to the Waller Creek Citizens Advisory Committee (WCCAC) last month. Since then my understanding of what’s happening with Waller Creek has improved significantly – The Waller Creek Tunnel is on time and on budget and will break ground in late 2010 or early 2011.
At last night’s WCCAC meeting, ROMA delivered a highly compelling draft of a master plan for Waller Creek. While we were only presented with a draft, ROMA’s Waller Creek districting plan creates a vast amount of public space and a Sabine Street promenade is one example of a progressive districting plan as a whole. Sabine Street’s wide and underutilized right-of-ways could be converted into a more pedestrian and bicycle friendly promenade. The promenade would most likely deliver large 30ft+ areas for al-fresco dining, bicycle lanes that connect back into the Waller Creek trail system, and enough room for limited automobile traffic to still get through.
On October 24th, ROMA will present the entire plan at a town hall meeting.
-Jude