Austin's Rainey Street is on the brink of sprouting new life with the nearly finished Rainey Street Trailhead project—a two-acre oasis pitched perfectly between Cummings Street and East Avenue. In a refreshing break from the concrete jungle, the space is set to bloom with native plant life, and the kiddos are sure in for a treat with a nature play area all their own. The Trail Conservancy has been the muscle behind the earth-turning here, having started the build back in September. The park's grand opening is looking at a mid-July bow, "It used to be just mowed Bermuda," Trail Conservancy executive projects director Charlotte Tonsor told KXAN.
Let's shine a light on safety because Austin's Parks and Recreation Department, they're not sleeping on that part. Lay your bets on a million-dollar upgrade to play it safe along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, with the dough rolling in from the parks department's 2018 bond money. Now, with whispers of tripping hazards and dimly lit dangers, the folks at the city and The Trail Conservancy, they're in cahoots with an outside consultant to light up Rainey Street like a Christmas tree but in a good way—pedestrian lighting and a dedicated camera at the corner of Rainey and Cummings should help keep the boogeyman at bay. And while we're at it, new routes are in the recipe too, along East Avenue where foot traffic can flow without fear of mishap, said a memo released by Parks and Recreation Department Director Kimberly McNeeley.
Don't think it's all about the green and serene—safety's taken the spotlight after a duo of drowning incidents nudged Austin Police into overtime. Jason John and Jonathan Honey, are the names we're reading with heavy hearts after no foul play was spotted by the coroner. Rainey Street has a history of being a watery grave, and these were not the first tragedies—five in the past decade, to be precise. Foot patrols are thicker on the ground, and let's hope that the promise of these upgrades is as reliable as the Texas heat.
Contractors, you're on the clock as bids for the Rainey Street trailhead project are still open until July 28, eyes peeled for those qualified to take the reins. One might say the city's showing flexibility, juggling priorities, and shifting funds like a circus act as it delays the Shoal Creek rehab to pour resources into this trail and its safety sewing kit. With permanent fixtures due for a summer kickoff and deadlines just as scorching, the residents could see their new pedestrian route light up before their New Year's resolutions wear off, the Austin Monitor reports.
